William David Porter, Miss Marchant, & Elizabeth Ann Beale

William David Porter 1809 -1864 | his parents
& 1st Miss Marchant [died early] | her parents
& Elizabeth Ann Beale 1819 – 1886 | her parents
of New Orleans LA, Chester PA, NYC

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This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
based on the notes of David Adams

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Children of William David Porter and Elizabeth Ann Beale:
1. William David Porter II 28 Jan 1840 Wash. DC – 7 Nov 1902 Petersburg VA
married Mary Epps Gilliam
2. Edna Dixon Porter ca 1842 Wash. DC –
married Knoxville TN 1867 John Daniel Imboden
3. Mouina George Porter ca 1846 Wash. DC -1907
burial Congressional Cem. Washington DC 74/330

Notes: re William David Porter

See pg 84 “Memoirs Commodore David Porter”

Navy, Midship. 1 Jan 1823,
Passed Midship. 29 Mar 1829.
Lt. 31 Dec 1833,
Reserved List 13 Sep 1855.
Cmdr. on active list 14 Sep 1855,
Comodr. 16 Jul 1862,
d. 1 May 1864, USS Essex Dec 1861 – Sep 1862
Named for Major William Anderson.
First wife died, she was sister of Farragut’s first wife.
Had a child by a servant girl.
will DC 1864 box 32
obit NY Times 2 May 1864 1:4
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, 10 March, 1809; died in New York city, 1May, 1864, was educated in Philadelphia, and appointed to the United States navy from Massachusetts as midshipman on 1 January, 1823. He became lieutenant on 31 December, 1833, served on the “Franklin,” ” Brandywine,”
“Natchez,” “Experiment,” “United States,” and ” Mississippi,” and in 1843 was assigned to the home squadron. He commanded the store-ship “Erie” in 1849, and, in 1851, the “Waterwitch.” On 13 September, 1855, he was placed on the reserved list, but he was restored to active duty as commander on 14 September, 1859. At the beginning of the civil war he was serving on the United States sloop “St. Mary’s,” in the Pacific. He was ordered to the Mississippi to assist in fitting out the gun-boat flotilla with which he accompanied Commander Andrew H. Foote up Tennessee river, and, commanded the “Essex,” which he had named for his father’s ship, in the attack on Fort Henry, 6 February, 1862, during which engagement he was scalded and temporarily blinded by steam from a boiler that had been pierced by shot. He also commanded the “Essex” in the battle of Fort Donelson, 14 February, 1862, and fought in the same vessel past the batteries on the Mississippi to join the fleet at Vicksburg. He attacked the Confederate ram ” Arkansas” above Baton Rouge, 15 July, 1862, and disabled her, and her magazine shortly
afterward exploded. He was made commodore on 16 July, 1862, and then bombarded Natchez, and attacked the Vicksburg batteries and Port Hudson. Subsequently he served but little, owing to impaired health.
He had two sons in the Confederate service.
A report by Lt. William D. Porter to the Secretary of the Treasury, Levi Woodbury, in 1838, provides the earliest reference to establishing a navigational aid at Drum Point. Lt. Porter urged that a beacon-light be placed on Drum Point at the mouth of the Patuxent River.

Notes: re Elizabeth Ann Beale Porter
1850 US Census says born in MD
Feb 1861 packs up and moves from Washington to Richmond along with her three children.
Husband on duty in Pacific at the time.
died at 1111 H st NW of Cerebral Embolism Cert # DC 54544

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6th generation:

‘Admiral’ David Dixon Porter 1813 – 1891 | his parents
& George Ann Patterson 1819 – 1893 | her parents
of Chester PA

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This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
based on the notes of David Adams

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David Dixon Porter and George Ann Patterson were married 10 March 1839 in Washington, DC.

David Dixon Porter was born 8 June 1813 Chester PA son of ‘Commodore’ David Porter and wife Evalina Anderson
George Ann Patterson was born in 1819 in New Orleans LA daughter of ‘Commodore’ Daniel Todd Patterson 1785-1839 & wife George Ann Pollock 1787-1851

David Dixon Porter died 13 Feb 1891 Wash DC and was buried in Arlington National Sec 2 #5 will DC 1896 box 164

and George Ann died on 13 Dec 1893 and buried beside her husband.

Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter, USN,
Commander, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.
On the main deck of his flagship, USS Malvern, circa 1864, leaning on a slide carriage-mounted heavy 12-pounder Dahlgren smooth-bore howitzer.
Photographed by Alexander Gardner.
The original is an albumen silver print.
This photograph was used as the basis for an engraving published in Harper’s Weekly, 21 January 1865.
Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation.

Navy, Midship 2 Feb 1829. Passed Midship 3 Jul 1835. Lt. 27 Feb 1841.
Commander 22 Apr 1861. Rear Adm. 4 Jul 1863. Vice Adm 25 Jul 1866. Admiral15 Aug 1870.
Children of ‘Admiral’ David Dixon Porter and George Ann Patterson:
1. Georgianne Porter 1840 – 1858
2. Evalina ‘Nina’ Porter Jan 1842 – 1 Apr 1857
Deaths from the New York Evening Post, 1801-1890
3/31/1857 Wed Apr 1, Eveline dau of Lt. D D Porter USN 15y 3m
Her death occurred after her father returned from the camel experiment.
The family was in Kittery, ME one month after her death.
3. David Essex Porter 1845 – Major USA
married Elizabeth “Lily” Albert
relative of John James Albert and his son James William Albert [see Handbook of Texas]
4. Carlile ‘Ki’ Patterson Porter 13 Sep 1846 – 20 May 1914 LT Col USMC
married Carrie M Capron
daughter of Capt. Erastus A Capron and wife Harriet
5. Theodoric ‘Tod’ Porter 14 Dec 1849 – 18 June 1920 Commodore USN
married Anne Arundel MD 12 Jan 1875 Elizabeth Mason
married Annapolis MD 27 Sep 1910 Henrietta McCulloch
6. Elizabeth Catherine Porter 4 Dec 1852 DC – 25 Apr 1924 Newport RI
married 1877 Leavitt Curtis Logan
7. Richard Bache Porter 23 May 1854 NY city –
8. Elena Porter 1856 NY city –
married Charles H. Campbell

1823 Dec 10 aboard “John Adams” DC to Key West via Norfolk
1824 May aboard “Sea Gull” Key West to DC Capt Voorhees
1824 Fall -1826 Columbia College Wash DC
1826 Apr “Guerrero” midshipman Mexican Navy NY to Vera Cruz
1827 “Libertad” midshipman Mexican Navy
1827 Oct “Esmeralda” midshipman Mexican Navy
1828 Feb 11 “Guerrero” defeated by Lealtad off Mariel Cuba DDP taken captive
1829 Feb 2 appointed midshipman US Navy
1829 Jun “Constellation” Norfolk Med Squad under Capt.Wadsworth and Como.
Biddle until Dec 1831 NY
1832 Jan-Jun School Chester PA
1832 Jun -1833 Mediterranean Squadron frigate “United States”
1834 Feb Mediterranean Squadron ship-of-the-line “Delaware” Oct 1834
examined and became passed midshipman Barnum Hotel Baltimore MD
6 mos Phil Navy Yd. Station Ship “Sea Gull” under Barron
1836 Apr 28 Coast Survey schooner “Jersey” under Hassler
1841 attended inaugural ball of President Harrison
1842 lieut “Congress” Commissioned in May 1842, she made a Mediterranean
cruise in that year and into 1843, then served off the South American east
coast until early 1845.
1845 May 21 Naval Observatory under Maury
1846 April Pensacola USS brig “Porpoise” secret mission to Dominican
Republic, Jun 13 Porto Plata
1846 Nov New Orleans recruiting until 1847 Jan 300 recruits to Vera Cruz
1847 Feb 1st lieut “Spitfire” Vera Cruz under Tattnall, captures Tabasco,
becomes commander of “Spitfire”
1848 Jan embarked on his second tour with the Coast Survey, and by August he
had risen to be commanding officer of the Coast Survey Schooner “Petrel”
survey of Hell Gate and Buttermilk channels Manhattan.
3 mos recruiting New Orleans
1849 Feb 15 leave from navy to transport mail steamer “Panama” around Cape
Horn to San Francisco landing Jun 4.
1850-1852 Master US Mail Steamer SS “Georgia” New York and West India Line,
2727 tons, Liverpool to New York 30 Mar 1851. Normally NY to the Isthmus via
Havanna during goldrush.
1853-1854 Captain “Golden Age” Australian Steamship Company, Liverpool to
Melbourne and Sydney. Bought house on E 33rd St NYC
1855-1856 Commander US Storeship “Supply” NY to Egypt and Turkey for camels
for Jeff Davis to Indianola Texas
1857 May -1860 Portsmouth NH Navy yard
1860 US Census Kittery, York, ME Roll 451 pg 902 himself, wife, 6 children,
3 domestics.
1860 Aug recommissions USS “Constitution”.
Commander USS “Constitution” Portsmouth to Annapolis with family August 1860
ship to be used at Academy for classroom space.
1861 Apr 6 command of “Powhatan” mission to save Fort Pickens
Capture of city of New Orleans 24 Apr 1862 commander of mortal flotilla from
steamer “Harriet Lane”
1863 Admiral Porter’s fleet running blockade at Vicksburg 16 April 1863
Family lived on Gay St (now “N St”) Georgetown during war.
1864 Jul 27 welcome home Perth Amboy NJ (probably Patterson summer home).

