Peter, Glad I could be of help to you concerning the location of Portland. Portland was the river landing for Tilden, or Boykin's Beat as it was called, taking freight and travel to Selma and Mobile. I don't think there was ever a "town" at Portland but Tilden became a settlement in the early 1800's. My husband's ancestors, Francis Boykin and Stark Hunter moved there from Virginia in 1818. My records on the Boykin family show some of the early settlers of this area were the Reeves, Olivers, Niolons and LaPoints. I would be interested in any information you might run across relating to the Boykins who settled in this area. I will pass along any info I find on Ancrum and/or Arthurs. Beverly Jones

I have been interested in the discussion of Portland. I am sure I have been there and I recall a very old house called the Boykin Place. It seems to me a Selma family moved to that area in recent times and restored an old place- the Frank Cothrans. I may be confused as to the location. If you want a 1860 picture of Portland look at Mary Boykin Miller Chestnut's Civil War-the Woodward edition of "Mary Chestnuts Civil War." She was in Montgomery during the Secession Convention and made a steamboat trip from there to Portland to see her younger sister who had married a cousin, Thomas Edward Boykin, Physician and Planter. They were indeed from Camden,South Carolina-- the Boykins were originally from Virginia. The footnotes in the Woodward edition mention other Camden (Kershaw County)families. (Hunters, Ancrums and others). I do remember a lovely lady in Selma who lived on Alabama Avenue- she was known to me as Scotta Boykin Powell. I believe she was from Portland. I believe Starke Hunter was an ancestor of Hunter Kendall who had a plantation near Sardis and above Portland. I also remember a Miss May Kyser who lived on the road to Camden and somehow was connected to that area. I am interested in this because my wife was related to Mary Boykin Miller Chestnut.she is descended from the Whitakers who were Mary's mothers family-she was related to James Chestnut through the Canteys. It seems that the Portland area as well as the Carlowville and Pleasant Hill areas were settled by South Carolinians. Many came from the Camden area. Wish I could help more. I would be interested in any further information about the settlers in that area. I am a native of Selma born at the Baptist Hospital in 1925 with a good view of the Alabama River. Tarver Rountree 10100 Hillview Rd. Apt. 110 Pensacola, Fl. 32514