+Thomas Jefferson Fortner

    Thomas Jefferson Fortner was born August 1, 1881 in Georgia, to Thomas Jefferson Fortner Sr and Lucy Ann Reynolds. In researching I find Thomas Jr. in the 1900 Census living in Hulett, Carroll, Georgia, married to Ludie L. Fortner (Boyd maiden name).  They are both living with Ludie's father William M Boyd and her mother Julia A.C.Boyd, also living in the house is Andrew J Adderhold age 81 born in Germany who is the father in-law of William. Thomas Jr is 18 years old and Ludie is 16 years old when they marry.

Mamie, Thomas, John Preston, Ludie
Thomas Grady, Ruby, William Hobson

Thomas and Ludie were married in Georgia but so far I haven't been able to find out the place. They had fifteen children:

John Preston b: 1901-1973
Mamie Gertrude b: 1903-2002
Ruby Bell b: 1906-1991
Thomas Grady b: 1908-1981
William Hobson b: 1910-1990
Horace Timothy b: 1912-1970
Raymond Wilson b: 1914-1994
Joseph Stephen b: 1916-2000
Living brother     b: 1918-
Marvin Austin b: 1920-1981
Miriam Lovina b: 1920-1985
Enola Mae b: 1923-1923
Earl b: 1924-1995
Earlene b: 1924-2011
Boyd Dowdy b: 1926-1993

 Most of the people that probably knew anything about Thomas's private life have all passed away.  I heard from some family members that he worked for the railroad but because of the Depression of 1920, he lost his business with the Railroad and moved from Georgia to Alabama.  In the 1910 census, Thomas and Ludie are living in their own home, married 9 years, Ludie's parents are living next door and Thomas is a general farmer able to read and write. There is one child listed as the youngest named Theodore Fortner who they might have changed his name after the census was taken, because the next child that we know of is William Hobson. It could be that the child either died, or the parents changed his name to William or it was a mistake by the census taker.  Since no one has mentioned a Theodore in the family as of yet, we will have to do more research on baby Theodore.

By the 1920 census, Thomas age 37 and Ludie age 34 are living in Villa Rica, Carroll Co. Georgia with their nine children.  The 1930 census Thomas is 48 years old, Ludie 45 yrs, living in Weltie, Cullman, Alabama with their ten children, four children have left home. More about Thomas in next post.





Sources: 
1900 United States Federal Census ( data base on-line) Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc. 2004.

1910 United States Federal Census ( data base on-line) Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc. 2006.

Welcome to Fortner and Collier Ancestors

   When I was thinking about starting a blog for the Fortner and Collier ancestors, I knew this would be a monumental undertaking. The family goes back a lot of generations on both sides.  Since I'm writing this blog about my husband's ancestors I'm having to get stories, and pictures from him as well as other members of his family. 
  From what I know the family has roots in Germany, Ireland, Prussia, as well as South Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia and I'm sure other places that we haven't discovered yet.

Emil , Jacob & Paula Schwarz

Fritz Wise

There is Jewish and German background, from the census reports a lot of the families moved back and forth from Germany to England and Scotland.

The Fortner side has been the most difficult to trace back, there is a story that was told about how the Fortner's arrived in the America's.  Apparently there were 7 brothers that came over from Germany, when they arrived in America, they split up each going their own way, some stayed north, others migrated to South Carolina and on down to Georgia and Alabama, also the story goes that one brother went to Texas.  I find a lot of Fortner people in all these states but so far I haven't been able to verify that any of the this story is true, or how far back this event took place.

William Wise and Lucy Chandler-Wise

        Rebecca Rothchild married William Collier, they lived in Scotland after both of their families pretty much disowned them because Rebecca is Jewish and William is Episcopalian. They eventually moved to North Carolina settled there and their families moved to Alabama.

One other story is that some of the Collier side is also Redbone Irish and or Scotch Irish so I can see more research in my future.

I'm going to try and follow the families, and record their places of birth, death, marriages, arrival's in America, occupations and tell some stories that were told to me about the families.

Hopefully some one that knows more about this family will read this and add or correct any information that I have acquired so far and share photos as well.

Isaak Stiebel, Langenschuarz Jewish Cemetery ,
Germany