Porterdale Mill on the Yellow River NAMED for

Lomg Live  Porterdale!!!

Porterdale Mill on the Yellow River
NAMED for: Oliver S. Porter, Mill Owner

 

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Mr. Ollis

            My name is Richard Vining and I was born in Porterdale in 1947, delivered at the clinic by Dr. Sams.  My dad was Henry Bentley Vining, Jr. (Pete) and my mom’s name was Evelyn.  My grandmother was known as Mrs. Susie Vining.  We moved in 1951 to Greenville, SC, and never moved back.  However, every summer we came back to visit from wherever we were living at the time.  I have always felt a special kinship for Porterdale that I can’t really explain.  I think a lot of it has to do with my dad’s memories of his life there from 1918 to 1951.  He shared so many wonderful stories and so many names that I recognize from you web page.  I regret that I did not find your web page before he passed away this past September.

            I have a few pictures that he left with me that I would like to share with you to be used as you wish.  I have visited Porterdale several times since March of last year when we were visiting Dad in Columbus during his illness.  I have been gathering some genealogical information for a book that I am writing that will feature some of my dad’s memories along with a history of our branch of the Vinings.  I was surprised to learn that there were three generations of Vinings working in the mills in Porterdale.  It began with my great-grandfather, Elijah Vining, who worked in the mills from around 1850 until his death in 1887, at the time serving as a mill superintendent.  My grandfather, Henry Bentley Vining, Sr. (Big Henry), was a machinist in the mill shops at the time of  his death in 1917.  My dad also worked there until we moved away.

            I’ll go for now but I hope we can meet at the 2004 reunion.  I plan to go to represent him and meet some of the folks who knew him who may still be around.  By the way, I spent 21 years in the Air Force and retired in 1988.  Small world!

Sincerely, 

Richard Bentley Vining
January 31, 2004