Roseanne Belle Bock 1881-1950 (1111)

James & Rosa Fortney in the side yard
of their home near Morgantown, WV.

Roseanna Belle Bock was born in September of 1881 in Marion County, West Virginia, to William and Rebecca (Garrison) Bock. Her gravestone list both her maiden name and her married name, so we know that her maiden name was Bock. Her Marriage License lists her father as W. W. Bock, so we have little trouble tracing her parents, even though she was born too late to be found in the 1880 Federal Census, and by the next extant census in 1900 she is already married, and living with her husband.

Rosa grew up on the family property, which was just down the road a couple of miles from the Fortney family home, so she may have known her future husband even as a young child. Rosa was married to James J. Fortney on 26 Nov 1898 in Marion County, West Virginia.

They 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, WV4) 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

They appear as a young couple in the 1900 census:

1900 United States Federal Census

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

Rosa and her husband as enumerated in the 1900 Census, within two years after they were married.

The 1910 Federal Census reflects their growing family, and shows that they had relocated to Preston County:

1910 United States Federal Census

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

Rosa and James in the 1910 Census, Preston County WV. 

William and Rebecca Bock, Roseanna's parents, show up next door to them in the 1910 Census. The newborn child who is named Perry in this census, was later renamed Paul. This census also reflects how James' occupation had changed from Coal Miner to Farmer, and it says that he owned his land free of mortgage, so they were coming up in the world.

1920 United States Federal Census

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

Rosa, "Rosie", and James enumerated in the 1920 Census.

1930 United States Federal Census

Rosa Belle (Bock) Fortney

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]

Rosa, "Rosie", and James in the 1930 Census.

By 1930, they had relocated again to Monongalia County, near the town of Grant. They were living on a farm, but they are merely renting, and James gave his occupation as Coal Miner. Apparently, they had not been able to make their farm pay enough to see them through these difficult years. This coming down must have taken a heavy toll on Rosa. The three last children listed in their household are the children of their daughter Letha V. Fortney, who had married, and divorced before 1930, James T. Hyatt. Having extra children in the household added to the burden on the family. It was a difficult time.

Rosa and James in the 1940 Census. The two grandchildren were children of their daughter Belle.

Rosa passed away at the age of sixty-eight, and James survived her by only six months. Her Death Certificate reads as follows:

West Virginia State Department of Health--Division of Vital Statistics

Certificate of Death
Dist No 310, Serial No 143, State File No 5005
Name of Deceased Rosa Fortney
Date of Death 4-12-50
Place of Death Monongalia, Town or City Morgantown, Full Name of Hospital Vincent Pallatti Hosp.
Usual Residence W.Va. Monongalia, Rural-Morgantown, Street Address Route 2
Sex Female, Color or Race White, Married, Never Married, Widowed or Divorced--Married, Usual Occupation--Domestic X
Date of Birth--1881, Age in Years 68, Birthplace--W.Va. U.S.
Father's Name [blank], Mother's Name [blank], Informant--James Fortney
Medical Certification: Disease or Condition Directly Leading to Death--Pneumonia, due to Influenza, Other Significant Conditions--[Indescipherable word] regurgitation, Hypertension
Burial, 4-14-50, Lawnwood Cemetery

Rosa (Bock) Fortney's Death Certificate 1950

She shares a grave marker with her husband. It reads, "Fortney, Rosa B. Bock 1882-1950, James J. 1871-1950."