Ann was born in Perth, Perthshire, Scotland on 13 March 1813 to James Laird, a weaver, and his wife, Isobell Lyell. She was baptised in the Dissenting Congregation in Perth Depot in East Church Parish. James and Isobell had two other children, David born and died 1812, and George born on 10/9/1815.  Ann Laird married James Porter, a weaver, in the East Church Parish in Perthon on  6/08/1833
In January 1849, Ann and James sailed to Sydney on the Scotia, together with their 5 children, James 15, Alexander Elgin 11, Mary Elgin 7, Robert 4, and infant William. From Sydney they travelled on the Tamar up the coast to Moreton Bay where they settled.

The family made good connections in Moreton Bay with James and his two elder sons, James and Alexander Elgin, working for the well-respected Petrie family in their construction business. On 29 December 1851, Ann gave birth to her last child, George Campbell Porter. For the Porter family, their first decade in Queensland was a mixture of good and bad. In September 1851, before George’s birth, Ann’s husband and eldest son, James, headed off to the Victorian goldfields with Andrew Petrie. This left Ann, her daughter Mary and sons, Alexander Elgin

DEATH OF MRS R BLAND

Mrs. R. Bland, the mother of James, Alexander and Robert Porter, passed away at the residence of her son Robert, Hawthorn, North Branch, at the advanced age of 87. Mrs. Bland was born in Perth, Scotland. She landed in Brisbane with her husband, James Porter, and a family of four sons and one daughter, all now alive except one son; and had another son George, born in Brisbane. The deceased resided in Brisbane until 1857, when she removed with her husband and family to the Bremer Junction, where she lost her husband, Mr. Porter, in 1858. After the death of her second husband, Mr. R. Bland, of Kolo, near Ipswich, in 1882, she came to reside with her sons on the Downs, visiting and residing with each in turn, although principally she resided with her eldest son, James Porter. About seven years since she lost her sight, which loss was felt very much, as previous to the loss she was a most omnivorous reader, and took a lively interest in what was going on throughout the world, but this loss was mitigated to a certain extent by the pleasure that was taken by her sons and grandchildren in reading to her the latest news as it came to hand. Only two days before her death, when told that Kruger was a comparative prisoner, and that peace was likely to be proclaimed, she fervently exclaimed, “I am glad I have lived to hear that!” Up to Saturday, 15th instant, she was in her usual health, and it was remarked by others how well she was looking. On that day she was seized with a slight apoplectic stroke, but after a few hours regained her speech, and would converse on any subject introduced, but was sensible of her approaching end, mentioning all her grandchildren by name, and requesting that they might be sent for. Although gradually failing, she retained her consciousness to within a few hours of the end, when she peacefully passed away, in the midst of her sons, daughter, and grandchildren, on the evening of 21st September. And thus passed away a devoted wife, a good mother, and one who ever had the welfare of this her adopted colony at heart.