Nathan Tanner Porter's Father Miraculously Survives Severe Illness

In the spring of 1827, shortly after Nathan Tanner Porter's father Sanford and the family had rented a farm from Jentry near Evansville, Indiana, and had begun planting crops, 'he was taken down with a severe spell of sickness, so that his recovery was considered very doubtful.' The illness was grave enough that those attending him thought he would likely die. However, through divine intervention and merciful providence, Sanford 'survived and was able to teach school during the ensuing winter.' This survival was particularly providential, as it allowed him to provide income for the family through his teaching work during the critical period when the farm crops were being established. The miraculous recovery of Nathan's father demonstrated God's providential care for the family during their frontier struggles.