Sources and Ref:
Notes from David Adams – Porter desc.

from the Arlington National Website
He was commissioned Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, 1841,
and commanded a landing party of 70 seamen and captured Fort Tabasco, Mexico, in 1847;
he commanded the steamer Panama, 1849,
and made a voyage through the Straits of Magellan to the Pacific;
commanded the privately owned mail steamer Georgia,1850-52;
made regular trips from New York City to Havana;
Captain of the ship Golden Age between Melbourne and Sydney for the Australian Steamship Company, 1852-55;
First Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, Portsmouth Navy Yard, 1857-60;
took a prominent part in the preliminary planning of the New Orleans expedition; in
command of a mortar flotilla under Admiral Farragut, New Orleans, and on the
Mississippi River, 1862;
commanded the fleets below Forts St. Phillip and Jackson, demanded and accepted their surrender on favorable terms, 1862;
served as Acting Rear Admiral, Commander, Mississippi River Squadron, 1862;
aided in the assault on and the capture of Arkansas Post;
cooperated with General U.S. Grant in the assault on Vicksburg, 1863;
commisioned Rear Admiral, 1863, he took charge of the lower Mississippi River as far South as New Orleans;
commanded naval forces cooperating with the Army in the Red River Expedition, 1864;
commanded naval forces attacking Fort Fisher, 1864-65;
with General Terry he captured the defenses of Wilmington, North Carolina;
commanded the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, 1864;
Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy, 1865-69;
improved the curriculum and instructional methods there;
conducted unsuccessful diplomatic negotiations in Santo Domingo to secure cession or lease of Samana Bay, 1866-67;
appointed adviser to the Secretary of the Navy by President Grant, 1869-70;
instituted a reform policy, organized boards to inspect the fleets and navy yards, began to repair many vessels;
promted to Full Admiral, 1870;
chosen to command the fleet assembled at Key West, 1873;
head of the Board of Inspection, 1877-91.

Vicksburg, Arlington National Cemetery

Admiral David Dixon Porter, USN (1813-1891)
In Full Dress uniform, after he became the Navy’s ranking officer in 1870.
Photographed by the Brady Studio

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograp.s

e-mail from David Adams – Thank you for your replies.
I am a descendant of the Navy Porters (Commodore David Porter 1780 – 1843 and his son Admiral David Dixon Porter 1813 – 1891) I was told by my grandmother that we were related to the Beale and the Heap families, and my goal is to find this connection. Your site has the best compiled genealogy of this family group.
I am certain the connection is through the Dixons. Commodore David Porter married Evelina or Evalina Anderson of Chester PA and her mother was Elizabeth Dixon (see below)

Major William Anderson married 1785 Elizabeth Dixon [who was born before 1 Aug 1765 in Richmond? VA and died 1 Aug 1841, buried Chester PA]

Elizabeth had a sister Mary Dixon who married George Beale in 1793 in Old Point Comfort VA

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6th generation:

Theodoric Henry Porter 1817 – 1846 | his parents
& Elizabeth Lloyd Beall 1827 – 1850 | her parents
of Chester PA and Texas

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This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
based on the notes of David Adams

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Child of Theodoric Henry Porter and Elizabeth Lloyd Beall:
1. David D Porter 1846 – 1864

