Eighth Generation

516. Mary Eleanor "Ella" PORTER¹³⁹¹ was born on 4 May 1841 in St. Francesville, Pike, MO.^{1069,1391,1408} She appeared in the census in 1850 in Bowling Green, Pike, MO.¹⁴⁰⁶ She appeared in the census in 1860 in Hannibal, Marion, MO.¹⁴⁰⁸ Ella died on 20 March 1912 at the age of 70 in Hannibal, Marion, MO.^{1069,1391,1770} She was buried on 22 March 1912 in Riverside Cemetery, Hannibal, Marion, MO.^1069,1770 She has reference number 1009. Newspaper clipping - unnamed and undated

MRS. LEVERING DIES THIS MORNING
WAS PROMINENT MEMBER OF FIFTH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH
DEATH WAS EXPECTED
BORN IN BOWLING GREEN 70 YEARS AGO - CAME TO HANNIBAL WITH PARENTS IN 1855, AND HAD SINCE RESIDED HERE - FOND OF TRAVEL

Friends of Mrs. A. R. Levering, one of Hannibal's most prominent women, were grieved this morning to hear of her death, which occurred at 10:20 o'clock, coming as the result of a general break-down. Mrs. Levering had been in poor health for the past year and during the last three or four days, her death had been momentarily expected. Falling asleep this morning, life became extinct and she passed peacefully away.

Prominent in the Sunday school of Fifth Street Baptist church, where she had taught classes from the primary department ot the Bible school, a charter member of the Women's club and at one time its president, Mrs. Levering will be greatly missed in the circles where her kindly personality made her a beloved member.

She was the daughter of Hon. and Mrs. Gilchrist Porter of Bowling green, Mo., where she was born May 4, 1841, making her at the time of her death 70 years, 10 months and 16 days of age. In 1855, she moved to Hannibal with her parents. Educated in Pike and Marion counties, she was graduated from the private school of Miss Lizzie Horr in 1859 and on December 4, 1860, was untied in marriage to Aaron Righter Levering. She and her husband have resided in Hannibal throughout their married life. On December 4, 1910, they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.

FOND OF TRAVEL
Always a great reader, a profound student and fond of travel, she accompanied her husband in 1891 on an extended tour of Europe and at that time also visited points in Africa and Asia, including the Holy land, going as far east as Damascus in Arabia, and spending five months' time on the tour. Periodical travels in the United States have embraced a very thorough knowledge of the whole country, of which her friends were given the benefit as members of the Women's club, and of her classes in the Sunday school. A few months ago, Mrs. Levering was forced to give up her Bible class on account of ill health and it was consolidated with the one of which her husband has long been a teacher. Showing her prominence as a woman of intellect, she was general treasurer for one term of the Missouri Federation of Women's clubs. For thirty years the young people of the Bible school of Fifth Street Baptist church have enjoyed the intimacy of her friendship and the inspiration which eminated from her sincere christian womanhood. The impress of her intellectuality and force of character has been stamped upon the lives of the men and women of the society in which she moved.

A PHILANTHROPIST
Along with her husband, she was the contributor to many good works. One of the most noteworthy of these was the Levering Hospital, of which they were the donors.

Although no children were born to the couple, Mrs. Levering was always a lover of young people and reared to womanhood her niece, Mrs. J. D. Young, who is the daughter of her deceased sister Julia Porter Roberts, and who was married at her home. Two other children of Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Frank T. Hodgdon, of this city, and Gilchrist Porter Roberts of Stockton, Cal., hold a filial love for her.

Two sister and three brothers survive. They are Miss Annie Porter of this city, who has made her home with Mrs. Levering a number of years; Mrs. M. H. Smith, John Dorsey Porter, William C. Porter, and Chas. V. Porter, all of Joplin, Mo.

Arrangements for the funeral have not been completed, but it will be held some time Friday.

Two other lengthy newspaper clippings are in the file.

