John Minear 1784-after 1860 (1110010)

John Minear was born about 1784. His birthdate comes from census estimates [he was 65 in 1850, 77 in 1860; splitting the difference, he must have been born about 1784]. In  the1850 census he claimed to have been born in Pennsylvania, and in 1860 in Virginia. He was undoubtedly born near the border between Pennsylvania and Virginia, during the time when the border was being disputed. His father was in Monongalia County Virginia (later Preston County, West Virginia) by 1789, when he purchased land on Monongalia Glade, near present day Reedsville. So, John grew up in Virginia. 

The red area on the map to the right indicates the vicinity where the Minears owned land as it would be located in modern day Preston County, West Virginia. This entire map represents counties that were originally part of Monongalia County, Virginia when it formed in 1776. Preston was still part of Monongalia in 1784, when John Minear was born. He lived in this area all of his life.

The map to the left shows the watershed area of the Monongahela River (in yellow). The Cheat River, which feeds into the Monongahela is highlighted in dark blue. This is the area where John Menear was born, and lived out his life.

In 1803, John married Catherine Fortney. There is a marriage record for this couple in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia:
Groom: John Minear
Bride: Catherine Fourtney
Marriage Date: 27 Feb 1803
County: Monongalia
State: Virginia

[Virginia Marriages, 1740-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data: Dodd, Jordan R., et al.. Early American Marriages: Virginia to 1850. Bountiful, UT, USA: Precision Indexing Publishers.]

From a History of Preston County, West Virginia by Morton, Oren Frederic (1914):
[Children of] John Menear & Catherine Fortney
1. Samuel H. [b. 1805 acc to 1850 Census] m. Rachel Wadsworth 
2. Susan b. 23 Aug 1803 d. 19 Mar 1903 m John Orr
3. Henry m. Melinda Hawley
4. Keziah b. 1809 d. 1846 m. Hiram Orr
5. Elish m. Nancy Wadsworth
6. Millie m. William Moore
7. Jacob m. Elizabeth Rogers
8. Nancy m. Jonathan Fortney
9. Elizabeth m. George Morgan
10. Philip b. 1814 d. 1896 m. Sarah McKinney
11. Hiram m. (1) Phoebe Moon, (2) Elizabeth Snider
12. Solomon P. [b. 1827] m. Mary Minear 

All lineage information, including John's connection to his daughter, Nancy Jane Minear, and his father, William Minear, come from Morton’s book A History of Preston County, West Virginia. Morton’s book contained information obtained prior to 1914, from living family members. That means that these 12 children’s names came from reports from their siblings, and this is likely to be accurate information.

John can be found in Monongalia County, in the area that would become Preston, for the 1810 Federal Census: 

1810 Monongalia, VA
Jno Manier 2 m under 10, 1 m 26-44, 3 f under 10, 1 f 10-15, 1 f 16-25

Wm (William) Manier, John’s father, is found next door to him on one side and Dav (David) Manier, a brother, on the other side. Moses Manier, another likely brother, appears on the page several names above John. John would have been about 26 years of age.

Preston County formed from Monongalia County VA in 1818. The Minear family did not move, but Preston County formed where they had been living. John continued to live in Preston County for the rest of his life.

1820 Federal Census, Preston County VA (WV)

David Menear is listed two households away. There is no longer any William present. So, John’s father died before 1820. John would have been about 36 years old in 1820.

1830 Federal Census, Preston County VA (WV)

John’s brother, David Menear, is a couple of pages away.  
1840 Federal Census, Preston County VA (WV) [p. 32]

1850 Federal Census, Preston County VA (later WV)

Kazia Orr is their granddaughter, the daughter of their daughter Kezia who married Hiram Orr. Both parents had died shortly after Kazia Orr's birth, and her grandparents took her in to raise. For some reason, the Minear family was enumerated twice in 1850, as can be seen from these images. 

1860 Federal Census, Preston County VA (WV)  [House # 1767]

By 1870, he had lost his wife, and had gone to Ohio to live with his daughter Amelia (Minear) Moore and her husband William Moore. He can be found in their household in Adams County, Ohio in the 1870 Census:

His death record shows that he died in Ohio:

John Menear

Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001

Event Type:	Death
Event Date:	01 Apr 1875
Event Place:	Richland, Clinton, Ohio, United States
Residence Place:	Richland Clinton, Ohio
Gender:	Male
Age:	105
Marital Status:	Widowed
Race:	White
Race:	White
Occupation:	Farmer
Birth Year (Estimated):	1770
Birthplace:	Pa.

