Friday, July 20, 2012

James Joshua Fortney1871-1950 (1110)

James & Rosa Fortney
at their home near Morgantown.


James Joshua Fortney was born 5 Jan 1871 in Lyon Township, Preston County, West Virginia, to Simon Peter and Mary Margaret (Rowe) Fortney. Proof of the connection to his parents was made difficult by the fact that his father died five years after he was born. Within a few years, his mother had remarried, to a cousin of her late husband (Eli Henry Fortney). To complicate matters, his death certificate does not list his parent’s names. However, the connection can be seen in the following manner: Joshua appears in 1880 Census with his mother and step-father, Eli Fortney. The name of his mother, as well as James' older siblings confirms the connection to his mother, and therefore to his father (since these siblings appear with James and Rosa in the 1870 Census, though Marcella is there called Christmas, which was his first name).





James J. Fortney was enumerated in the 1880 Census in the home of his mother and step-father.
Note that next door are James and Adaline (Fortney) Rowe, uncle and aunt to James J. Fortney.
James Rowe is Mary M. (Rowe) Fortney's brother, and Adaline is Simon P. Fortney's sister.
Irondale Furnace, a steel production factory in Preston
County, WV near where James Fortney lived


James grew up near Irondale, and the Irondale furnace, from which the town took its name. His step-father worked as a coal miner in the local mine, and James would follow in his step-father's footsteps to become a coal miner himself.






In 1898, James married his neighbor, Rosa Bock. The marriage certificate shows that they were married "at Catawba in Marion County, Wva":


James and Rosa had the following children:

1) Letha Victoria Fortney b. 7 Aug 1900 Monongah, Marion, WV; d. 2 Sep 1982 Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA; m. James Travis Hyatt 20 Aug 1918 Shinnston, Harrison, WV

2) Lola Idell Fortney b. 19 Apr 1907 Marion, WV; d. Sep 1986 Logan, WV; m. Samuel Carl Adams 4 Nov 1919 Harrison, WV

3) Albert F. Fortney b. 19 Apr 1907 Marion, WV; d. 29 Nov 1980 Beverly, Randolph, WV

4) Paul J. Fortney b. 1910 Marion, WV; d. 1 Jul 1952 Monongalia, WV

5) Archie W. Fortney b. 12 Aug 1912 WV; d. 7 Dec 2003 Jonesborough, Washington, TN; m. Susan Unknown

6) Homer W. Fortney b. 15 Seb 1916 WV; d. 4 Jun 1986 Milville, Jefferson, WV

7) Belle E. Fortney b. 1919 WV; d. unknown; m. Newman Allen


The 1900 Federal Census shows that James was working as a coal miner to support his new family:


Name:
James Fortney
Age:
28
Birth Date:
1872
Birthplace:
West Virginia
Home in 1900:
Grant, Marion, West Virginia
[Marion]
Race:
White
Gender:
Male
Relation to Head of House:
Head
Marital Status:
Married
Spouse's Name:
Rosa Fortney
Marriage Year:
1898
Years Married:
2
Father's Birthplace:
West Virginia
Mother's Birthplace:
West Virginia
Occupation:
Coal Miner
Household Members:

Name
Age
James Fortney
28
Rosa Fortney
18

James & Rosa Fortney as enumerated in the 1900 Census.

James J. Fortney moved from Marion to
Preston County WV where he had been born.
By the 1910 Federal Census, they had relocated to Preston County, where James may have inherited land from his father's family. He was now following in his father's footsteps, by becoming a farmer, and he seemed to be doing well enough at it to support his growing family.


Name:
James J Fortney
Age in 1910:
37
Birth Year:
1873
Birthplace:
West Virginia
Home in 1910:
Lyon, Preston, West Virginia
Race:
White
Gender:
Male
Relation to Head of House:
Head
[Self (Head)]
Marital Status:
Married
Spouse's Name:
Rosa B Fortney
Father's Birthplace:
West Virginia
Mother's Birthplace:
Virginia
Household Members:
Name
Age
James J Fortney
37
Rosa B Fortney
27
Leafy V Fortney
10
Lola F Fortney
6
Albert F Fortney
3
Perry Fortney
0/12

James J. Fortney with his family as enumerated in the 1910 Census.

In the 1920 Federal Census, James owned his land free of mortgage, so must have still been farming successfully as his family continued to grow.


Name:
James J Fortney
Age:
47
Birth Year:
abt 1873
Birthplace:
West Virginia
Home in 1920:
Lyon, Preston, West Virginia
Race:
White
Gender:
Male
Relation to Head of House:
Head
Marital Status:
Married
Spouse's Name:
Rosie Fortney
Father's Birthplace:
West Virginia
Mother's Birthplace:
West Virginia
Home Owned:
Own
Able to read:
Yes
Able to Write:
Yes
Household Members:
Name
Age
James J Fortney
47
Rosie Fortney
37
Albert Fortney
13
Paul Fortney
10
Archie Fortney
8
Homer Fortney
4
Bell Fortney
1
James J. Fortney and family as enumerated in the 1920 Census.
By 1930, however, they had moved to Monongalia County, near the town of Grant. They were living on a farm, but they are merely renting, and James gave his occupation, again, as Coal Miner. The Great Depression had a devastating impact on the family, and James could no longer support them without the income from coal mining.


Name:
James J Fortney
Gender:
Male
Birth Year:
abt 1872
Birthplace:
West Virginia
Race:
White
Home in 1930:
Grant, Monongalia, West Virginia
Marital Status:
Married
Relation to Head of House:
Head
Spouse's Name:
Rosie B Fortney
Father's Birthplace:
West Virginia
Mother's Birthplace:
West Virginia
Household Members:
Name
Age
James J Fortney
58
Rosie B Fortney
48
Paul J Fortney
20
Archie W Fortney
18
Homer W Fortney
14
Belle E Fortney
11
Esther M Hyatt
10
Opal L Hyatt
7
Aileen P Hyatt
4
[4 4/12]

James J. Fortney as enumerated in the 1930 Census. Note that he has three granddaughters
living with him. "Niece" is here used in its original obsolete definition which meant "Granddaughter". James
and Rosa's daughter Letha (Fortney) Hyatt had recently divorced and they took in the grandchildren.

In the City Directory for 1935, they are found in the city of Morgantown.


James J. Fortney as enumerated in the 1940 Census. Note that again he has grandchildren living with them.
These were children of their daughter Belle (Fortney) Allen.
James died just six months after his wife had passed away. He was seventy-nine years of age, and died of a heart attack. His death certificate read as follows:
James Fortney
in later years

West Virginia State Department of Health--Division of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death
Dist No 310, Serial No 409, State File No. 13460
Name of Deceased--James Joshua Fortney
Date of Death--10-16-1950, Place of Death--Monongalia, W. Va, Rural-Morgantown, R2 Usual Residence--W.Va., Monongalia, Rural-Morgantown, Steet Address-R2
Sex--Male, Color or Race--White, Widowed
Date of Birth--1-5-1871, Age in years--79, Birthplace--Irondale, Preston Co., WV, U.S.
Usual Occupation--Coal Miner
Father's Name [blank], Mother's Name [blank], Informant--Albert Fortney
Disease or Condition--Coronery Thrombosis; Antecedent Causes, Arterio Sclerosis
Burial, 10-18-50, Lawnwood Cemetery

He shares a grave marker with his wife:
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