Fortney's Mill, Preston County, West Virginia in about 1960. It was located on Three Fork Creek, near the Tygart River. |
Jonathan David
Fortney, son of Peter & Doshia (Turner?) Fortney, was born 1 January 1820
near Shinnston, Harrison County, (now West) Virginia. This birth date comes from
Family Search, and has yet to be confirmed. We know from census data that he
was born about 1820. Since his family lived in Preston County, (West) Virginia,
for the 1820 Census, it is likely that this was where he was born.
The falls near Fortney's Mill on Three Forks Creek. This was part of the original Fortney property. |
I have searched the
West Virginia Vital Records site for marriage and death records for all of the
children, in hopes that one might give the mother's maiden name. For most, I
have found marriage records, and for some death records, none of these had the
mother's maiden name listed. This makes it difficult to confirm the information
given in the Preston County history. Given how early the book was written, it
is probable that Morton would have interviewed family members who were still
alive at the time the book was written. At least two sons lived until 1920.
this makes it likely that the information in the book may be correct, and may
be a reliable source of information about the family.
Name:
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Jonathan W Fortney
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Age:
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29
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Birth Year:
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abt
1821
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Birthplace:
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Virginia
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Home in 1850:
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District
45, Preston, Virginia
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Gender:
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Male
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Family Number:
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458
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Household Members:
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This map shows the general location of Fortney's Mill, on Three Fork Creek in Preston County, West Virginia. The site is now used as a public park and is a popular place for swimming and picnicking. |
In the 1850 Federal Census, Jonathan "W" Fortney is living in District 45, Preston County, West Virginia in household and family number 458. He is 29 years old, with an occupation of Blacksmith. He is listed as born in Virginia. Living with him are his wife Nancy 27, and children--Julia 6, John W. 5, Simon P. 5, Victoria 4, Lewis 2.
Fortney's Mill Park |
Name:
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Jonathan Fortney
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Age in 1860:
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40
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Birth Year:
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abt
1820
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Birthplace:
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Virginia
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Home in 1860:
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District
7, Preston, Virginia
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Gender:
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Male
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Post Office:
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Independence
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Household Members:
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In the 1860 Federal
Census, Jonathan Fortney is living in District 7, Preston County, West
Virginia. The post office is Independence. He is 40 years old, with an
occupation of Gunsmith. He has 5,000 dollars worth of real estate, and 200
dollars worth of personal estate.
In the 1850 Census,
Jonathan was listed as being a Blacksmith. By the 1860 Census he was listed as
a Gunsmith, so he had upgraded his skills in time for the Civil War when
business for a gunsmith would have been booming. Gunsmithing was a proud
tradition in the Fortney family for at least four generations before Jonathan.
Jonathan served in
the Home Guard in Preston County, as Captain:
West Virginia
Militia Database Item Details: Record Id: 19488
County: Preston
Unit: Home Guard
attchd to 173 Mil
Name: Jonathan
Fortney
Rank: Capt.
Company: Wm H Moore
Co.
The home guard had
the task of patrolling the county borders, and protecting its citizens from
encroaching enemy raiders and troops. As a Captain, Jonathan would be
responsible for training his men, and setting up a schedule of patrols in the area which they had been ordered to protect.
In 1866, "J. D.
Fortney" appeared in the tax list as living near the city of Independence and
working as a "manufacturer." I suspect that he was making guns and
tools with his smithing skills.
about Jouatha Fortney
Name:
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Jouatha Fortney
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Age in 1870:
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50
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Birth Year:
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abt
1820
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Birthplace:
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Virginia
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Home in 1870:
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Lyon,
Preston, West Virginia
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Race:
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White
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Gender:
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Male
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Post Office:
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Rowlesburg
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Household Members:
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In the 1870 Federal
Census, he was living in Lyon, Preston County West Virginia. The post office is
given as Rowlesburg, house number 425 and family visited number is the same.
Jonathan Fortney is listed as 50 years old, with occupation as Gunsmith &
Miller (this last is difficult to read, but can also be seen in listings for his son's occupations). He has 2800 dollars worth of real
estate, and 150 dollars worth of personal property.
Name:
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J. D. Fortney
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Age:
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59
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Birth Year:
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abt
1821
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Birthplace:
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Virginia
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Home in 1880:
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Lyon,
Preston, West Virginia
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Race:
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White
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Gender:
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Male
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Relation to Head of House:
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Self
(Head)
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Marital Status:
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Married
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Spouse's Name:
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Nancy
J. Fortney
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Father's Birthplace:
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Maryland
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Mother's Birthplace:
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Maryland
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Occupation:
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Miller
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Household Members:
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In the 1880 Federal
Census, J. D. Fortney was listed as in the 304 household and 313 family
visited. He was living in Lyon, Preston County, West Virginia. He was 59 years
old, and had settled into a peaceful full time occupation of "Miller," though he undoubtedly still used his smithing skills as needed. He shares with the enumerator that he was born in Virginia,
and both parents were born in Maryland.
The Fortineux Family
book has him as number 1-3-7-5-2 Jonathan David, and has his occupation listed
as Miller, Gunsmith, Mechanic. The occupations Miller and Gunsmith are given in
the census records. The land on which Jonathan lived later became a public park
called "Fortney's Mill." The mill was still standing after the
property had become a park, but in the 1960s it was deemed a public hazard and
so was burned down. This was because the wood in the building was beginning to
rot, and visitors might fall through the collapsing edifice, which was already well over a hundred years old.
His parents are
named in his death record, which also gives his death date 4 Jul 1885 at age 74
(if this were correct, he would have been born about 1811), and his wife,
Nancy, is also named. His death record also says that his occupation was
Miller, and he died of an "Abscess in Stomach." Family tradition says
that he was struck in the stomach by a plow while working in the field, which
may have caused the abscess. It is unknown where he is buried, though it is
likely that it was on the family property somewhere.
3 comments:
Thank you so much for this information! Jonathan was my 4x great-grandfather on my maternal grandfather's side. I've been able to find bits and pieces of information on him but had difficulty confirming some of it. :)
Is the mill photo really from 1960? is it still there? Justin Fortney
Unfortunately, this land was sold some time after Jonathan David Fortney's death. It became a public park. No upkeep was done on the mill, and it began to decay. In 1960, the authorities declared it a public hazard and burned it to the ground. This photo was taken shortly before it was destroyed.
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