Nancy Jane Minear 1823-after 1910 (111001)

Topographic map showing Preston
 County, with Rowlesburg indicated.
This is the area where the Fortneys lived.
This also shows how the Cheat River
cuts through the  mountains. The Minears
were pioneers along the Cheat River.

Nancy Jane Minear was the daughter of John Minear and Catherine Fortney. There has been much difficulty in finding records to confirm her maiden name. There are no marriage records for Preston County before the 1860s. There are not any probate records for Preston before 1869, and her purported father must have died prior to that year. However, the source for her maiden name and marriage information is the book  A History of Preston County, West Virginia by Oren Frederic Morton (1914). It was published in the same decade that Nancy died, and obviously the writer must have been working on it for several years before that. She may well have been alive to have given this information to the author. Several of her children were certainly alive and living in Preston County at the time. This makes it quite likely that the information on the family was obtained from a reliable source.

The history says that Nancy was the daughter of John Minear and Catherine Fortney.  Nancy Jane Minear was born about 1823, according to Census data . The Minear family were living in Preston County at the time of Nancy's birth, so she was probably born in Preston County, Virginia (later to become part of West Virginia).

The Minear family were pioneers
in Preston County, WV. They moved
into the area several decades before
Preston was formed in 1818.

Nancy married her first cousin, Jonathan David Fortney, the son of her mother's brother. They must have spent time together at family events in order to become acquainted well enough to fall in love, because Jonathan lived in Harrison County while Nancy lived in Preston County. As tradition dictated they were probably married in or near the bride's residence in Preston County, Virginia (now West Virginia) about 1841 which is the year before their first child was born.

They had the following children:

1) Julia Fortney b. 12 Nov 1842 Harrison, VA

2) John Wesley Fortney b. 20 Apr 1844 Harrison, VA; d. 26 Apr 1905 Preston, WV; m. Salome Rogers

3) Simon Peter Fortney b. 20 Apr 1844 Harrison, VA; d. 13 Apr 1876 Preston, WV; m. Mary Margaret Rowe

4) Elizabeth Victoria Fortney b. 15 Jul 1846 Preston VA; d. bef. 1904 West Virginia; m. John O. Fortney

5) Elzey Lewis Fortney b. 13 May 1848 Preston, VA; d. 1 Sep 1909 Ohio, WV

6) Phoebe Icy Fortney b. 17 Dec 1854 Preston, VA; d. unknown; m. William A. Rowe

7) Adaline Fortney b. 1855 Preston, VA; d. 9 Nov 1917 Grafton, Taylor, WV; m. James H. Rowe

8) David Crocket Fortney b. 28 Jul 1856 Preston, VA; d. 3 Feb 1920 Preston, WV; m. Effie L. Chidester

9) Dona D. Fortney b. May 1859 Preston, VA; d. unknown

10) Benjamin Franklin Fortney b. 9 Oct 1862 Preston, VA; d. Feb 1928 Denver, Denver, CO

11) Charles S. Fortney b. 5 Dec 1864 Preston, WV; d. unknown

The children's births reflect the fact that Nancy relocated to Harrison County with her new husband, near his family. There Jonathan continued to make his living as a blacksmith. They returned to Preston County, where Nancy's family lived, about 1845. The iron industry had already come to be a major influence in Preston County economy, and continued growing throughout the following decades. This was a land of opportunity for blacksmiths.

The beautiful Cheat River near Rowlesburg WV.

Jonathan and Nancy lived near Rowlesburg, which was nestled in a U-shaped curve along the Cheat River. This access to plenty of water made it an ideal location for industry during the age of steam, including iron works. Jonathan thrived in this new environment, and was able to hone his skills during the next decade. By the time the 1860 Census was taken he had become a gunsmith, an important skill to have during the coming war. He was not the first gunsmith in the Fortney family. The skill had been taught in the family for at least four generations.

