Fort Family Papers

The Fort Family first came to Middle Tennessee from North Carolina in approximately 1790, and were among one of the first five families to be guided to ‘Nashboro’ by a young Andrew Jackson over the Avery Trace. Elias Fort III settled in ‘Tennessee County’ in 1792 with his wife Sarah and their children. Elias’ son Josiah married Eliza Dancy in 1853, and they raised seven children in what is now Adams, Tennessee. Among these seven children were Sterling and Dancy Fort, who established a footing for the Fort name in Clarksville by way of successful civic and social lives.

While studying at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Sterling met Sallie Jones and they married in 1885. Before Sallie’s death on their fourth wedding anniversary, Sterling and Sallie had two children, George Taylor Fort (b.1886 d.1938) and Sallie Jones Fort (b.1889 d.1979). Sterling remarried ten years later to Margaret G. Fleming of Corinth, Missouri, and they went on to have two of their own children, Margaret Dancy Fort Trahern (b.1902 d.1966) and William Killebrew Fort (b.1906 d.1965). Margaret Fleming was the daughter of Robert J. Fleming and Elizabeth (Bettie) Glenn Fleming, and was born 29 January 1870. She moved to Clarksville with Sterling in 1906, and raised her family there. Margaret died in 1943, and is buried at Clarksville’s Greenwood Cemetery.

Although not much information can be found about Margaret Fleming's personal life or background, it is evidenced in this collection that she maintained a penchant interest in her family's lineage. Much of the genealogical research contained in the collection was the product of Margaret's research efforts.

Not much is known about Robert Fleming’s origins; however, it is known that Robert served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. During his service, Robert was taken as a prisoner of war and taken to Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio in 1862/1863. Robert was one of the few selected for parole duties, and enjoyed freedom throughout the camp. In 1864, Robert lost one of his legs at the Battle of Resaca, Georgia and after the war he retired to Corinth, married Elizabeth (Bettie) Fleming, and saw the birth of his daughter Margaret in 1870.

Sterling Fort helped organize the Bank of Adams in 1902, and actively served the Red River Baptist Church as a church clerk until his move to Clarksville in 1906. After the move, Sterling helped to establish the first Trust and Savings Bank in Clarksville. Three years later, in 1909, Sterling ascended to the role of President of Northern Bank of Tennessee. He retired from this role in 1934, but remained active in the churches of Clarksville. During his tenure as president of the bank, he concurrently served as President of the Tennessee Bankers Association. In the latter decades of his life, Sterling served as a deacon of Clarksville’s First Baptist Church and eventually rose to the position of chairman of deacons for that church. Sterling was an active member of the Masonic Order and was thoroughly involved with his local lodge.