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I have been researching my family tree as well as that of my wife since 1989.The Porter line and name go back to King David of Isreal. It is interesting because I found out you can be decendants of the Israelites without being of Jewish stock. Like you can be an American without being a Texan but you can't be a Texan without being an American.
The Israel nation was made up of 12 states. Each state was named after one of Abraham's sons. Ruben, Dan, Benjamin, Ephraim, etc. You are Jewish if you are a decendant of the son Judah, otherwise you are a Rubenite, or Benjaminite etc.
King David decided the folks of Israel needed last names. The men who guarded the temple, the gates to the cities, the gates to the sheepfolds, the national treasury and the entrances to the temple were Levites (Levi's sons) 4000 strong, very trustworthy and loyal. They were called Portal Guards. Thus King David gave them the last name of Porter. The name Porter means "Gatekeeper."
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