Nancy and Jonathan Fortney were enumerated with their family in Preston County in the 1850-1880 Federal Censuses. Jonathan died in 1885, leaving Nancy a  62 year old widow. She can be found living with her son John Wesley Fortney in the 1900 Census, and with her son's widow, Jennie Fortney, in Lyon, Preston, WV in 1910.

The following census records show where she resided the last couple of decades of her life:

1900 Census -Lyon, Preston WV

John W Fortney age 56 birth abt 1844 (West) VA

relationship Head

Spouses Jennie married 10 years  5 children looks like 1 living

Mother Nancy J

race white

Household name

John W Fortney -56

Jennie Fortney 34

Lucy Fortney 9

James Fortney 6

Owen Fortney 3

George C Fortney 11.12

Nancy J Fortney 77

==================

1910 Census of Preston, WV

Jennie Fortney 43

Lucy Fortney 19

James L. Fortney 15

Owen W. Fortney 12

Clarence G. Fortney 10

Harold G. Fortney  7

Nancy J. Fortney 85

She must have been forgetful of her birth year by 1910, since she would have been 87 at the time of the 1910 Census and not 85 as she claimed. It is likely that she died before the next census in 1920. No death record has been found for her, in spite of a thorough search through Fortney death records in Preston County. Her grave site has yet to be discovered as well. 

Jonathan David Fortney 1820-1885 (111000)

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.

Jonathan married Nancy Jane Menear about 1841 in Preston County, (West) Virginia. No marriage record has been found for the couple, but Jonathan is mentioned in the book A History of Preston County, West Virginia by Oren Frederic Morton (1914) as a son of Peter Jr, and as being married to Nancy Menear, daughter of John Menear and Catherine Fortney. Catherine Fortney was the sister of Peter Fortney Jr., so Jonathan's aunt. This means that Jonathan married his first cousin. There are no marriage records extant for Preston County, where they were living, and undoubtedly where they were married, so such a record will probably never be found.

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.

1850 United States Federal Census

Name:	Jonathan W Fortney
Age:	29
Birth Year:	abt 1821
Birthplace:	Virginia
Home in 1850:	District 45, Preston, Virginia
Gender:	Male
Family Number:	458
Household Members:	Name Age Jonathan W Fortney 29 Nancy Fortney 27 Julia Fortney 6 John W Fortney 5 Simon P Fortney 5 Victoria Fortney 4 Lewis Fortney 2

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

1860 United States Federal Census

Name:	Jonathan Fortney
Age in 1860:	40
Birth Year:	abt 1820
Birthplace:	Virginia
Home in 1860:	District 7, Preston, Virginia
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Independence
Household Members:	Name Age Jonathan Fortney 40 Nancy J Fortney 37 Julia Fortney 17 Simon P Fortney 16 John W Fortney 16 Elizabeth V Fortney 13 Elzey L Fortney 12 Phebe Fortney 5 David C Fortney 3 Dona D Fortney 1

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.

This musket was created by Johan Melchior Fortineaux in about 1750. Note the lovely details in this piece. Gunsmithing skills were taught in the family over at least four generations. Jonathan was keeping with family tradition.

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.

1870 United States Federal Census

about Jouatha Fortney

Name:	Jouatha Fortney [Jonathan Fortney]
Age in 1870:	50
Birth Year:	abt 1820
Birthplace:	Virginia
Home in 1870:	Lyon, Preston, West Virginia
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Rowlesburg
Household Members:	Name Age Jonathan Fortney 50 Nancy Fortney 48 Julia Fortney 36 Ellery L Fortney 21 David Fortney 14 Phoebe Fortney 15 Dona Fortney 11 Benjam Fortney 8 Charles Fortney 6

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.

1880 United States Federal Census

Name:	J. D. Fortney
Age:	59
Birth Year:	abt 1821
Birthplace:	Virginia
Home in 1880:	Lyon, Preston, West Virginia
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Self (Head)
Marital Status:	Married
Spouse's Name:	Nancy J. Fortney
Father's Birthplace:	Maryland
Mother's Birthplace:	Maryland
Occupation:	Miller
Household Members:	Name Age J. D. Fortney 59 Nancy J. Fortney 57 David Fortney 22 Benj. Fortney 18 Charles Fortney 14

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.