ELIAS FORT,2106 born about 1700 in Surry County, Va., was living in Bertie Precinct, N.C. in 1728; his land was along "Looking Glass Swamp" with his brother John. A royal grant from King George II brought him 200 acres in Edgecombe County, N.C. (present-day Halifax County) on Deep Creek in 1742, and he seems to have taken up residence there in that year or somewhat earlier. He was given grants in Craven County, on Falling Creek, near his brother John's property in the year 1745. He was definitely in Halifax County in 1754. By 1735 he had marriE.d Olive Pittman (or Pitman), daughter of Thomas Pittman of Isle of Wight County, Va., and his wife Elizabeth Lancaster (given as Lanquishear in the earliest documents). In 1759 Elias married secondly Priscilla Barrow, a widow whose maiden name may have been Pope. Elias made his will June 20, 1765 and died in the early part of 1766. His will was probated in Halifax County, July Court, 1766. Elias and Olive had these children:
a) MICAJAH FORT, probably the oldest son, inherited from his father the latter's lands on Beach Swamp in Halifax County, N.C. He was born about 1734-35 in Bertie Precinct, N.C. (but probably in the present Halifax County), and served as a soldier in the Revolution. Micajah's first wife is not known, but by her he had three children. The name of his second wife was "Ibell", a abort version of Isabelle or Isabella; by her he had four ehil- . dren. Micajah died intestate in 1788 in Halifax County, his widow Isabelle died October-November, 1793.
b) ELIAS FORT was born sometime before 1740. By 1759 he had married Ann Rawls, daughter of William and Dinah Rawls of Halifax County. His tracts of land lay along the north bank of Fishing Creek in Halifax County. Elias died testate in the early part of 1774, his widow surviving him along with several children.
c) JOHN FORT was born sometime before 1738, and by 1758 had married Anna Barrow, daughter of William Barrow of Edgecombe County (for another Fort-Barrow connection see Section I). John died testate in Edgecombe County in the early part of 1780, his wife and several children surviving him.
d) JESSE FORT, probably the youngest of Elias' sons, was born 1742 or earlier. He left Halifax (or Edgecombe) County in the 1764-1770 period and settled in Craven County, S.C. (later Camden District, then Fairfield District). His later war claim in South. Carolina shows he served as a "Foot & Horse soldier" in the Revolution. Sometime after 1790 he moved to Wilkinson County, Miss., where he died in 1815. His wife, whose name is not known, had died previously.
e) MARY FORT married Jesse Pope, son of Major John Pope and Mourning McKinnie of Halifax County. Jesse was born about 1738-40 in what was then Bertie Precinct, N.C. and married Mary in February, 1762. He served as a soldier in the Revolution from North Carolina and owned land on Burntcoat Swamp in Halifax County until he sold it in 1786; at about that time he moved to Georgia, settling finally about seven miles north of Sparta in Hancock County. He is thought to have lived previously in Jones County, Ga. Jesse died Dec. 17, 1818 in Hancock; his wife evidently had died, earlier.
f) ANN FORT married Lewis Pope, brother of Jesse (above), the marriage taking place in 1761 or slightly earlier. They had one child, Willis Pope, born about 1762, who appears to have died as a child. Ann herself was dead by 1766 when Lewis married a woman whose first name was Jemima. Lewis and Jemima moved to Oglethorpe County, Ga., where he died 1804-05. His will names six children, all by Jemima, including another son named Willis Pope, born in 1785.
g) LUCY FORT was born in 1744 or earlier and was not married at the time her father Elias made his will. Her descent, if any, is not known.