Notizen zu dieser Person
John Fort, the son of the first Elias Fort, seems to have been born about
1665-70. He married Elizabeth Jordan, the daughter of Richard Jordan whose
will and a deed of 1695 confirmed the marriage. John Fort lived on
Johnchecohunk Swamp near James Bynum by 1695 and later lived south of the
Blackwater, though he apparently owned land in Isle of Wight as well. He
made his will on 21 October 1724 in Surry County, and it was recorded on 10
March 1726. The will named nine children: John, William, George, Richard,
Elias, Mary (Bynum), Sarah (Wall), and Hannah (Phillips). The will was
witnessed by John Phillips, the husband of Hannah, and by William Bynum.
George Fort appears to have died young but John Fort’s other five sons
migrated into North Carolina in the 1720’s, closely paralleling
William.Bynum’s movements. William Fort lived on Keehukee Swamp in Edgecombe
County until his death. John Fort was in Bertie Precinct by 1723 where he
lived on Looking Glass Swamp very near William Bynum; William Bynum witnessed
his wife’s discharge of dower in a 1730 deed there. John Fort later moved to
that part of Craven County which became Johnston and later Orange County; he
died there in 1746 Elias Fort was also on Looking Glass Swamp by 1728 where
he had evidently moved from Isle of Wight County; about 1742 he moved onto
Deep Creek in what was later Halifax County where he died in 1766. Richard
Fort was likewise in Bertie Precinct by 1730; he died in what was later
Johnston County in 1746 leaving a will naming his brothers and sisters,
including Mary Bynum. Thomas Fort, perhaps the youngest son, also ended up in
Johnston County. Elias and John witnessed deeds together with William Bynum.
John Phillips, the husband of Hannah Fort, also demonstrated some
connection with William Bynum. Phillips lived near Bynum in Isle of Wight
and they appear together in its records twice. Phillips also witnessed the
sale of William and Mary Bynum’s land there in 1723.
On the strength of these admittedly coincidental records, we think it
likely that Mary Fort was the wife of William Bynum. We note that we found
no evidence whatsoever of any connection between John Bynum and this
particular branch of the Fort family beyond the marriage of his brother
William to the widow of Elias Fort Jr.
BIOGRAPHY: Note:
21 Oct 1724 Our John Fort of Surry County, Virginia, will, named daughter, *Mary Bynum. The will was witnessed by William Bynum. In 1723 William Bynum and his wife Mary, had witnessed a deed for a Joh n Phillips, thus providing us with the given name of William Bynum's wife . Most of the adult Fort children settled in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, near
William and Mary (Fort) Bynum, including Elias and John, Jr. They lived on Looking Glass Swamp.----
Title: A Family Called Fort
Author: Homer T. Fort and Drucilla Stovall Jones
Publication: West Texas Printing Co., Midland, TX, 1970
Abbrev: A Family Called Fort
Title: Bynum and Baynham Families of America
Author: Robert William Baird
Publication: Gateway Press, Inc., Baltimore, MD 1983
Abbrev: Bynum and Baynham Families of America
Call Number: LC 83-82272
Stephen W.