Notes:
Army, Cadet at Mil Acad. 1 Jul 1835 to 22 Jan 1836. 2nd Lt. Fourth Inf. 1
Jul 1839. kia Mex. 9 Apr 1846.
1839 jr officer Army Post Baton Rouge, LA
First officer killed in battle in Mexican War, 4th US Infantry killed north
of Matamoras
Born in Washington, D. C., 10 August, 1817; died in Texas in March, 1846,
was appointed a cadet at West Point, resigning after two years. He was
appointed by President Jackson 2d lieutenant in the 4th infantry, served
under General Zachary Taylor at the beginning of the war with Mexico, and
was the first American officer killed in the conflict, having been sent with
twelve men on a scouting expedition near Fort Brown on the Rio Grande, where
he was surrounded by a large force of Mexican cavalry. [Pile commanding
officer called upon Lieutenant Porter to surrender, which be refused, and
was cut to pieces, only one of his escort escaping.
from Fort Gibson page PORTER, THEODORIC H. — Born – D. C.; Appointed from
– PA, 1839; Ft. Gibson, OK – 2nd Lt., 4th Inf., 1839-1841; Killed Apr. 19,
1846 in action with Mexican Guerrillas near the Rio Grande, Texas

Niles Register – Lieut. Porter and three men killed. The steamer Telegraph,
Capt. Auld, left Brazos St. Iago on the 27th and reached N. Orleans on the
29th . – By her we have the unpleasant intelligence that on the 19th
instant, Lieut. Porter, of the 4th regiment, (son of the late Commodore
Porter,) being out with a fatigue party of ten men, (some of them wearing
uniform,) was fired upon when within a few miles of the camp. Lieut. P. and
three of his men were killed in the attack, the rest of the party escaping,
returning to the camp next day. It is stated that the guns of the Americans
were wet and would not fire.*

*Lieut. Porter, whose death is announced above, had been but a short time
married. His wife is a daughter of Major Benjamin Lloyd Beall, who is now in
command of the 1 st regiment of dragoons in Texas. Mrs. Beall and daughter
are at Fort Washita, the late station of Major B., where they had been left
by their husbands but a short time ago. [GLP]

70.164 May 16, 1846 ARMY JOURNAL

Army of Occupation – Lieut. Porter. – A letter from an Officer in Gen.
Taylor’s camp, dated 22nd. April says: –

“Lieut. Dobbins, 3d infantry, and Lieut. Porter, of the 4th infantry, son of the late Commodore Porter, left this camp on the 17th inst., each with a detachment of 2 non-commissioned officers and 10 privates to reconnoiter the surrounding country, from ten to twenty miles, in search of a band of robbers known to have been in the vicinity, and who were supposed to have murdered Col. Cross, and also to learn, if possible, something of his fate. The two parties took different directions, it raining hard during the night. The second day after, Lt. Porter met a party of Mexicans, one of whom
snapped his piece at him. In return he discharged both barrels of his gun at the Mexican, who disappeared in the thorney thicket. – Lieut. Porter took the marauders’
camp, ten horses, saddles, &c.

“This was about noon of the 19 th. about eighteen miles above Gen. Taylor’s camp, and about six miles from the Rio Del Norte. He continued his search, and about 4 p.m., of the same day, he fell in with another party of Mexicans which had been probably joined by those whom he had met before. The rain continued. Lt. Porter’s party was fired on by these men, and one private of the party was killed. They made an attempt to return it; the heavy rains caused the guns to miss fire. The Mexicans continued their fire. Lieut. Porter, as is reported by his sergeant, made a sign with his hand for the men to extend to the right. The party was thus separated in the thickets. The sergeant and four privates returned to this camp on the 20th , and gave the above account.

“A detachment of 30 dragoons was dispatched early the next morning to reconnoiter the position and search for Lieut. Porter and those of his party who were missing. They returned the same night without having learned anything of them, the thickets being so dense that it was impossible for horses to move through them. They however fell in with Lt. Dobbins, who said he would continue to look for Lt. Porter a day or two longer.
Yesterday, about noon, the corporal and three men of Lieut. Porter’s party returned, saying they feared Lieut. Porter had been killed. One of the men stated that he saw Lieut. P. fall from his horse. Another said he dismounted and staggered afterwards; and that vollies were poured into the place where he was. Lieut. Porter and one man of his party are still missing, besides the man known to be killed.

“Two other companies of twenty-five men each, were dispatched early this morning to make still further search.”

See also the New Orleans Picayune 5/5/1846 P 2, C 6
aka Theodore

From Niles Register
70-203 May 30, 1846 A Letter from Major L. J. Beall, death of Lt. Porter

A Letter from Major L. J. Beall, to his brother Major B. L. Beall dated
Point Isabel, Texas, April 27th , 1846.

