Col. (CSA), John Porter Fort

February 13, 1917, Macon Telegraph: DR. JOHN P. FORT IS CLAIMED BY DEATH: Word was received last night by Macon relatives that Dr. John P. Fort, of Mt. Airy and Albany, died yesterday afternoon following a two weeks' illness at Tampa, Fla. Mr. Fort had a degree "doctor of science" conferred upon him by the Univ. of Georgia several years ago - at the same time with Sen. Bacon - for his work in the horticultural and agricultural interests of the State. It was he who dug the first artesian well in south Georgia. In north Georgia he was equally well known for his work with the apply industry, to which he gave a great stimulus Dr. Fort is survived by his wife, Mrs. Bulah Ellis Fort, a sister of Judge W.D. Ellis of Atlanta; by two sisters, Mrs. Fannie F. Brown and Mrs. Sallie F. Milton, of Chattanooga; by three daughters, Mrs. Arthur Codington of Macon; Mrs. D.H. Redfearn of Albany; and Miss Martha Fort, and by three sons: J.P. Fort, Jr. of Chattanooga; Dr. Tomlinson Fort of the Univ. of Alabama, and William E. Fort. IN addition several nieces and nephews survive him, among them Mrs. J.M. Johnson of Macon; Geo. E. D. Huguenin of Macon, and Mrs. J.P. Ellis of Atlanta. The funeral arrangements have not been made, but it was stated last night that the interment will be at Albany.

Col. John P. Fort became what they called a "practical scientist" and was said to have made a considerable contribution to the state of Georgia when he insisted, despite opinions to the contrary, that parts of Georgia were a vast artesian basin, and he proved it by drilling for water down several hundred feet, and found it. The discovery was said to have revolutionized southern Georgia. He owned extensive fruit orchards in northern and southwestern Georgia. He was a Confederate veteran.

April 23, 1866, Macon Telegraph: Attention is called to the Law Card of JOHN P. FORT, who offers his services to the citizens of the Macon Circuit, and we would ask for him a share of the patronage of our people. He is a son of the well known and popular, Dr. Tomlinson Fort of Milledgeville, and we hope our young friend's success in the honorable profession of Law may be equal to that of his lamented father in the practice of Medicine.

Col. Fort, during the summer of 1916, wrote an autobiography of his life and work: "Sitting upon the porch of his beautiful home at Mt. Airy, he related, at times, the story of his life and his work to his daughter, Martha Fannie Fort. Of these conversations she made note and these reminiscences make up a memorial that was printed by the family after his death. In his reminiscences Col. Fort tells how he became interested in apple growing. While residing in Demorest in 1898, he observed wagons full of apples on their way to Athens. He discovered these apples came from Rabun county, so he went to Rabun to study the apple questions. He was struck with the rainfall, coming not in floods, but all through the year in continual showers. So he planted an apple orchard near Rabun Gap on the Tallulah Falls railroad. These apples took second prize at the Spokane apples show, and later went on to take first. But it was his boring artesian wells that gave Georgia its first flowing well, and earned him the title "practice scientists." Col. Fort felt that there was an ocean deposit known as blue marl, a deep sea ooze, impervious to water, that prevented water rising to the surface. Investigating this, he became convinced that the deposit extended all through southern Georgia. He determine to bore for water, even though people said he was a dreamer and not practical. He bore down 550 feet and struck pure water. The well was on Col. Fort's plantation near Decker's Station in Dougherty county. He also found that subterranean drainage could be used on stagnant ponds that contained mosquitoes. He also encouraged bird protection and growth as a way of containing mosquitoes, particularly swallows and martins.

• https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=60078738

John Porter Fort enlisted in Company F, 9th Georgia Infantry Regiment on 12 Jun 1861. Promoted to Full 3rd Sergeant on 11 Oct 1861. Promoted to Full 2nd Lieutenant on 30 Jul 1863. Mustered out on 14 Mar 1863. Enlisted in Company D, 2nd Florida Cavalry Regiment on 30 Mar 1863. Mustered out on 30 Jul 1863. Commissioned an officer in Company K, 1st Georgia Infantry Regiment on 30 Jul 1863. Promoted to Full 1st Lieutenant on 28 Mar 1865.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9th_Georgia_Volunteer_Infantry
• https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/2nd_Regiment,_Florida_Cavalry_(Con...
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Georgia_Infantry

"Florida Deaths, 1877-1939", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FPZM-WRS : 23 February 2021), John Porter Fort, 1917.