Eliza Jane (Smith) Fortenberry (1846 - 1919)

Born 21 Jan 1846 in Pike County, Mississippi, USA

Ancestors

Wife of David Jackson (McClendon) McLendon — married about 1863 (to about 1868) in Pike, Mississippi, United States

Wife of John Norval Fortenberry — married about 1873 in Pike, Mississippi, United States

Descendants

Died 31 Aug 1919 at age 73 in Pike County, Mississippi, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Teresa Fortenberry [send private message]

Biography

Eliza Jane Smith was married first to David Jackson McClendon. They had two children but for some reason, Jack left Eliza and moved to Arkansas by 1870. Eliza Jane married John Norvel Fortenberry before 1874.

To the right is shown the 1850 Pike County, Mississippi census record for the Wyatt Smith family. As you can see, Eliza Jane Smith is show as being 6 years old. Living next door to Wyatt Smith is his brother, Calvin Smith.

Researchers MUST take care when researching some of these Ancestry records. On this 1850 Pike County, Mississippi census, Wyatt Smith is transcribed as "WRATT Smith".

Eliza J. Smith with her family, 1850 Pike County, Mississippi

• Wiatt Smith, 41, Farmer, Mississippi (Wyatt misspelled by census taker)
• Sibbey Smith, 40, South Carolina (Sibbey was shortened from Euseba)
• Sarintha Smith, 17, Mississippi
• William J. M. Smith, 15, Mississippi
• Emeline M. Smith, 13, Mississippi
• Jasper Smith, 10, Mississippi
• Oscar N. Smith, 8, Mississippi
• Eliza J. Smith, 6, Mississippi
• Adolphus S., Smith, 3, Mississippi

Eliza and her second husband, John Narvel Fortenberry, son of Burrell Taylor Fortenberry and Eliza Jane (Ellzey) Fortenberry, lived in Pike County, Mississippi. He worked as a farmer. [1880 US Census, MS, Pike; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed Aug 2020) Norvel Fortenberry.] In the 1900 US Census Eliza told the census taker she was the mother of ten children with seven still living. [1900 US Census, MS, Pike, Beat 1; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed August 2020) John Fortenberry.] Eliza died 31 August 1919. She is buried at Silver Springs Baptist Church Cemetery. [Find A Grave (findagrave.com: accessed August 2020) Memorial #22274399, Eliza Jane Smith Fortinberry, 1846 – 1919 (Silver Springs Baptist Church Cemetery, Progress, Pike, MS).]

Eliza (Smith) McClendon is listed on the 1870 census for Pike County, Mississippi in the household NEXT to her parents home (Wyatt Smith and Euseba (Fortenberry) Smith):

Eliza J. McClendon for 1870 Pike County, Mississippi

• Eliza J. McClendon, 25, Mississippi
• Anna J. (should read "I") McClendon, 5, Mississippi
• Eugene W. McClendon, 3, Mississippi
• Pernolean, E. Simmons, 12, Mississippi
• Richard Fontainberry, 16, Mississippi

Eliza J. McClendon, in 1870, is living alone with her children. The two others in the household are probably there to help Eliza take care of the house, farm and children. Where has David gone? For whatever reason, David Jackson McClendon has abandoned his family and moved to Arkansas where he is living with the family of Burton Berry. He is listed as 32 years old and as a teacher.

Sources

• "The Fortenberry Families of Southern Mississippi" by Adrianne Fortenberry Criminger
• Census record for 1850 Pike County, Mississippi showing the family of Wyatt Smith.
• Census record for 1870 Pike County, Mississippi showing Eliza McClendon as head of household.