William Porter was born on 2 November 1856 in Gosforth, Cumberland, England. He arrived in QLD on the ship “Scottish Knight” on 22 Jul 1879, aged 22. Also on the ship were his future wife and her 2 brothers. After marrying Ellen later in 1879 in Townsville, he worked with railway gangs throughout QLD and NSW before working on the breakwater at Tweed Heads NSW. From there he moved to Laurieton NSW in about 1898 to work on the breakwater there. He settled in Laurieton.

He married Ellen, also known as Eleanor, Park, in Townsville, Queensland, on 21 November 1879. Ellen was born on 3 April 1859 in Ulverston, Lancashire, England.

Their family became closely associated with Laurieton and the surrounding districts of coastal New South Wales. The children’s recorded birthplaces range from Townsville and Murphy’s Flat in Queensland to Armidale, Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah, Laurieton and Taree, suggesting that the family lived in several districts during their early years. William died in Laurieton on 27 September 1918, aged 61. Ellen survived him by more than 24 years, dying there on 28 January 1943, aged 83.

They had ten children, with descendant branches carrying the surnames Porter, Laurie, Buckman, Hoschke, Shoesmith, Perrott and Webber.

• Thomas Porter, born in Armidale in 1882, was the eldest child listed.
• Lancelot Porter, born at Tweed Heads in 1885, died in France on 5 October 1917, aged 32. His death occurred during the First World War, although the chart does not provide military service details.
• Samuel William Porter, born at Murphy’s Flat, Queensland, in 1887, died in Laurieton on 13 June 1944, aged 57. No wife or children are shown.
• Hannah Porter, recorded as born in Townsville on 1 December 1890, married Joseph Laurie at Port Macquarie in 1916. Their five children were an unnamed son who died in infancy in 1917; Robert Lance McDonald Laurie (1918–1989), who married Marjorie Annie G Davidson in 1942; Elizabeth Ellen “Bess” Laurie (1919–1996); William Wallace Laurie (1921–1932), who died aged 11; and Neta Alice Laurie (1925–2017), who lived to 91. Hannah died in Laurieton on 3 January 1959.
• Mary Ellen Jane Porter, born in Queensland on 16 April 1891, married George E Buckman at Taree in 1913. George died in 1954, and Mary died in Laurieton on 29 April 1965, aged 74. No children are listed for this couple.
• Margaret Porter, born about 1893 in New South Wales, provides the connection to the Hoschke family. She married Edward Thomas “Ted” Hoschke at Orara on 5 May 1919. The chart identifies Geoffrey Edward Hoschke, born at Kempsey on 7 September 1916, as their son. Geoffrey married June Isabel Renshaw at Taree on 6 November 1947. Their son Paul Richard Hoschke (1954–2025) married Patricia Joy (1954–2019). Margaret died at Taree on 31 March 1978. This branch extends the chart to William Porter’s great-grandson.
• Eliza Porter, born in Laurieton in 1894, married William A Buckman at Port Macquarie in 1913. Their three sons were Jack W Buckman, born in 1913; Robert Buckman (1914–1925); and Sidney Buckman (1917–1930). The family suffered the loss of Robert at 11 and Sidney at 13. Both Eliza and William died in 1950.
• Ellen Porter, born at Murwillumbah on 16 September 1897, married William Edward Shoesmith at Taree on 22 November 1920. Their daughter, Olga May Shoesmith (1921–1989), married William Perrott at Port Macquarie in 1947. Ellen died at Taree on 8 January 1967.
• John “Jack” Porter, born at Taree in 1899, married Martha Clifford at Hay in 1921. Four children are listed beneath that marriage: Christine Caroline (1922–1988), Robert John (1924–2003), Mary Joyce (1931–1981), and Dulcie Patricia (1940–2023). Their birthplaces include Blayney, Canowindra, Griffith and Grafton. The chart also records Jack’s marriage to Edith Adeline Jenkins at Taree in 1939; Edith died in January 1941. Jack died on 24 October 1976.
• May Porter, born at Taree in 1901, married William Thomas Webber there in 1924. William died in 1972, and May died on 12 July 1981, aged 80. No children are shown.

William and Ellen’s descendants had particularly strong connections with Laurieton, Taree and Port Macquarie, while other branches reached inland New South Wales, Grafton, Victoria and Queensland. Through Margaret’s marriage to Ted Hoschke, the Porter family also became linked to the Orara Valley Hoschke line.

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Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer (NSW : 1898 – 1954), Tuesday 16 February 1943, page 4

_{MRS. ELLEN PORTER. (1943, February 16). The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer (NSW : 1898 – 1954), p. 4. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168385672}

MRS. ELLEN PORTER

(Contributed).

On the evening of 28th January there passed from our midst a very old and highly respected resident in the person of Mrs. Ellen Porter, relict of the late William Porter, who pre deceased her about twenty-four years ago. The subject of this notice was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Park and was born in Lancashire and lived with her parents up to about the time of her 21st birthday.

