Typed by: Jan Shelfer


FORTUNE, JOHN A., SR.

Surnames: FORTUNE, HIGGINS, MARCH, HANES, MOORE, WOOLEN, MCDOWELL, KILLEBREW, WILLIAMS, DRENNAN, BUTLER, BOWEN, MCALPINE, DAFFIN, YATES, DOUGLAS, MOORE, CORLEY, WIESE, BARTON, WARDLAW, BROWN

John A. Fortune, Sr., b. February 1798 in Virginia, d. August 1864 in Falls County, Texas and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin-was married ca 1823 in Kentucky to America Higgins, b. 1803 in Kentucky, d. 1870 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin. John and America moved from Kentucky to Alabama about 1827, where they lived until moving to Falls County, Texas in December 1851. They bought nearly a league of land from the heirs of George Morgan, who was scalped by Indians on January 1, 1839 in his home, located in what is present-day Falls County.

In 1860, the Fortunes-John A., Sr., and two sons, Charles and Hiram, registered 73 slaves on their large plantation, whom they lost in the Civil War.

John A. and America (Higgins) Fortune, Sr. were the parents of five children:

Charles Volney Fortune, b. October 31, 1824 in Kentucky, d. March 3, 1870 in Falls County, Texas and buried in Calvary Cemetery-married ca 1852 to Mary Margaret March, b. April 19, 1832, d. January 15, 1860 and buried in Calvary Cemetery. They had two children: John Edward Fortune, b. 1853 in Texas-moved to North Carolina; and Mary Lizora Fortune, b. 1855 in Texas, was sent to school in North Carolina after her parents died. She met and married Pleasant H. Hanes (of the Hanes Hosiery and Underwear family), and had issue. A grandson still owns 500 acres on Brazos River which was inherited from the Fortune family. He visited in Marlin, Texas in the early 1980's, saying he would not sell his only Fortune inheritance, but planned at that time to deed it to the State of Texas for a Wildlife Park. He did not want the trees on the property cut.

Hiram H. Fortune, b. 1829 in Alabama, d. December 4, 1888 in Falls County, Texas-married first on December 8, 1859 to Mary Moore, b. May 5, 1843 in Georgia, d. June 24, 1866-a daughter of Joseph and Sarah Moore. Their only surviving child was Fannie Fortune, b. ca 1862, who married G. W. Woolen. Hiram H. Fortune married second to Mrs. Anna McDowell, b. February 22, 1843 in Yazoo County, Mississippi, d. March 1, 1870; and he married third to Sarah A. (maiden name unknown), and had Florence Fortune, b. ca 1874.

Jane J. Fortune, b. 1831 in Alabama, d. May 1, 1873 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Texas-married February 2, 1853 to Dr. William Killebrew, b. May 11, 1819 in Montgomery County, Tennessee, d. January 9, 1892 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin-third of eight children of Edwin and Mary (Williams) Killebrew, natives of North Carolina.

Reverend John A. Fortune, Jr., b. ca 1834 in Alabama, died-date and place unknown-was a Baptist minister and a school teacher. He married first on October 31, 1865 in Falls County, Texas to Martha Drennan, b. ca 1847 in Arkansas, d. ca 1873, and they had Edith M. Fortune, b. ca 1867, who married Leonard Butler; and Walter D. Fortune, b. ca 1871, who married Mrs. Daisy Bowen. John married second to Mrs. Yolande (McAlpine) Daffin, b. 1838 in Alabama, d. September 15, 1911 in Kaufman County, Texas and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, and had two identified children: Stella Fortune, b. 1872, who married July 14, 1886 to W. T. Yates and had Lizora Yates who married Boyd Douglas and William Yates; and Roscoe Fortune, b. December 3, 1874, d. February 18, 1962 and buried in Calvary Cemetery, who married February 24, 1897 to Mary Maud Moore and had Augusta Laverne Fortune who married T. Corley and had Tommy Corley-who married Maurina Wiese, of Calvert.

Alice Everett Fortune, b. April 12, 1840 in Alabama, d. February 8, 1869 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin-married April 28, 1859 in Falls County, Texas to Buckner Killebrew, b. April 17, 1826 in Tennessee, d. February 18, 1901, who was sheriff of Falls County in 1860. They had William Killebrew, b. 1860; Mary Killebrew, b. 1862; James J. Killebrew, b. 1864; Robert F. Killebrew, b. 1866; and Alice E. Killebrew, b. 1869 when her mother died. Sheriff Killebrew married second to Harriet (Barton) Wardlaw-daughter of Isaac M. and Mary (Brown) Barton, and a widow of John Wardlaw.

Besides the plantation the Fortune family owned, they also had over a hundred acres in northwest Marlin-including the land bought by Cyrus Whitaker, whose daughter married W. D. Kyser, and is still owned by members of the Kyser family on Anders Street. "Fortune Street" in Marlin was named for the Fortune family since it was located on their property, which included the site of Calvary Cemetery.

Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing these bio of these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County," compiled and edited by the Falls County Historical Commission, page 160, column 2.

Member of Falls County Historical Commission