Clement F. Porter Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1134-1135 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	CLEMENT F. PORTER, president of the Farmers' State Bank of Wilmot, 
is a native of Addison county, Vermont, born in the city of New Haven, 
on the 24th day of October, 1861. His parents were Clement and Elizabeth 
(Como) Porter, both natives of the province of Quebec, Canada, and he is 
one of nine children, seven sons and two daughters, being the fifth of 
the family. His early life was beset with many discouraging vicissitudes 
and not a few hardships, and at the tender age of seven years he was 
thrown upon his own resources, from which time to the present day he has 
been obliged to make his own way in the world. When about eleven years 
old he went to West Boylston, Massachusetts, where he learned the 
shoemaker's trade, and after working at the same in that city until 1878 
went to St. Paul, Minnesota, where during the ensuing four years he was 
employed in the shoe factory of Forepaugh & Tarbox. 

	Severing his connection with that firm at the expiration of that 
time noted, Mr. Porter came to Roberts county, South Dakota, and in 1882 
engaged in general merchandising at Wilmot, in company with Edmund Cook, 
where he did a fairly successful business for a short time, finally. 
disposing of his establishment to take a business course in a commercial 
college in St. Paul, Minnesota. Finishing the course, he returned to 
Wilmot and opened a hardware store, which he conducted with profitable 
results until 1888, when he engaged in the livery business, later 
turning his attention to real estate, banking and to dealing in 
agricultural implements. Mr. Porter took a leading part in establishing 
the Farmers' State Bank of Wilmot, and was made president of the same 
immediately after its organization, being also a director of the 
Citizens' National Bank at Sisseton and of the Iowa and Dakota Land and 
Loan Company, also of Sisseton. A few years ago he sold his implement 
business, and has since devoted his attention to his financial interests 
and to agriculture, being quite extensively engaged in the latter, 
owning a finely improved and valuable farm in Roberts county, which is 
cultivated under his personal management. 

	Mr. Porter has been an active participant in public affairs ever 
since coming to South Dakota, and in 1902 was elected to the upper house 
of the general assembly as representative from the thirty-fourth 
senatorial district. A Republican of the most orthodox style, he has 
been a zealous worker in the party, a leader in its councils in Roberts 
county, and it was in recognition of his valuable services that the 
above official honor was conferred upon him. Mr. Porter has served on 
the Republican central committee of Roberts county, in which capacities 
he was largely instrumental in formulating the policy of the party and 
in leading it to victory in local campaigns. Mr. Porter is a member of 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is also identified with the 
Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Pythias fraternities, 
having represented both the last named organizations in the grand lodge. 

	Mr. Porter is a married man and owns one of the beautiful and 
refined homes of Wilmot, the presiding genius of which is a lady of 
intelligence and culture, who formerly bore the name of Nathalie 
DeNomme, but who changed it to the one she now so worthily bears on 
February I4, 1886. Mrs. Porter is a native of Massachusetts and of 
French descent, and has borne her husband children as follows: Flora M., 
George W., Clement F., Charles S., Thurman, Harry and Irene, all living 
but Harry, who died January I2, 1902, aged two years and eleven months.