As a small boy Port probably had polio. At that time it was called "white fever" and it left him badly crippled in one of his legs.

When he started to school he rode a horse to school and had to crawl on his knees into the schoolhouse. By sheer determination in later years he recovered most of the use of this leg.

On 20-Dec-1885, he married Nancy Ann "Nannie" Crouch.

They had 6 children:
1. Jettie Kirkland married Louis Carroll "Bus" Robbins

2. Jehu Chaney Kirkland

3. Lucius J. Kirkland

4. William Roy Kirkland married Dovie May Shook

5. Permelia Kirkland married Willis Lee Reed

6. Ollie Kirkland married Noble Crump Hogue


Port married second Dora McCrackin Smith. Port and Dora were the parents of three children.

7. Robert Portis Kirkland

8. Melba Kirkland

9. Hardie Miles "Buddie" Kirkland married Helen Maurine Hayley

About 1898 he left his young family in AL while he came to TX to look for land. He sold his inheritance from his father to Willis Monroe Ward when they moved to TX.

Port was a farmer and stockman.

1880 Census, Fayette County, AL
Household Gender Age Birthplace
SELF Jehu Kirkland M 68 Tennessee, United States
WIFE Permelia Kirkland F 63 Tennessee, United States
SON George P. Kirkland M 22 Alabama, United States
SON Beauregard D. Kirkland M 19 Alabama, United States

1900 Census Robert Lee Town, Coke County, TX
Household Gender
Geo P Kirkland M
Spouse Nancy A Kirkland F
Child Jettie Kirkland F
Child Jehu C Kirkland M
Child Lucius J Kirkland M
Child William R Kirkland M
Child Purmelia Kirkland F
Child Kirkland F
Charles H Jones M


1910 Robert Lee, Coke County, TX, Census
Household Gender Age
Parent G P Kirkland M 52y
Parent Dora Kirkland F 37y
J C Kirkland M 20y
L J Kirkland M 19y
W R Kirkland M 16y
Permelia Kirkland F 13y
Ollie Kirkland F 10y
Melba Kirkland F 0y 4m
J W Mccracken M 13y


1920 Census, Coke County, TX

Household Gender Age
George P Kirkland M 62y
Spouse Dora Kirkland F 48y
Child John C Kirkland M 30y
Child Melba Kirkland F 10y
Child Hardie Kirkland M 7y


Links to Children:
William Roy Kirkland
Melba Kirkland