This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Fortney, Pell Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/IEC.2ACE/1176 Message Board Post: Census data clearley shows that the out-of-wedlock father of Draper & Vernon Fortney had the "Pell" surname. I have a copy (My sister-in-law has the original) of a love letter dated 12 Apr 1874 from A.W. Pell to Molly (Mary Samantha) Fortney. IMHO, I believe that A.W. Pell is Albert W. Pell. Albert was a career soldier in the U.S. Army. He was living with his parents in Preston County in the 1870 census. In the 1880 census he was a soldier in Montana and in 1900 he was a soldier in the Philippine Islands. In 1910 or 20 he is a retired soldier in San Diego, CA. On the 1930 census he is in some sort of institution (appears to be hospital) in Washington, D.C.