Hello Kate,
Many thanks for your post. As you can see it is some considerable time since I worked on this family. I would certainly like to know more about them.
Elizabeth Moses was Elizabeth Hall, sister to my g-grandmother Jane who died so young. I started the search trying to find out what happened to Jane's children, as the father John Porteous remarried and had a second family. It would look as if he had little to do with the children from the first family as they were "farmed out" to the Hall (Moses / Bell) family 1851 and 1861 My grandfather James Porteous went to Jane's brother Christopher in Crook.
As you will see the Portows is either a mistranscription or a corruption of the name Porteous.
Where are the family buried?
Your mail could possibly answer some of the brick walls I have been unable to break down. Mary Ann did come to light - off hand I cannot recall details - but Williamson and the baby John I have been unable to find.
If you have a lot of information perhaps you would like to send me a PM I can send my personal e mail addy, and in the meanwhile look up the data I have.
Look forward to hearing from you, many thanks
Ceeoh