Joseph Brown Fortson

The following obituary appeared in the Elberton Star newspaper shortly after 17 Mar 1919:

"Mr. Joe Fortson Dies in Atlanta.

"The remains of Mr. Joe Fortson arrives in Elberton today from Atlanta where he died on Sunday night from small pox. He is survived by his wife and a large number of relativs in Elbert county, where he was born and raised. He was a son of the late Asa Fortson of Goss. He has been making his home in Atlanta for several years."

[Submitter's notes: Joseph Brown Fortson (1884-1919) married in Atlanta in 1918 to Frances Holmes (1885-1959). He was an officer of the Atlanta Police Dept.He contracted small pox after insisting on riding in the ambulance when his sister was stricken with small pox, though advised not to do so. He is buried in the Hall-Conwell cemetery at Goss, Elbert Co.] Some sources give 17 Mar 1919 as his date of death. He was a member of the Atlanta, Georgia Police Department when he died