Mary Eleanor "Ella" PORTER and Aaron Righter LEVERING were married on 4 December 1860 in Marion County, MO.^{1771,1772,1773,1774} They^{1771,1772,1773,1774} appeared in the census in 1880 in Hannibal, Marion, MO.¹⁷⁷⁵ They¹⁷⁷⁵ appeared in the census in 1900 in Hannibal, Marion, MO.¹⁴⁷⁶ Ella and Aaron¹⁴⁷⁶ appeared in the census in 1910 in Hannibal, Marion, MO.¹⁴⁷⁷ Aaron Righter LEVERING, son of Benjamin Franklin LEVERING and Alice Ann LEVERING, was born on 26 September 1839 in St. Francesville, Clark, MO.^{1069,1776,1777} He appeared in the census in 1850 in Hannibal, Marion, MO.¹⁷⁷⁸ In 1852 he was a clerk in B F Hixon's hardware store in Hannibal, Marion, MO.¹⁷⁷⁹ In August 1860 Aaron was an owner of a wholesale and retail hardware establishment in Hannibal, Marion, MO.¹⁷⁷⁹ In 1871 he was an organizer of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank in Hannibal, Marion, MO.¹⁷⁷⁹ In 1884 he was a cashier of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank in Hannibal, Marion, MO.¹⁷⁷⁹ Aaron was appointed in 1910 in Hannibal, Marion, MO¹⁷⁸⁰ He on 4 December 1910 in Hannibal, Marion, MO.¹⁷⁸¹ MARRIED FIFTY YEARS AGO

To-Day - Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Levering Will Celebrate their Golden Wedding

Fifty years ago today in the parlors of the home of Judge Gilchrist Porter, on the northwest corner of Fifth and Lyon streets, the Rev. Mr. Dunn, rector of Trinity Episcopal church, united the destinies of Miss Ella M. Porter and Aaron Righter Levering.
Miss Porter was the eldest daughter of the Hon. Gilchrist Porter, M..C., and was born in Bowling Green, Pike county, Missouri. She came with her father's family to Hannibal in 1855, and completed her education in the private school of Miss Lizzie Horr in 1859. The daughter of cultured and refined parents, Mrs. Levering, after her marriage, continued in her pursuit of knowledge and is regarded as being one of the best read and informed ladies in Hannibal. She has traveled widely in the United States and, with her husband, made an extended tour of the Holy Land some years ago. She has been prominently associated with the leading social and literary clubs of the city and has been president of the Women's club of Hannibal, and treasurer of the Federated Association of Women's clubs of the state of Missouri. With her husband she has been an earnest worker in the Baptist church and in the Sunday school and still maintains her active interest in this work.
Mr. Levering was born in Clark county, Missouri, in 1839, and came with his father's family to Hannibal in 1841. He was educated in the public schools of Hannibal and in 1852 embarked in the hardware business with the Rev. B. F. Hixson and remained in business with him for eight years; then in 1860, he went into the hardware and implement business on his own account and remained in business until 1870. In the fall of 1870 he was one of the organizers of the Farmers' and Merchants' bank and was elected cashier of the bank when it opened for business. This position he held until the death of Col. John H. Garth, at which time he was elected president of the institution, which position he still holds.
Born and reared in the Baptist church he has all of his life been an earnest and consistent Christian worker in that church and has contributed liberally of his means to his chosen church and to the advancement of its various branches. For many years he has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Stevens' college and William Jewell college, the two important Baptist Educational institutions of the state, and within the past few months was unanimously chosen president of the Board of Trustees of William Jewell college which is considered to be the highest honor which can be conferred upon a layman by the Baptist church of the state.
For forty years he has been connected with the financial interests of Hannibal by reason of his association with the Farmers' & Merchants' bank and no man in the entire city of Hannibal stands higher in the estimation of his fellow citizens than Mr. Levering.
He has always been a leader in all enterprises of a public nature looking to the upbuilding of the community, and no worthy cause was ever brought to his attention that did not meet with his moral and financial support. He died diabetes mellitis on 19 November 1912 at the age of 73 in Hannibal, Marion, MO.^1069,1782 Aaron was buried on 20 November 1912 in Riverside Cemetery, Hannibal, Marion, MO.^1069,1782 He has reference number 1028. History of Marion County, Missouris, 1884, p 962:
This gentleman was born in Clark county, Mo., September 26, 1839. He is a son of Franklin and Alice Levering, natives of Baltimore, Md. His grandfather Levering was a soldier of 1812. Mr. Levering's parents came to Hannibal in 1841. His father was one of the founders of the Baptist church in this city, and died here in 1870. At the age of thirteen A R Levering went into the hardware store of B F Hixon, and one month before he was twenty-one started in the same business for himself - wholesale and retail - which he continued to 1871. He then sold out and organized the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank, and is its present cashier. From a poor clerk he has risen to his present position, and all is due to his individual energy and industry. He is prominent in educational and church interests; has been school director thirteen years, and superintendent of a Sunday-school fourteen years. He is a deacon in the Baptist church. In 1860 he married Miss Ella Porter, daughter of Judge Gilchrist Porter, of Hannibal, mentioned elsewhere.