Robert, I could not get it to forward to author, I don't know if your address is wrong or what, so I am posting it here. Hope this helps. Debby, Hickory,N.C. http://c-23.rootsweb.com/usgenweb/archives/nc/burke/bios/brkbios3.txt MAJOR JACOB FORNEYMajor JACOB FORNEY,(Jr.) an old pioneer, was the son of JACOB FORNEY who came to the United States from the Canton of Berne in Switzerland. Landing in Pennsylvania, he moved to Lincoln County, North Carolina, then Tryon County, in 1754. He married a Swiss girl, MARIA BERGNER. By her he had three sons, JACOB, PETER and ABRAM. JACOB, the oldest son, was the owner of a splendid tract of land on Upper Creek, now divided and owned by his descendants. Major JACOB FORNEY, Jr., (born in 1754 and died in 1840) was one of the first settlers of Burke County, and married MARY CORPENING (born in 1788 and died in 1867), the eldest daughter of ALBERT CORPENING. His good wife, as well as himself, were much esteemed by the best people of the county. They lived happily together for many years, blest with a numerous family, enjoying life, and reaping the fruits of their probity and industry from their land, literally "flowing with milk and honey". At the time of his becoming a resident of Burke County, game of every species abounded. The buffalo, elk, deer, and the beaver had not been extinguished by the white man; and the Major would tell of his escape from a wounded buffalo by climbing a tree, rifle in hand, to a fork in the tree, and from this place of refuge, shooting the mad bull. I have seen well defined traces of beaver dams at Col. AVERY's place on the north Toe River, and have been told by him that within his recollection, the last beaver caught in Burke County was near this place, and the last elk was killed by JONAS DAVENPORT, on a ridge leading to the Roan or Yellow mountain, named from that fact, the "Elk Hollow Ridge." It's horns were so ponderous that they were never removed, and were seen for many years afterwards. Major FORNEY, by his wife, Mary, had seven sons and four daughters, THOMAS, NEWTON, HERVEY, ALBERT, MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE, BERGNER, DANIEL, FATIMA, MARY, SONORA, AND ONE OTHER WHO DIED IN CHILDHOOD. Although marrying late in life, he lived to see his children grown. They were both buried at the family homestead."DANIEL FORNEY"DANIEL, the youngest son of Major JACOB FORNEY, was the "bravest of the brave" I ever knew; giving evidence of this truth on more than one occasion during the late war. When the notorious KIRK captured Camp Vance in 1863, I was organizing a force of citizens to repel, as fast as could be done, his sacking the town. This he learned by some means. Hurriedly leaving the camp with his prisoners and plunder, he crossed the river made a beeline for Tennessee, by way of the SUDDERTH place. Sending a mounted part of 25 or 30 men and placing them under the command of Lieutenants FRANK CRAIG and THOMAS McENTIRE, who were here on a furlough from the army, I directed them to be governed by DANIEL FORNEY in endeavoring to get ahead of KIRK, and by ambuscade annoy and hold him in check until the footmen could overtake him. FORNEY, being familiar with the paths and nearcuts through the mountains, as well as the best points for attacking the enemy, succeeded in heading him at a gap on the south end of the Brown Mountain. FORNEY advised taking a position in a large cluster of alders, within 20 yards of the road, but the men without dissent, said there was great danger of their force (small as compared to KIRK's) being captured. KIRK's forces were estimated at two thousand. FORNEY, being overruled, the men took a position safer for them and nearer their horses. KIRK was marching at the head of the column. When fired upon, his men, panic stricken, left the road. KIRK was shot in the arm, and a number of the prisoners escaped. I was afterwards shown by Mr. . FORNEY where he had proposed to place his men. It looked to me hazardous, but he would have run the risk and, being so near, KIRK would have, in all probability, been killed. About the time of Gen. Lee's surrender, four raiders, said to belong to Vaughn's Tennessee command, were passing through the country taking the best horses and mules from the people by force of arms. Having robbed Mr. HUNT, who lived at Quaker Meadows at the time, they learned from some bad persons that DANIEL FORNEY had a fine mare. It was dark when they reached his house, which was enclosed by a plank fence. A large gate led to the stable. They rode up to the fence and hollered. FORNEY, coming out, asked what they wanted. "We want your mare", they replied. "You'll not get her", responded FORNEY. "If you attempt to go through that gate, some of you will be shot." Immediately they commenced firing at him with their revolvers. FORNEY never flinched, but returned fire with his double-barrel shotgun charged with buckshot. At length one of the marauders called out, "Oh, Lord! I am killed; don't shoot any more." Sending for his neighbor, DR. JOHN C. MCDOWELL, they went in pursuit and found the rascals at Cherry Fields, in an outhouse of Mrs. CALDWELL's. The wounded man, unable to ride, compelled them to stop. They were armed with Colt army revolvers, and had a considerable amount of greenbacks, the first I had ever seen. The wounded man had received eight or ten buckshot in the face and breast. I told DANIEL his gun was not good, or the man would have been killed. He said he could only account for it by it's having been loaded for a long time, and the powder had lost it's strength. I don't hesitate to say that there is not one man in ten, under all circumstances, that would not have surrendered the mare. It is an old saying that "blood will tell whether man or beast." In FORNEY's veins coursed the blood of his grandfather, JACOB FORNEY, Sr., who according to WHEELER's history, at one time kept at bay twelve or fifteen Indians for several hours, protecting his wounded friends until a fort two miles distant was safely reached."