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Several Republic of Texas land grants were acquired in this area during the 1830s. Elisha Clapp's burial in a nearby cemetery (1 mile SE) in 1856 and other census records indicate area settlement in the 1850s. The community was originally called Porter's Spring for early settler James M. Porter and naturally occurring area springs. In 1862 Gould's Confederate Battalion was organized here. A school opened in 1870 and in 1875 a post office was established. The town's name was changed to Porter Springs in 1895. Porter Springs, which contained a brick factory, cotton gin, several churches, doctors, and a school system until 1965, established a community center in 1978. Today its residents, many of whom are descendants of early area settlers, primarily engage in farm and ranch activities. This cemetery, originally known as White Cemetery, was established as a family graveyard on land acquired by William H. White in 1838. The first recorded burial was that of White's son, James D., in 1863. White's heirs deeded 2.41 acres here to the local Methodist and Baptist churches in 1899 and it became known as Porter Springs Cemetery. The cemetery is maintained by an association established in 1941. It has been enlarged over the years and continues to serve the community. |
