William Jasper Fortenberry in SC & MS

William Jasper Fortenberry

c 1772 SC – 7 February 1842 MS

My 4x great grandfather

William Jasper Fortenberry was the second of six children of John Faulkenberry & Hannah Hubanks. His siblings were: Robert, Lee, Jacob, Israel & Nathaniel.[1]

The 1810 US Census for Lancaster Co., SC shows several Fortenberry families including William Fortenberry and his brothers, Israel and Jacob.[2]

About 1812 William married Violette Kennington, daughter of John & Martha Kennington.[3],[4] They “had a beautiful romance which never gave out. On their honeymoon, they traveled in an ox-wagon from Lancaster, South Carolina about 1812 to southern climes and found contentment in hard work and rearing a large family. From that union, our grand-sires emanated, 10 in actual count." 

This sounds romantic, however we get a different picture of this journey if we read Criminger’s book. This book tells us that William’s mother, Hannah, and six of their children traveled with the couple from Virginia to South Carolina. Two of William’s brothers also traveled with them. One brother froze to death in Alabama. This hardly sounds like a honeymoon.[5]

In October 1814, William Fortenberry enlisted in the South Carolina State Militia to fight the British. He served from 6 October 1814 to 8 January 1815, when he was discharged by enlistment in the service of the United States. The company was commanded to help defend the port at Charleston. His brother in law, John Kennington, and other family members also served in the same Regiment, led by Lieutenant Colonel Adam McWillie. The regiment stood ready to defend the port but they did not participate in any battles.[6]

“William Fortinberry came from Lancaster District, South Carolina, and settled in the southeastern portion of the county [Pike, MS] in 1819.”[7] He is listed in the 1820 Tax List for Pike County.  William and Violette are listed as early members of the New Zion Baptist Church in Pike County. They are shown in those records beginning 1823. William is also on the 1835 Tax List for the county.[8]

William “died in 1840, leaving six sons and four daughters. One of his sons, W. J. Fortinberry, was a Baptist minister and spent his life in that section of the county in the cause of the Church. Another son, G. C. Fortinberry, was a member of the 9^th Mississippi Regiment of the United States Militia, under Col. Peter Quinn, in 1825 and 1827.”[9]

Violette Kennington Fortenberry

1 William Jasper Fortenberry b: Abt. 1772 in Lancaster, SC, d: 07 Feb 1842 MS

... + Violette Kennington b: 1786 in South Carolina, USA, m: Abt. 1812, d: 18 May 1858 MS

......2 Gasua Chapman Fortenberry b: 16 Jul 1805  Lancaster, SC, d: 21 Jun 1884 MS

...... + Sarah Brown b: 5 Feb 1810 Liberty, GA, m: 29 Sep 1832 Marion, MS d: 19 Jul 1883 MS

......2 Calvin Kennington Fortenberry b: 1806  Lancaster, SC, d: 18 Dec 1877

...... + Narcissa Simmons b: 11 Apr 1813 Simmonsville, Pike, MS, d: 05 Feb 1890 MS

......2 Euseba Fortenberry b: 3 Dec 1809 SC, d: 13 Oct 1878 MS

...... + Wyatt Smith b: 31 Aug 1809 LA, d: 16 Feb 1894 Pike, MS

......2 Isabella Fortenberry b: 23 Nov 1812 Lancaster, SC, d: 30 Sep 1886 Pike, MS

......2 William J. Fortenberry b: 09 Dec 1814 Lancaster, SC, d: 8 Jan 1896

...... + Elizabeth Martha Ann Cutrer b: 24 Jan 1827, m: 16 Mar 1848, d: 12 Oct 1909

......2 Olevia Fortenberry b: 22 Sep 1817 Lancaster, SC, d: 22 Jan 1881 in Pike, MS

......2 Burrell Taylor Fortenberry b: 1820 Pike, MS, d: 14 Sep 1863 MS

...... + Eliza Jane Ellzey b: 05 Sep 1830 MS, m: 15 Aug 1850, d: 04 Apr 1899

......2 Alfred Fortenberry b: 25 Jan 1823 Pike, MS, d: 27 Mar 1861

...... + Aderine Mary Faulk b: 07 Feb 1828, m: 24 Feb 1848, d: 4 Jan 1888

......2 Hollis Horton Fortenberry b: 12 Feb 1825 in Pike, MS, d: 24 Oct 1867

...... + Louisa Margany James b: 05 Dec 1828 LA, d: 9 Aug 1909

......2 Willis James Fortenberry b: 28 Nov 1829 Pike, MS, d: 1 Oct 1905

...... + Louisa Blackwell b: 17 Apr 1828 KY, m: 13 Oct 1912, d: 29 Feb 1912 MS

[1] Criminger, Adrianne Fortenberry. The Fortenberry Families of Southern Mississippi. South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1984.
[2] Small, O. B. (). 1810 Lancaster County, South Carolina census. Monroe, N.C.: O.B. Small.
[3] Fortinberry, G. K. Abstract History of the Fortinberry Family; 1795-1940's; Family History Center Microfilm #1036152.
[4] Criminger, Adrianne Fortenberry. The Fortenberry Families of Southern Mississippi. South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1984.
[5] Fortinberry, G. K. Abstract History of the Fortinberry Family. Privately Printed. 1942. Family History Center microfilm #1036152.
[6] Criminger, Adrianne Fortenberry. The Fortenberry Families of Southern Mississippi. South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1984.
[7] Conerly, L. W. (2008). Pike County, Mississippi, 1798-1876: pioneer families and Confederate soldiers, reconstruction and redemption,. Madison, Georgia: Southern Lion Books. (Original work published 1909)
[8] Conerly, L. W., & Williams, Jr., E. R. (1989). Resource records of Pike/Walthall Counties, Mississippi, 1798-1910: containing a complete reprint of Pike County, Mississippi, 1798-1876, pioneer families and Confederate soldiers, reconstruction and redemption. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press.
[9] Conerly, L. W. (2008). Pike County, Mississippi, 1798-1876: pioneer families and Confederate soldiers, reconstruction and redemption,. Madison, Georgia: Southern Lion Books. (Original work published 1909).

This prompt comes from Amy Johnson Crow at her blog, No Story Too Small.I began with my grandparents and am working my way back in time through the generations of my direct ancestors. With this post I begin focusing on my 4x Great Grandparents.