Anne Hughes Porter has been named Daughter of the Year by the Mississippi State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (MSSDAR).
The presentation was made Feb. 15 at the MSSDAR State Conference held at the Capitol Hilton in Jackson. In presenting the award, State Regent Cynthia McNamara described Porter as a “citizen extraordinaire.”
The award is designed to honor a woman who works tirelessly in the service of her community, not for recognition, but out of love of God, home and country.
As a member of the Samuel Hammond DAR Chapter in Kosciusko, Porter has served as regent and in other offices and chairmanships, and also as president of the Mississippi Chapter Regents Association. She also served four years as Hills District Director.
On the state level, she has served on the MSSDAR State Board of Management as librarian, chaplain and second vice-regent, and in several chairmanships.
During her tenure as Centennial History chairman, “The History of the MSSDAR 1896-1996” was published and received a Centennial Award.
She has served as president of the Mississippi State Officers Club and was organizing president of the Cameo Society.
At the time of her mother’s death in 2003, her daughter and two granddaughters had represented four generations with membership in the Samuel Hammond Chapter.
Porter grew up in Sallis where she graduated from high school. She is also a graduate of Holmes Junior College and Delta State Teachers College and completed graduate studies at Delta State University.
She is retired from teaching after 32 years at schools in Monticello, Indianola and Kosciusko High Schools. Her late husband, Cadman Porter, was also an educator.
At First Baptist Church in Kosciusko, she has served as Sunday School teacher, department director, WMU Circle chairman, on personnel, budget and finance committees. She was named the church’s first historian, and as chairman of the history committee “The History of First Baptist Church, Kosciusko, Mississippi 1848-1998” was published during the 150th anniversary celebration of the church in 1998. She currently serves as pianist in the Sunday School Department.
Porter is author of “A Place Called Sallis,” and also with slide and script, she has authored “The History of the Churches in Kosciusko.”
She is a member of the Mississippi Genealogical Society and in 1996-1999 was a board member of the Mississippi Historical Society. She is a charter member and past president of the Mashulitubbee Chapter, Colonial Dames 17th Century. In the Twenty-first Century Club, she has served as president and in other offices, as well.
As a charter member of the Attala Historical Society, she has served on the board for 26 years. While president, she wrote the application for “Mississippi Landmark” status for the Mary Ricks Thornton Cultural Center.
She has served on the board of the Historical Commission of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board.
In 1995, Porter was named named “Outstanding Citizen of Kosciusko-Attala County” by the Chamber of Commerce and as “Woman of the Year” for Central Mississippi by readers of The Star-Herald. She is a past board member of the Kosciusko Foundation for Excellence in Education.
Following the death of her husband, she established The Cadman Porter Memorial Scholarship to be given each year to a graduating senior at Kosciusko High School.
She was previously selected by the Kosciusko Junior Auxiliary to serve as queen for its annual charity ball and has also served as marshal of the Kosciusko Christmas parade.
She is a life member of Holmes Community College and Delta State University alumni associations.
Porter’s family members in attendance at her recognition in Jackson were her daughter, Sheila Porter Howell, and granddaughters, Laura Howell McQueen and Emily Howell Stringer.
Members of the Samuel Hammond Chapter attending were Ellen Chandler, Ellen Pettit, Sarah Cheek, Pauline Brunt and Chapter Regent Dorothy Harmon.