My Dear Brother,–
I wrote you a long letter yesterday, giving you the melancholy tidings of
the death of your son-in-law poor Porter which I despatched by way of New
Orleans.

This morning, about half an hour since, Mr. Catlett arrived, and will depart
immediately for Austin. Gen. Taylor announces through him that hostilities
have commenced. I have now but a moment left to give you an account of
Porter’s death, which from all I can learn, was of a most cruel nature. He
was sent out with a party of ten men, to gain some intelligence concerning
the late lamented Col. Cross, (now ascertained to be murdered.) he was sent
out on this duty some days, when he met with a Mexican sentinel who snapped
his piece at him and retreated to the woods; being pursued by the men, they
came on a camp, where they found nine horses belonging to the Mexicans,
which they mounted. On their way back to Gen. Taylor’s camp they were
surrounded by forty Mexicans and fired upon. Pat Flood was killed, Porter
wounded, but not before he had discharged both barrels of his gun with
effect. This occurred during the heavy rain, and the men with Porter were
unable to discharge their guns, and retreated to the chapparel, only one man
remaining near enough to see what took place afterwards. Flood was
surrounded immediately and stabbed with knives, and the man thinks they
served Porter in the same manner after he had fallen from his horse. I have
only time to express the deep and heartfelt regret that has followed this
sad occurrence throughout the army; and the feeling of sorrow with which I
sympathize with you in this loss to your family.

A note from the camp just received, informs me that a squadron of dragoons
under the command of Capt. Thornton, has been surrounded by about one
thousand mounted Mexicans, and among other disasters Kane was killed, and
Hardee taken prisoner. Mr. Catlett is about leaving; and I can’t add
another hasty word.

Your affectionate brother,
L. J. Beall.
[GLP AEK]

70-203-204 May 30,1846 account of the search for Lt. Porter

Lieutenant Porter. The Providence Journal publishes a letter from an
officer under Genl. Taylor giving an account of the search for the body
Lieut., Porter from which some idea of the nature of the campaign may be
derived. The letter says,

” As soon as the news of Porter’s being shot was made certain, I was
ordered, with a party of fifty men and two officers, to go and find his
remains, if possible also get hold of some of the rascals by whom he was
killed. I started at daybreak on the 22d, with two day’s rations, having as
guides the same men who had been with Porter. We marched, the first day,
twenty-five miles, and encamped, as my guides assured me, within two miles
of the place where they were fired on.

I cut a place in the ‘chapparel’ and stowed my men away so snugly that you
might have passed a hundred times without suspecting a soul was near. I
hoped, by keeping thus unseen, and making a very early start, to come down
upon a nest of the scoundrels before they scattered for their daily scouts,
and help myself to the whole of them. After marching about four miles,
however, the nest morning, my guide gave up, admitted that he was mistaken
in the trail, and could give me no farther assistance. All the other men who
had been with Porter said the same. They could tell me nothing, save their
belief that it was in a certain direction toward which they pointed.

My guides having all thus failed me, I had nothing to do but try my own
resources, so terracing our footsteps about eight miles, I struck off right
through the ‘chapparel,’ steering by compass in the course which would I
thought, intersect Porter’s trail. Of the difficulty of this march I can
give you but a faint idea. Most of my men were old Florida soldiers, and
they all declared that their worst marches in its swamps and hammocks were
play to this.

The ‘chapparel, is made up of a variety of strong gnarled shrubs, or rather
bushes, from six to twenty feet high, all bearing thorns, and all so crooked
and twisted that you cannot look at them without squinting, between these it
is filled up with prickly pear, Spanish bayonet, and an endless variety of
other plants, vines &c., all having the one common property of being full of
thorns, spikes and prickles. We had often to cruel, and almost constantly
to walk bent nearly double.

After penetrating about four miles in this manner, we came at last to a
thicket of an entirely different character, composed almost solely of a dry,
white, thorny bush, without leaves, and so closely matted together that it
looked as if you could hardly run your arm into it. My advanced guard
halted and said they could not get through it. I told them they must try,
and by beating the bushes aside with butts of their muskets, they made a
place large enough for one an to crawl in.

The labor of the men in front was so severe that I had to change them every
few minutes, and by the time I had gone a mile in this slow and painful
manner, I saw from the general exhaustion of the men, that it was useless to
attempt getting farther. I then sent two of them up the highest bush I
could see, for trees there were none, to discover the nearest outlet, but in
every direction hey could not see any thing but’ chapparel.’ There was
nothing for it, therefore but to order and about-face and take the back
track, until we emerged from this horrible wilderness of thorns.