In the year 1879 two of her brothers having decided to seek their fortunes in Australia, she resolved to accompany them, with the result that under the assisted immigration scheme they took ship for Townsville direct, and duly arrived there in that year. A fellow passenger was a great friend of her brother’s in the person of William Porter, her future husband, who hailed from the adjoining country of Cumberland.

Although they had never met in the old land, the friendship which had its beginning on the boat soon ripened into mutual love and their marriage took place in Townsville shortly after arrival, and in that town their eldest child (now Mrs. J. Laurie, of Laurieton) was born. Two more children, now deceased, were born to them in that town, after which the father, having obtained employment in the construction of railway lines in Queensland and afterwards in northern New South Wales, it became necessary for his wife and young family to be near him and lead a nomadic life, moving from camp to camp, sometimes living in tents or roughly-built shacks.

It was during this period that our friend, who had been used to all the amenities of her English home, realized what an outback life in Australia really meant, and she was forced to endure great hardships. Still, she never complained and took it all in her stride. Some years later growing tired of a roving life, especially as by that time there were a number of young children and their education had to be considered, and the harbour works in New South Wales under Sir John Coode’s scheme having taken shape, a move was made to Tweed Heads, where deceased’s husband obtained employment as a leading hand and remained there until completion of that work.

Forty-five years ago the whole of the plant and all the key men came to Camden Haven to open a quarry and commence the construction of training walls, deceased’s husband being one of the first three to arrive. Being impressed with the potentialities of Laurieton, he decided that he had done enough wandering, and, having acquired a block of land in the village, he built a comfortable cottage in which the family have resided ever since. The writer of these lines has had the great privilege of being intimately acquainted with deceased during the whole of her residence in Laurieton, and has often heard her describe the hardships of her early married life in the outback.

Truly it can be said of her that she was one of the army of heroic women who have given of their best to make this great country what it is today. In the Great War of 1914-18 she suffered a great loss, her eldest son being killed in action, which bereavement was followed a comparatively short time, afterwards by the death of her husband. Under these trials she bore up with Christian fortitude. She was not given to indulging in heroics, but, emulating the ‘Women of Sparta,’ she kept her feelings locked within her own breast and suffered in silence. Although not by any means a recluse, she took little part in public matters, but was always delighted to receive frequent visits from her friends and neighbours and members of her family.

Still, her most outstanding characteristic was her intense love of her home and children. They were all in all to her and upon them she lavished that which is probably the greatest of God’s gifts to mankind — ‘the intense love of a good mother,’ which transcends all other loves. In that respect it can be said that verily she has cast her bread upon the waters, and it has been returned an hundredfold, for it is freely acknowledged by all local residents that it is only on rare occasions that such consideration, love and affection, has been bestowed on a widowed mother as that of which she has been the recipient from all the surviving members of her family.

Although it may be considered invidious to make distinctions, still, it is felt that special mention should be made in regard to her son Samuel. At the time of his father’s death, he, being a bachelor, decided to make the old home his headquarters, and remain as a companion to his mother for the rest of her days. How well he has filled the vacant chair in the family circle is only too well known to need any further comment, and anything that may be said in praise of himas a devoted son and companion would be tantamount to an attempt to ‘paint the lily.’ The same may be said to a lesser degree, perhaps, in some cases where members have been separated by distance, but without one single exception all have done all that could possibly be done to make the last few years as happy as possible. It would take up too much of your space to write a full account of their many acts of filial affection, but they can now look back with feelings of justifiable pride to their many acts of love and kindness shown to their dear one during her life on earth.

Deceased had given birth to thirteen children, five of whom predeceased her. The names of the eight who survive are as follow: Mesdames J. Laurie, G. Buckman, E. Hoschke and W. Buckman (Laurieton), W. Shoesmith (Coralville), W. Webber (West Maitland), Samuel (Laurieton) and John (Bulga). In addition, there are living 18 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Deceased, had she lived until April would have reached the 87th milestone. The deepest sympathy, of the residents of this town and district is extended to the bereaved family in their loss of a loved mother who, at all times, let that sweet charity which ‘hopeth all things and thinketh no evil’ be her monitor, and spoke ill of no one. They will be comforted in the knowledge that the whole community joins with them in mourning the loss of a very dear, lovable and grand old lady, who, although she is now reaping her reward in that bright ‘Land of the Leal’ beyond the shadows, has left behind a very dear and fragrant memory, which will long linger in the minds of those who knew her best and recognised her many sterling qualities, and perhaps their feelings can most appropriately be expressed in the beautiful lines and prayer of Wordsworth: — ‘Sweet, mercy to the gates of heaven. This pilgrim lead her sins forgiven; The rueful conflict, the heart riven with vain endeavour, And memory of earth’s bitter leaven effaced for ever.’ The funeral took place to the Laurieton cemetery on January 30, the mortal remains being laid to rest beside those of her late husband in the Church of England portion. The funeral services, both at the church and graveside, were conducted by Rev. Neville.