O. Henry O. Henry William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer. His stories are known for their surprise endings. William Sidney Porter was born on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina. He changed the spelling of his middle name to Sydney in 1898. His parents were Dr. Algernon Sidney Porter (1825–88), a physician, and Mary Jane Virginia Swaim Porter (1833–65). William's parents had married on April 20, 1858. When William was three, his mother died after birthing her third child, and he and his
William Porter (athlete) the rest of the field in the Olympic final. From the start to finish they ran almost neck to neck, with the others some five yards behind. In the finish, Porter gained a clear win with Scott beating Dixon by inches for second place. After his athletics career, Porter worked for the Northwestern Alumni Association Board and later opened a sales agency in California. William Porter died in Irvine, California. Sports Reference USATF 110 Hurdle Champions Northwestern University William Porter (athlete) William ("Bill") Franklin Porter II (March 24, 1926 – March 10, 2000) was an American track and field athlete,