The following Bio is credited to the Ashfield Historical Society and the desendants of Lois Forbes of Wisconsin:

Nehemiah Porter was b. in Ipswich, Mass. 22 March 1720, eldest son of
Nehemiah and Hannah (Smith) Porter. He graduated from Harvard in 1745,
having trained in the doctrines of Rev. Jonathan Edwards. . In 1749 he
was called to serve the Second (South) Parish of Chebacco, now Essex,
Mass. He filed intentions to marry in Beverly on 14 Feb. 1749, Rebeckah
Chipman, daughter of Rev. John and Rebecca (Hale) Chipman. Rev. Chipman
was pastor of the church in Beverly. Rebeckah and Nehemiah had the
following children: Rebecca, Hannah, Nehemiah, John, Sarah, Samuel,
Ebenezer, and Joseph. Rebeckah d. 28 Oct. 1763 and was buried in the
Ancient Cemetery in Ipswich. In 1766 Nehemiah went to Nova Scotia and
was installed as the first pastor of the church in what is now Yarmouth.
He came to Ashfield in 1774. In 1778, even though the town denied his
request, he joined the Continental Army at Saratoga, N.Y. as chaplain.
In 1778 he m. Elizabeth Nowell of Boston. She d. 27 May 1814, age 87,
and was buried in the Porter plot in Hill Cemetery. In 1808 because of
the advanced age of Mr. Porter, the town hired Rev. Alvan Sanderson as a
colleague pastor. Alvan Sanderson d. in 1817 and the town hired Rev.
Thomas Shepard as the next colleague pastor. Rev. Porter continued to
preach until his death, even though he was blind and had to be carried
to a stone boat and dragged to the meeting house - then located at the
front of what is now Hill Cemetery. Rev. Nehemiah lived across the
street not too far from the church. He d. on 29 February 1820, age 99
years, 11 months, and was buried next to his second wife in Hill
Cemetery. Also buried in the Porter plot is Leonard (Graves) Porter,
wife of Nehemiah's son, Joseph Porter. Joseph Porter moved to Dover,
Cuyahoga County, Ohio, with a large group of people from Ashfield
(Stockings, Lillys and Smiths) ca. 1826 with four of his children. He d.
there in 1844, age 84.