Brief Life History of Orrin Porter
When Orrin Porter Rockwell was born on 28 June 1813, in Belchertown, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States, his father, Orin Rockwell, was 29 and his mother, Sara Jane Witt, was 27. He married Luana Hart Beebe on 2 February 1832, in Independence, Jackson, Missouri, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 4 daughters. He lived in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States in 1839 and Lehi, Utah, Utah, United States in 1860. He died on 9 June 1878, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States, at the age of 64, and was buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States.
Photos and Memories (109)
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Family Time Line
Sources (91)
- Orin P Rockwell, "United States Census, 1860"
- Aren Porter Rockwell, "Missouri, Marriages, 1750-1920"
- Owen Porter, "Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1849-1949"
Spouse and Children
Children (10)
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Parents and Siblings
World Events (8)
1819 · Panic! of 1819
With the Aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars the global market for trade was down. During this time, America had its first financial crisis and it lasted for only two years.
1827
Historical Boundaries: 1827: Hancock, Illinois, United States
1832 · The Black Hawk War
Convinced that a group of Native American tribes were hostile, The United States formed a frontier militia to stop them in their tracks. Even though Black Hawk was hoping to avoid bloodshed while trying to resettle on tribal land, U.S. officials opened fire on the Native Americans. Black Hawk then responded to this confrontation by successfully attacking the militia at the Battle of Stillman's Run and then left northward. After a few months the militia caught up with Black Hawk and his men and defeated them at the Battle of Wisconsin Heights. While being weakened by hunger, injuries and desertion, Black Hawk and the rest of the many native survivors retreated towards the Mississippi. Unfortunately, Black Hawk and other leaders were later captured when they surrendered to the US forces and were then imprisoned for a year.
Name Meaning
English (Buckinghamshire): habitational name either from Rockwell End in Hambleden (Buckinghamshire), derived from Old English hrōc ‘rook’ + holt ‘wood, thicket’, or from one or more unidentified places in southwestern England apparently named Rockwell. This surname is now rare in Britain.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
Story Highlight
Porter Rockwell by Elizabeth D.E. Roundy
Porter Rockwell never learned to read or write, making a journal of his incredible life story impossible. However, in the senior of his life, he did sit down with Elizabeth D.E. Roundy to dictate a li …
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