Abraham Abreu Berkley Bishop Black Blondel Boyd-Foy Burton Cromartie Culler Dent Fields Flowers Fort Hancock Harrison Henry Horton Howard Jabbar Johnson Jones Ladson LaneLatham Letang Lewis Mack Mackie Malone Matthews McMath Nash Oubré Owens Payne Porter Rainey Reid Roberson Robinson Smith Springs Turner Watson White White-David Williams

On or about 1876 Mr. Thomas Fort was born in Arkansas. He would grow up to marry Lelia Winston. There is not much information on him other than he is the Father of Ten children with Lelia Fort all believed to have been born in Starkville, Mississippi.

 

On or about 1882 Ms. Lelia Winston was born in Mississippi. Again, it is not much information that was passed down about her, however we do know she had two or three sisters one of which was Martha Ann who had several children one being Nathaniel. another sister, Mary Alice who was the grandmother of our late Cousin Mamie Boyd. Mamie Boyd is the mother of one daughter, our oldest Cousin on Lelia Winston Fort side who resides in Queens, NY. Ms. Mary Louise Boyd Foy. Lelia would meet and marry Thomas Fort this union produced ten children nine boys. The oldest being L.T. Sr. (one initial from both parents), which was quite common during that time, Walter (who had all four of his kids in his late fifties of which the Fort’s, youngest first cousin is Lelia Teresa Fort Berkley of Memphis, TN), Minor, Rogers, Edward, Robert, Louis, Thomas, and the names of two sons is not known 100% but one is believed to be Sam and one daughter Mary Alice. Lelia was called BIG MAMA (although she barely stood 5’ tall) by all her grands and great grands she was a very peculiar lady who loved her animals especially a cow that had the same name as one of her granddaughter’s Emma. A story is often told how she hit the “white” women for kicking her cow. This could have caused her to go to jail or far worst consequences during the early 1900’s. Big Mama lived to be 89 years old passing in 1971.

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On or around 1877 Ms. Josephine Scott was born in Arkansas. It is
believed that there was a small town named Scott Arkansas and the Scott family was held of high prestige in this town. Ms. Scott would meet and marry Mr. Sam Sheldon and they would bare two daughters Hattie (who died at a young age of Scarlett fever) and Gertrude Sheldon. Gertrude Sheldon was born on January 2, 1900. Another daughter born to Mr. Sheldon, is Ms. Rosie Sheldon whom Gertrude often spoke of how much she loved her sister dearly. they were very close, affectionately called Aunt Rosie by her nieces and nephews, Aunt Rosie lived in St. Louis, and they often visited one another. Aunt Rosie had several children one being our oldest cousin on Mama Gertrude side Ms. Sadie Burton of East St. Louis.
Mr. L.T. Fort and Ms. Gertrude Shelton met and married in Arkansas
they married and moved to Memphis, Tennessee where they had ten children the oldest Josephine, Curtistine, Bernice, Thomas, LT Jr.,
Pearline, Sam, Beulah, Emma and youngest being Mary Fort. All of
which have passed but Curtistine Matthews 101 years young of
Batavia,IL and Emma Jean Reid 88years young of Bronx, NY. Both
Parents were called Mama and Papa by all ten of their children and
even in their adult years they still affectionately refer to them as mama and papa. Papa died when his last two girls were two and three years old leaving Mama to continue to raise ten children. Mama never remarried and later moved to New York City with all of her children with the exception of her second oldest child, Curtistine, who moved with her husband and settled in Chicago, IL. Mama (Mrs. Fort), was known by the entire block of 167th ST. and Prospect Ave as well as 119th st. And Madison Ave New York, NY. both blocks of which she lived. She was an outstanding cook and although she had ten children, grands and great grands as the story goes, that both in Memphis and New York when she made rolls all the neighborhood kids was at her door. Mama was a God-fearing woman who often fasted and prayed. She attended the COGIC and would return to Memphis, TN every year for the convocation. Mama had a two-bedroom shot gun house in Memphis and a two-bedroom apartment in New York yet, she had room for all her grands and great grands all the time.

Mr. L. T. Fort Sr. (1898-1938) & Ms. Gertrude Shelton Fort (1900-1967) were the parents of 10 children, 20 grandchildren and currently five generations which continue to grow and thrive.