My two officers were almost exhausted, and two of the men taken sick, from
the terrible heat in this dense thicket, where not a breast of wind could
relieve the close, sultry, unhealthy atmosphere, and where not a drop of
water was to be had. When we got to water again every man would, I believe,
had it been deep enough, have plunge in head foremost; fortunately it was
nearly milk warm, so that unrestrained indulgence was not very likely to
injure them.

My scout was entirely unsuccessful. My guide had misled me so far wrong
that I could not get right, and was compelled to return on the third day,
having marched at least fifty five miles, and bringing back nothing save the
thorns, prickly pear needles, and the ticks, with which we were most
abundantly garnished,

My knees and arms, from the wrist to the elbow, bore a striking resemblance
to pin-cushions.

Poor Porter still lies, no doubt, a prey to the brigands, and the only way
to obtain his remains will be by bribing some Mexican to bring them in. he
has left young wife and child utterly destitute, save the pensions which ,
for five years, they receive from the noble generosity of our
country–twelve dollars and a half per month. [AEK]

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6th generation:

Gwenn Harris Heap 23 Mar 1817 – 6 Mar 1887 | his parents
& 1842 Evelina Cora Porter 23 March 1828 – Nov 1863 | her parents
of Chester PA and Constantinople Turkey

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This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
based on the notes of David Adams

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Evalina Cora Porter and Gwenn Harris Heap were married 12 April 1842. Evalina was twin of Henry Ogden Porter. She was buried in Philadelphia PA in the Woodlands CC 222 & 223.

Gwynne Harris Heap was born 23 March 1817 in Chester PA and he died 6 March 1887 in Constantinople, Turkey.

Gwynne Harris Heap was the son of Dr. Samuel Davies Heap Sr [1781-1853] and Margaret [Peggy] Porter [1791-1858] and the grandson of George Heap.
– consul in Alexandria Egypt 1856
– assisted with acquisition of camels for army for use in Texas

Children of Gwenn Harris Heap and Evalina Cora Porter:
1. David Porter Heap Mar 1843 San Stefano Turkey – 25 Oct 1910 Pasadena CA
civil engineer ed: USMA
married 1 Dec 1875 Elizabeth B Beale 6 Nov 1852 – 31 July 1889 Staten Island NY
daughter of George Nancrede Beale and Elizabeth Brown Wheeler
a. Porter Heap 10 Dec 1876 – 26 July 1895 Portland ME
married 2nd 1902 Josephine Bigelow Wright ca 1862 –
a. Emma A Heap 1903 –
2. Jannette Heap June 1852 PA –
married Lt. Washington O Sharrer June 1848 – 8 Sept 1889 Aurora WV
a. Gwynne Harris Sharrer 19 Sept 1874 Washington DC – 4 Jan 1943 Shasta CA
mining engineer
married 25 Dec 1903 Berkeley CA Leslie Agnes Grinnell 25 Dec 1877 CA – 3 June 1962 CA
Leslie was born and also died in San Francisco CA
i. Mildred Gwynne Sharrer 30 Nov 1904 Berkeley –
ii. Eleanor Jean Sharrer 13 June 1908 –
iii. Marjorie Merrihew Sharrer 7 Nov 1914 –
iv. Gwynne Harris Sharrer 9 Nov 1916 –
b. Josephine H Sharrer June 1875 PA –
3. Emma Heap ca 1854 PA –
4. Charles Heap ca 1857 PA –

– – – — – — — —–

Husband: Gwinn Harris HEAP
Birth: 23 Mar 1817 Place: Chester, PA
Death: 6 Mar 1887 Place: Constantinople, Turkey
Father: Dr. Samuel Davies HEAP Sr. (1781-1853)
Mother: Margaret (Peggy) PORTER (1791-1858)
The Information came from The Delaware Gen Soc article “The three David Porters”

Marriage: 1842
Wife: Evalina Cora PORTER
Birth: 23 Mar 1828
Death: Nov 1863
Burial: 19 Nov 1863 Place: Philadelphia PA Woodlands CC 222 & 223
Father: ‘Commodore’ David PORTER (1780-1843)
Mother: Evalina ANDERSON (1791-1871)

