Ina Lucille (Brown) Alford was born 29 December 1890. On 8 December 1910 Ina married Dewitt William Alford[i], son of Seaborn S. Alford MD and Anice (Ball) Alford. Dewitt was born 29 October 1874 in LA. They had seven children: Devoe Alford, Doris Alford, Bruce Alford, Zelda Marie (Alford) Fortenberry, Mary Alice (Alford) Bennett, Louise (Alford) White and Lindy R. Alford.
Dewitt registered for the draft in 1918. He was a farmer, described as having gray eyes and black hair.[ii]
In 1920 Dewitt and Ina were in Washington Parish, Louisiana. They owned their own farm. Two children were at home: Bruce was 6 years old and Zelda was 4 months old.[iii]In 1930 Dewitt and Ina had five children at home: Bruce, 16; Zelda, 14; Mary, 10; Louise, 6; and Lindy, 2.[iv]
In 1940 Ina and Dewitt were not living together. Ina was with daughters, Lindy and Louise, in St. Tammany Parish. Ina told the census taker she was a widow.[v]However, Dewitt was living in Tangipahoa Parish. He was a laborer and lodging with the Raines family.[vi]
Dewitt William Alford died 24 May 1942 at the age of 68.[vii],[viii]Ina Lucille (Brown) Alford died 25 Jul 1972.
Their daughter, Zelda Marie (Alford) Fortenberrydied 1 April 2005.
Zelda Alford Fortenberry, 90, of the Silver Springs community, died April 2005, at Beacham Memorial Hospital in Magnolia. Visitation is 5 to 8 tonight at Silver Springs Baptist Church. Burial will be in Silver Springs Cemetery. Mrs. Fortenberry was born March 2, 1915, in Angie, La. To William Dewitt Alford and Ina Brown Alford. She was a homemaker and a member of Silver springs Baptist Church, where she taught children’s Sunday school for 45 years. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Ray Fortenberry, Sr.; a brother, Bruce Alford, and two grandchildren, Darrell Scott Fortenberry and Kelly Ray Fortenberry. Survivors include two sons and a daughter-in-law, Billy Joe and Daisy Fortenberry of Progress and Ray Fortenberry, Jr.; a daughter and son in law, Alice Fortenberry Overall and Charles of Progress; three sisters, May Alice Bennett of Folsom, La., Louise White of Bogalusa, La., and Linda Breland of the Improve community; six grandchildren, Tina Meyers and husband Charles of Tylertown, Stacy Fortenberry of Bay St. Louis, Michael Fortenberry, Stephen Fortenberry and David Fortenberry and his wife Deanna of McComb, and Dana Nelson and husband Ricky of McComb; six great-grandchildren, Adam Meyers and wife Alicia of Camp LeJeune, N. C., Rachel Meyers and Masey Meyers, both of Tylertown, Kelsi Fortenberry, Alexis Fortenberry and Blake Nelson, all of McComb; and two great-great-grandchildren, Adrianna Michelle Meyers and Caden Adam Meyers of Camp LeJeune. Pallbearers will be Mark Johnson, James Kemp, Lee Lambert, Roger Moret, David Johnson and Bart Ravencraft.[ix]
[i]Louisiana Marriages, 1718 – 1925; ancestry.com; Dewitt W. Alford L. Brown, 8 December 1910.
[ii]World War I Draft registration Card 12 Sept 1918; ancestry.com; William Dewitt Alford.
[iii]1920 US Census, LA, Washington; SD 6, ED 146, Sheet 13B; ancestry.com; Dewitt Alford family.
[iv]1930 US Census, LA, Washington; SD 8, ED 59 – 19, Sheet 4A; ancestry.com; Dewitt Alford family.
[v]1940 US Census, LA, St. Tammany; ancestry.com; Ina Alford family.
[vi]1940 US Census, LA, Tangipahoa; ancestry.com; Dewitt Alford.
[vii]Certificate of Death for Dewitt W. Alford, 24 May 1942, Cert #500; Louisiana State Department of Health; Louisiana Archives, Baton Rogue, LA.
[viii]Magee, Zuma F., and Thelma S. Bateman. Cemetery Records Louisiana. Volume I. Privately printed, 1962.
[ix]”Zelda Alford Foretnberry.” AAFA ACTION The Official Publication of the Alford American Family Association XX Number 2(2007): 40. Enterprise-Journal McComb Pike County Mississippi; Monday 4 April 2005.
1 Ina Lucille Brown b: 29 Dec 1890 in MS, d: 25 July 1972
…… + Dewitt William Alford b: 29 Oct 1874 in LA, m: 08 Dec 1910 in LA, d: 24 May 1942
…………2 Devoe Alford
…………2 Doris Alford
…………2 Bruce Alford b: Abt. 1914 in LA
………… + Rose Bell Mohan
…………2 Zelda Marie Alford b: 02 March 1915 in Angie, Washington, LA, d: 01 April 2005 in Magnolia, Pike, MS
………… + Ray Luther Fortenberry b: 19 Sept 1909, m: 24 Oct 1932 in MS, d: 15 May 1989
………………3 Billy Joe Fortenberry b: 26 April 1936
………………3 Alice Fortenberry b: 23 March 1938
……………… + Overall
………………3 Ray Luther Fortenberry Jr.
…………2 Mary Alice Alford b: 06 March 1920 in LA
………… + George Bennett m: 27 August 1938
………………3 Addie Lucille Bennett Booth b: 19 Oct 1939
……………… + Bryant Booth
……………………4 Julie Lynn Booth
……………………4 Brian Kent Booth
………………3 James Allen Bennett
……………… + Alice Meyers Bennett
……………………4 Todd Allen Bennett
……………………4 Phillip Clay Bennett
……………………4 Jonell Cheri Bennett
………………3 Dorothy Marie Bennett McIntyre
……………… + Jerry McIntyre
……………………4 Randal Scott McIntyre
……………………4 Howell Craig McIntyre
……………………4 Stacie Lynn McIntyre
………………3 Ellouise B. Bennett Thompson
……………… + Berry Thompson
……………………4 Jodi Leigh Thompson
……………………4 David Elliott Thompson
……………………4 Brad Harper Thompson
…………2 Louise Alford b: Abt. 1924 in LA
…………2 Lindy R. Alford b: Abt. 1928 in LA
Selected Sources:
- 1900 US Census, Beat 1, Pike Co., Mississippi. Roll T623 825 Page 14B, ED104. Jasper P. Brown
- 1910 U.S. Census, Pike Co., Mississippi; 1910; ED95, Sheet 11; Line
15; Federal Archives, Pittsfield, Mass., T1269 Roll 13 (Soundex) T624 Roll 756 (Report); NOTES: Jasper Brown & family in Pike Co - 1920 Us Census. Washington, Louisiana, SD 6, ED 146, Sheet 13B.
Dewitt Alford - 1930 US Census. Louisiana, Washington. SD 8, ED 59 – 19, Sheet 4A. April 7.
- “Zelda Alford Foretnberry.” AAFA ACTION The Official Publication of the Alford American Family Association XX Number 2(2007): 40. Dewitt Alford, 56.