Question

G2G: Wiley Fortner brn abt 1833 Md Nancy Elizabeth Hiles. Parents of Charley Oscar Fortner

Comments

Welcome to WikiTree, Jayme. Glad to have you. This is definitely the place to ask those questions. However, a little more info would help. Are you lookin for Wiley’s parents? Census info? Thanks!

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Yes sorry, I would love to know where he was born, I read maybe Tennessee and who his parents are. I came up with 2 Wiley Fortner's around that time (born abt 1830 to 1833). Find a grave has a photo of a headstone that bears his name and his wife's name with a birth date of 1833.  One was a confederate soldier and fought in Captain Barry's Lookout Artillery in Tennessee. He was also a POW. I saw documentation that said he was married to a different woman and they had 6 daughters. I think my ggg  grandfather had 6 son's and 1 daughter. One of the son's is my gg grandfather Charles Oscar Fortner.  I have seen photos of the soldier attached to a bio on ancestry that matches my ggg grandfather's birth and death date so I'm not sure. Searching for some clarity and hoping someone recognizes the family names who will know something about our history.

Answer 1

Here is a 1900 Census record that matches the Wiley and Nancy at FindaGrave.  Their oldest son is Charles F Fortner, born 1881.

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3Z6-FH7 : accessed 23 August 2018), Will Fortner, Davis Township (all west of Johnson Creek excl. Higginsville city), Lafayette, Missouri, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 148, sheet 11B, family 197, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,869.

Also a Wiley Fortener, who served the Union.  I think it says 73rd Illinois Infantry.

"United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K83S-468 : 11 March 2018), Wiley Fortener, 1890; citing NARA microfilm publication M123 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 338,191.

In 1860, living with a Stamper family.  Could Dorcus be his sister?

"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH8W-43X : 14 December 2017), Wiley Fortner in entry for John Stamper, 1860.

In 1850, living with the same family, but in Tennessee:

"United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCDW-TPG : 12 April 2016), Wiley Fortner in household of John W Stamper, Bradley county, Bradley, Tennessee, United States; citing family 842, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

As you said, there is more than one man with that name, though.

Comments

Thanks for the star,Pip! 

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Thank you so much! I really appreciate your time and generosity in helping me with my search. Because I am new at this I was wondering if you could share with me how you accessed the census reports. I clicked on some of your links which lead me to family search which I don't have a membership for. Is it a fee based website?

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Herbert, your hunch was correct, Dorcus was his sister!  She was married to John Stamper.  Wiley ended up marrying his cousin, as far as I can tell they all went to Illionois together then on to Missouri.  Wiley divorced the cousin and later married Nancy Elizabeth Hiles. I am still following the trail....thanks again!

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Well thanks, Jayme!  I don't think I found where he was born, but I hope I got you closer to it.

FamilySearch is free, and very popular here.  Just sign up.  That's how I accessed the Censuses.  You click Search/Records, enter the name,  dates, and places and go.  Like any database search, you usually have to fiddle with the parameters, narrowing or widening or focusing elsewhere depending on what comes up.  Happy hunting!

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I think I may have jumped the gun.  More research shows that this Wiley was born in 1801 in Tennessee and was also married to a Nancy (Nee), he is a descendent of The Faulkner line, Dorcas E. Fortner was his daughter born 1827, she was an only child, she was married to John W Stamper they also had a daughter named Dorcas.

My Wiley was born in 1832 or 1833 and was married to Nancy Elizabeth Hiles.  Back to uncovering the mysteries.

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I'm a little confused.  The Wiley in the Stamper home was born in 1832 or 1836, depending on whether you believe the 1850 or 1860 Census.  In 1860, there were two Dorcases in the home, one born 1827 and one 1856.  I'm not seeing an 1801 Wiley.  What am I missing?

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You are absolutely right.  I just realized that when I was researching the census records.  So I found reports that her father was Wiley born in 1801 and the Wiley living with them at that time was only 18 and born around 1832 or 1833, so he may be my Wiley after all. I apologize for my ignorance, just trying to get the hang of this, bear with me!!

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No Problem!  I'm bearing.  We've all been there.