Elbert County GaArchives Military Spanish American War
Captain George Haley Fortson (1860-1898)

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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Chandler Eavenson
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00030.html#0007294

Military - Spanish American War
Captain George Haley Fortson (1860-1898)

Captain George Haley Fortson was born 19 Oct 1860 in Elbert
Co., GA, the son of George Green Fortson (1828-1912),
Confederate soldier, and Louisa S. Wall (1836-1893), daughter
of Bud C. Wall and Martha Nunnelee. Educated in Elbert Co., 
he studied law in Washington, GA and was admitted to the Bar
at age 22. He practiced law in Florida for one year before
moving to Seattle, WA ca 1886 where he was elected City 
Attorney of Seattle. Being an officer of the National Guard
at the beginning of the Spanish American War, he volunteered
and was sent to the Phillipine Islands. During the insurrection
following Spain's concession to the US, he was wounded in a 
skirmish of the Pasig Delta Campaign and died the following 
day on 27 Mar 1898. His remains were later returned to Seattle
where in 1901 he was memorialized with the dedication of a 
small public park named Fortson Square at the southeast corner
of Yesler Way and 2nd Ave. in Seattle. He had married in 1896 
to Minnie Fry, daughter of a pioneer citizen of Seattle. 
[Refs: The online Encyclopedia of Washington State at 
HistoryLink.org and the Fortson Family History by John W. Boyd.]

Submitted by: Chandler Eavenson