John M. Fortney, 12th West Virginia Infantry, Civil War

JOHN M. FORTNEY, Company "G"

Submitted by Dorothy Nay & Sherry Symmons.

John Menear Fortney was a carpenter and a miller, the son of Daniel Fortney Jr., b. 06 Feb 1781 Frederick, Md. - d. ca. 1862, and Leah Menear, b 11-10-1785 Pa., dau/o William Menear and Mary Hendershot. Daniel and Leah married on September 15, 1801 in Monongalia County, W.Va. They had eleven children, all born Valley District, Reedsville, W.Va. John M. was born February 9, 1807 and he died November 17, 1892.

On January 1, 1837, he married Elizabeth Ann Shinn (11-27-1808 - 7-29-1898) d/o George and Sarah (Kirk) Shinn. Their children were: Joseph Jasper, Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Sarah Ellen & William. All children were born Shinnston, Harrison County, West Virginia.

John was reared on the farm and had only the meager educational and social advantages of the day. He was a carpenter. After building a saw mill for Mr. Seth Shinn in 1846, he took up milling and followed it for 15 years. Many times he was elected as Justice of the Peace for Harrison County, presiding Justice of the Bench of Justices. He enlisted in 1862 in the 12th West Virginia Infantry and served until his health failed, removed to Kansas in 1868 and died there in 1892. He was one of the founders of the Methodist Protestant Church and a faithful member. He and his wife lived together for 55 years.