Robert Porterfield
Robert Huffard Porterfield (December 21, 1905 – October 28, 1971) was an actor and director who was best known for founding the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. The theatre was founded in 1933 during the Great Depression. In 1946, it was designated as the state theatre of Virginia. He served as artistic director of the year-round repertory theatre until his death. His most prominent, credited film role was in the 1941 film Sergeant York in which he portrayed Zeb Andrews, a local rival of the title character.
Robert Porterfield was born in Austinville, in Wythe County, Virginia, the fifth generation of Porterfields born in the United States. His great-great-great-grandfather arrived in the American colonies from Scotland in about 1760, probably through the port of Philadelphia. Like many immigrants of Scots, Irish, Scots-Irish, or German descent, he traveled from Pennsylvania down the Wilderness Road into the lush and fertile Shenandoah Valley. Finding that most of the best land was already staked out and occupied, he pushed on until finding some "unclaimed" real estate in Southwest Virginia, what is now called Glade Spring. All such colonists ignored the claims of Native Americans to their traditional territories.
Born December 21, 1905 near Austinville, Virginia, Robert was the third of six sons of Daisy (Huffard) and William Breckenridge Porterfield.
In 1909, Robert's father accepted a position as overseer of some 20,000 acres (81 km2) of land and moved the family to Saltville, Virginia. The family's new home was a large farmhouse about a mile south of the town. Robert and his brothers shared in all the work of the farm. At the age of seven, Robert staged his first play for cousins, with extended family as players and audience, in the family's two-story barn.
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