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