Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameWilliam Webster Porch 
Birth22 Jan 1858, Fayette Co, PA
Death2 Sep 1944, Atlantic City, Atlantic Co, NJ
BurialGrandview Cem, Southmont, Cambria Co, PA
MemoLot 150 Section CE1
FatherJacob Porch (1831-1916)
MotherSusanna Harmon (1837-1912)
Misc. Notes
WILLIAM W. PORCH, the leading musical instrument dealer of Johnstown, and an active and successful business man of that place, was born, January 22, 1858, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Jacob and Susanna (Harmon) Porch. He is of German-English ancestry. His great-great-grandfather, on the paternal side of the family, was G. F. Porch, who emigrated at an early day from England, and settled in Westmoreland county, where John Porch, great-grandfather, was born. In that county, also, was born George Porch, grandfather, in 1801, and he died in the same county in 1874. The great-great-grandfather of Mr. Porch on the maternal side of the family emigrated from Germany and was killed by the Indians. Hisson, the great-grandfather of our subject, was taken prisoner by the Indians, but afterward returned to his Westmoreland county home. Andrew Harmon was the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. He was born in 1805, and died in 1869. His father first saw the light in Westmoreland county March 4, 1831. His mother was also born in Westmoreland county February 4, 1837, a daughter of Andrew Harmon, who was born in 1805, and died in 1869.
W. W. Porch was reared upon the paternal acres in Westmoreland county, and like many of the successful business men of the day began life on his own account as a teacher. He taught four terms in the common schools of Westmoreland county, and then took a commercial course in the Iron City Business college of Pittsburg, graduating from that well-known institute in 1882. Having directed his education with the view of pursuing a business career, he took a position as a clerk in a gents' furnishing store of the "Smoky City," where he remained over a year. At the end of that period, or in 1881, he began selling musical instruments under the employ of the firm of Wilcox & White, of Pittsburg, remaining with that firm until 1888, when he embarked in the business on his own account in Johnstown, and has continued the same at that place to the present time. In addition to the handling of musical instruments he is vice-president of the Mendelssohn Piano Manufacturing company.
On January 26, 1893, Mr. Porch and Lydia Cline, a daughter of William D. McClelland, of Johnstown, were united in marriage, and to this union was born one child, Ralph, on December 29, 1895.
W. W. Porch was reared upon the paternal acres in Westmoreland county, and like many of the successful business men of the day began life on his own account as a teacher. He taught four terms in the common schools of Westmoreland county, and then took a commercial course in the Iron City Business college of Pittsburg, graduating from that well-known institute in 1882. Having directed his education with the view of pursuing a business career, he took a position as a clerk in a gents' furnishing store of the "Smoky City," where he remained over a year. At the end of that period, or in 1881, he began selling musical instruments under the employ of the firm of Wilcox & White, of Pittsburg, remaining with that firm until 1888, when he embarked in the business on his own account in Johnstown, and has continued the same at that place to the present time. In addition to the handling of musical instruments he is vice-president of the Mendelssohn Piano Manufacturing company.
On January 26, 1893, Mr. Porch and Lydia Cline, a daughter of William D. McClelland, of Johnstown, were united in marriage, and to this union was born one child, Ralph, on December 29, 1895.