Small But Mighty Ella Porter, by Irene

Small But Mighty Ella Porter

by Irene

Small But Mighty Ella Porter, my father’s mother was one of the strongest women I know. She stood about 4 feet 11 inches (if that) but there was no doubt that she ruled the roost.

She had been frail as a child, but she reared ten children in a two room house with no inside plumbing or toilets. Eight of them were boys. She raised chickens and kept a large garden to help feed her brood.

I remember the big canning pot and mason jars with rubber seals that she used to can vegetables and fruits for the winter. Daddy said he could remember the boys being sent out along the railroad tracks to pick up coal that had fallen along the tracks.

Grandmother had two of the strongest hands I have ever held. That came from ringing out clothes on wash day. She washed and rinsed everything in tin No. 2 tubs and hung them out on the clothesline to dry in the sun.

She was very religious and all of the children participated in church activities regularly. No card playing was allowed in her house, although rumor has it that Grandfather earned the family money gambling.

My mother says that the Porter children were always clean and well fed.

Grandmother was also the neighborhood midwife and participated in the births of many children. In the 1920’s and 30’s no one had telephone service but Grandmother had her own message system. Daddy told us they would sometimes get into mischief at school or in the neighborhood. When they got home she would call them in. “I heard you were being sassy in school today,” she would say to them.

“Mama, how do you know that?” they would ask.

“Never mind how I know," she would reply. “Just go on out to that peach tree and cut me a switch and bring it here. I’ll teach you to be respectful to your elders."

Many years later I can remember her saying nearly the same thing to one of my cousins. It didn’t matter if the child was a foot taller than her. But no matter how strict she was, we never doubted that she loved all of us and we loved her.

Grandmother died in 1963 possible of kidney disease. I remember the time well because I was almost seven months pregnant at the time and living in California and could not attend her funeral.

Irene January 30, 2003, Revised July 26, 2008

I love the photo Irene provided for her story. Isn't Grandma Porter a beautiful woman? I can see her now taking care of "family" business. Nothing got past this lady! Do we ever need more of these mamas in today's age. Irene gave her audience a wonderful glimpse behind the eyes of her paternal grandmother's life. I was ready to hear more; how about you???

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