657 Vance (near Orleans) Memphis, TN
Circa 1895. 3-story French Renaissance style
Dr. David Tinsley (D.T.) Porter (1827-1898) and Mildred Ann Smith Meacham Porter (?-1889) married in 1858. They built their home on Vance near Orleans. He was born in Robertson Co. His family moved around and ended up in Memphis in 1857.
Porter was a druggist, then grocer and commercial merchant. He was a critical helper in getting through the yellow fever epidemic of 1873 through the Citizens Relief Committee. He did even more five years later in a worse yellow fever scourge by making improvements to the city sewer and sanitation systems. When, because of its catastrophes, Memphis lost its charter and became a taxing district in 1888, Porter was elected president.
In the late 1800s, Porter held several commercial leadership roles: president of Memphis National Bank; president of Planters Fire Insurance Company; president of Gayoso Oil Seed Works; director of the Brush Electric Light Company; and trustee of the Leath Orphan Asylum (later renamed Porter-Leath Home). Further contribution by Porter's brother and sister, James K. and Rebecca P. Barlett, in 1903 led to the organization's name change in honor of the family.
After Porter’s death, his heirs wanted to honor him more so they purchased the Continental National Bank building built in 1895 and renamed it the D. T. Porter Building in 1900. It was historic in many ways: the first skyscraper in Memphis; had the tallest circulating hot water; had the first elevator; was the tallest building south of St. Louis. Renovated in 1983 and converted to condominiums. It was selected for NR in 1995.
It is unclear when the D. T. Porter House was demolished.
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