#52Ancestors – No. 39 – Nancy E. Fortney

This post is number 39 in the series of the #52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge where a group of us blog about a different ancestor for each week of the year.  To learn more about the 52 Ancestor Challenge visit Amy Johnson’s site at Amy’s website.

I know I should be doing the happy researcher’s dance when I find an abundance of information on one Ancestor.  However, I lament because there are many ancestors I just cannot find a snippet of information. It’s fall and my bountiful basket is filled with photos and stories in my Fortney line.  Best of all, sources that can be verified.

My first cousin, four times removed is Nancy Elizabeth Fortney.  Our common ancestor is Eli Alexander Fortney and Cynthia Nancy Scott.  She is the daughter of James Scott Fortney and Netie Elizabeth Case or Cox.  Born in Iowa on 14 March 1858.  Nancy Fortney Hayes, died in 1941 in Ellensburg, WA.  Just a short 2.5 hour drive from where I live now.  Looks like she may be the first of my ancestors to migrate to Washington State.  She and her husband, James T. Hayes, married in Missouri, they steadily went west to Colorado, Nebraska and then on to Ellensburg, WA.

Their trip west to WA probably took a month or two.  I first migrated to Washington from Michigan using a U-haul trailer and car hauler in 1999.  It took about three days.  I moved back from Florida where it was too hot for me, and it took me about seven days.

One of their descendents, L Hayes posted several photos of Nancy’s family on Ancestry. The photos are from the late 1880’s to early 1930’s.  The couple had ten children.  They lost two young daughters, Elsie, age 5, died in Colorado.  Daughter Cora, died in Ellensburg, WA at age 4.

Below are photos posted by L. Hayes at Ancestry.  The three photos show Nancy over her life.

Nancy Fortney Hayes from 1880's to 194's.

Nancy Fortney Hayes from 1880’s to 194’s.

Nancy Fortney Hayes_1 Nancy Fortney Hayes_2 Nancy Fortney Hayes_3

Sources:
An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2097023
Hayes-Meadows Family by L. Hayes, Washington State

, , , , , , , ,

Copyright © 2013-2020 · Caroll Budny · Trace Your Genealogy · All Rights Reserved