Children…
1. M Child: David Porter HEAP
Birth: Mar 1843 Place: San Stefano, Turkey
Death: 25 Oct 1910 Place: Pasadena, CA
Occupation: civil engineer
Education: USMA
2. F Child: Jannette HEAP
3. F Child: Emma HEAP
4. M Child: Charles HEAP

Husbands Notes…
consul in Alexandria, Egypt 1856 assisted with acquisition of camels for army for use in Texas.
The following is from “The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Vol. V H — Heard, Franklin Fiske.
Gwynn Harris Heap, diplomatist, was born in Chester, Pa, March 23, 1817, son of Samuel Davies and Margaret (Porter) Heap; and grandson of George Heap. His father was appointed consul to Tunis in 1825 and in 1839-40 the son served as vice-and acting-consul there. In 1846 he was employed as a government clerk. He was married in Washington, D.C. to Evelina Cora, daughter of Com. David and Evelina (Anderson) Porter. In 1855-57 he was sent by the war department to Turkey to purchase camels. On his return he was made a clerk in the navy department, and at the outbreak of the civil war he volunteered in the U.S. secret service. He was placed in charge of the pilots of Admiral Porter’s squadron on the Mississippi river in 1863. In 1866 he was appointed U.S. consul to Belfast, Ireland; was consul at
Tunis, 1867-78; and secretary of legation and consul-general at Constantinople, 1878-87. He compiled “A synoptical Index to the Statutes at Large (1849-50; and wrote “Exploration of the Central Route to the
Pacific”(1853, and “Itineracy of the Central Route to the Pacific” (1854).
He died in Consantinople, Turkey, March 6, 1887.
Wifes Notes…twin of Henry Ogden

Both Ashmead and Martin both alude to a blood relationship to Henry Ogden, but I have not found this to be true. Shortly before his marriage to Evelina Anderson, Commodore David Porter spent some time carousing with Washington Irving, James K. Paulding and Henry Ogden at the Kemble Mansion in NJ. It is not clear how he fell in with this group, but he did rely on Paulding for loans throughout his life.
In Commodore Porter’s book “Journal of a Cruise made to the Pacific Ocean”, there was a H. W. Ogsden, midshipman, on a list of prisoners on parole to proceed to the United States in the Essex Junior.

– – – — – — — —–

Name: David Porter HEAP
Birth Date: Mar 1843
Birth Place: San Stefano, Turkey
Death Date: 25 Oct 1910
Death Place: Pasadena, CA
Occupation: civil engineer
Education: USMA
Father: Gwynn Harris HEAP (1817-1887)
Mother: Evalina Cora PORTER (1828-1863)

DAVID PORTER HEAP. Born in San Stefano, Turkey, in March 1843; died in Pasadena, Calif., Oct. 25, 1910. An army engineer officer attached to the 1871 Barlow party of Yellowstone explorers and co-author of the resulting official report.
The son of the U.S. Minister to Turkey, his basic education was obtained at the Germantown Academy, Pennsylvania, and Georgetown College. He entered the U.S. Military Academy in 1860 and graduated seventh in the class of 1864. He was immediately promoted to first lieutenant, Corps of Engineers, and assigned to the Engineer Battalion of the Army of the Potomac, with which he served for the remainder of the Civil War. He was breveted a captain on Apr. 2, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services during the siege of Petersburg, Va.
After the war he was employed in harbor improvement work on Lake Michigan, and in other engineering work, until February 1870, when he became chief engineer of the Department of Dakota. Thus, his immediate superior was Maj. John W. Barlow, whom he accompanied on a reconnaissance of the Upper Yellowstone in 1871.
Captain Heap returned to his headquarters at St. Paul with the topographic notes, which were thus saved from destruction in the great Chicago fire which consumed Barlow’s specimens and photographs, and he was able to produce from them the first map of the Yellowstone region based on adequate instrumental observations.
From March 1875 to May 1877, Heap was in charge of preparations for the participation of the Corps of Engineers in the International Centennial Exhibition, and he represented the United States in 1881 at the International Electrical Exhibition held at Paris, France. He was later engineer of various lighthouse districts, secretary of the Lighthouse Board, and a member of several boards concerned with improvement of rivers and harbors. He retired with the rank of brigadier general on Feb. 16, 1905, after 40 years of service.
Source: Report of the Annual Reunion, June 12th, 1911, prepared by the Association of Graduates, USMA, pp. 89-90. http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/haines1/iee4a.htm