William Bascombe Fortner, son of John and Nancy (Stewart) Fortner, was born 21 Sept, 1879 and died in Mitchell County, NC, 24 Dec. 195658. He married Esther McKinney.59 She was born 19 July 1883 and died 16 Oct. 1934. Bascom and Esther Fortner are buried in Lily Branch Cemetery, Mitchell County, NC. The tombstones do not have the full dates, only the years. Although listed as married, Bascom Fortner, age 39, is listed in the 1920 census of Mitchell
County, NC, as boarding with the family of Chas. M. Smith.
Children of Wm. Bascombe and Esther (McKinney) Fortner
iii. Cecil Fortner, b. 11 July 1906, d. 16 April 1962, m. Irma Sally iv. James E. Fortner, b. 20 Oct. 1908, m. Elizabeth Hensley. He was living in Asheville, NC, in 1962. v. Zella Fortner, b. 7 Jan. 1911, m. Harry Wilson. Harry Lee Wilson was a son of Ed W. and Mary Louise (Pannell) Wilson.vi. John Gudger Fortner, b. 31 Dec. 1914, m. Mae Freeman vii. Paul Fortner, b. 2 Aug. 1912, m. Lola Wilson.
John Fortner was born on 25 December 1832 at North Carolina. He was the son of Aaron Fortner and Sarah Orand. John Fortner married Nancy Stewart, daughter of Jackson Stewart and Elizabeth Howell. John Fortner died on 1 April 1900 at Mitchell County, North Carolina, at age 67. He was buried at Fortner Cemetery (the cemetery is on a knoll above Wood Fortner's barn, Mitchell County, North Carolina.
The family of John and Nancy Fortner is listed in the 1880 census of Snow Creek, Mitchell Co., NC.
All were born in NC, as were their parents.
John Fortner, age 54
Nancy Fortner, age 37
Mary Fortner, age 14
Lissa Fortner, age 12
Dexter Fortner, age 8
Gudger Fortner, age 5
Maggie Fortner, age 4
Bascum Fortner, age 9mo.
[LDS CD-ROM, 1880 United States Census].

Child of John Fortner and Nancy Stewart
Ella Fortner+ b. 4 Feb 1858, d. 6 Mar 1942.

Nancy Stewart was born on 9 November 1837 at North Carolina. She was the daughter of Jackson Stewart and Elizabeth Howell. Nancy Stewart married John Fortner, son of Aaron Fortner and Sarah Orand. Nancy Stewart died on 22 July 1922 at Snow Creek Township, Mitchell County, North Carolina, at age 84.1 She was buried at Fortner Cem., Mitchell County, North Carolina.

Child of Nancy Stewart and John Fortner, Ella Fortner+ b. 4 Feb 1858, d. 6 Mar 1942.

Fortner, Nancy -- Death Certificate, Book ___ , p.31, This record shows that Nancy Fortner, daughter of Jack Steward, b. Yancey County, and Nancy Steward, b. Mitchell County, was the widow of John Fortner and died 22 July 1922 in Snow creek Township of Mitchell County. The informant was G. G. Fortner of Spruce Pine and the cause of death was "Disease of heart and Senility a number of years" She was 86 years old and buried in a family graveyard. There was no place for birth date on the form at this time. Aaron Fortner (M) b. circa 1814

Aaron Fortner was born circa 1814 at North Carolina. He married Sarah Orand on 13 February 1831 at Wilkes County, North Carolina. The marriage of Aaron Fortner and Sarah Orand with bondman Jacob Orren is reported by Brent H. Holcomb in his Marriages of Wilkes County, North Carolina, 1778-1868. (Gen. Pub. Co., 1983). This connects with the death record of Alex Fortner in Mitchell Co., NC, which lists his parents as Aaron Fortner and Sarah Orand.

Children of Aaron Fortner and Sarah Orand
Alexander Fortner b. c 1828, d. 23 Feb 1915
John Fortner+ b. 25 Dec 1832, d. 1 Apr 1900

Sarah Orand b. circa 1810

Sarah Orand was born circa 1810. She married Aaron Fortner on 13 February 1831 at Wilkes County, North Carolina. The marriage of Aaron Fortner and Sarah Orand with bondman Jacob Orren is reported by Brent H. Holcomb in his Marriages of Wilkes County, North Carolina, 1778-1868. (Gen. Pub. Co., 1983). This connects with the death record of Alex Fortner in Mitchell Co., NC, which lists his parents as Aaron Fortner and Sarah Orand.

Children of Sarah Orand and Aaron Fortner
Alexander Fortner b. c 1828, d. 23 Feb 1915
John Fortner+ b. 25 Dec 1832, d. 1 Apr 1900