Beyond our Elusive William Daniel

Census:
1860; Census Place: Southern Division, Russell, Alabama; Roll: M653_22; Page: 882; Image: 485
171/162, Elias R. Fort, 39, m, farmer, 2500, 26000, NC
(can't read name) Fort, 22, f, housekeeper, GA
Pricella Fort, 12, f, NC, att. school
Matt Fort, 10, f, GA, att. school
Marget(?) Fort, 8, f, AL, att. school
Elizabet A. Fort, 6, f, AL
Mary Jane(?) Fort, 1, f, AL
Luya Fort, 2, f, AL
NOTE: The older children were from a previous marriage as evidenced from their ages and that of Fannie. It is probable that the marriage to Fannie took plce before the birth of Mary or Lula. However, this is not certain. The census records asked about who was married the previous year, and the census taker put a mark beside a large number of names on the page. More research needed to determine the exact date of marriage. It appears that the Fort family arrived in Alabama around 1850-1852, having previously resided in North Carolina and Georgia where children were born.

1870; Census Place: Beat 5, Russell, Alabama; Roll: M593_38; Page: 86; Image: 172
1604/1726, Fort, Elias, 49, m, w, farmer, 10000, 1000, NC, male citizen
----, Fanny, 32, f, w, keeping house, GA
----, Matt, 21, m, w, farmer, GA
NOTE: the other children are not in this household. They are found two houses from where their parents lived

1606/1728, Fort, Margaret, 18, f, w, AL
----, Betty, 17, f, w, AL
----, Mary, 14, f, w, AL
----, Lula, 13, f, w, AL
----, Nannie, 9, f, w, AL
----, Emma, 5, f, w, AL
----, James, 3, m, w, AL
----, Frank, 9/12, m, w, AL, Sep(?)

1880; Census Place: Precinct 1, Panola, Texas; Roll: T9_1322; Family History Film: 1255322; Page: 210.4000; Enumeration District: 60
397/411, Fort, Elias R., w, m, 59, m, farmer, NC, NC, NC
----, Fannie, w, f, 42, wife, m, married, GA, NC, NC
----, Nannie, w, f, 19, dau, both married and single checked!, AL, NC, GA
----, Emma, w, f, 14, dau., s, AL, NC, GA
----, James, w, m, 12, son, s, assist farmer, AL, NC, GA
----, Frank, w, m, 10, son, s, assist farmer, att. school, cannot write, AL, NC, GA
----, Hilliard, w, m, 8, son, s, cannot read or write, TX, NC, GA
Pitts, William W., w, m, 71, father-in-law, m, assist farmer, NC, NC, NC