John Nelson Fortune (1886 - 1977)

Born 22 Oct 1886 in Virginia, United States

Died 17 Aug 1977 at age 90 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Biography

John Fortune is a part of US Black heritage.

John's obituary appeared in the Baltimore Sun, Friday, August 19, 1977 (p. 12, col. 4)

"Fortune dies; was ad chief at Afro

Services for John Nelson Fortune, retired advertising manager of the Afro-American Newspapers, will be held at noon Monday at the Metropolitan United Methodist Church, Lanvale and Carrollton streets.

Mr. Fortune, who was 90, died Wednesday at a nursing home after a long illness. He lived at 3415 Dennlyn road.

Cab Calloway, the band leader, was the child of his first wife by a former marriage, one of several children who came to be regarded as his own.

Mr. Fortune worked for the Baltimore-based newspaper firm for 28 years before retiring in 1963.

Earlier, he had been the first black salesman for the Commercial Casualty Company.

During the 1920's, he played the clarinet in marching bands and others that played at social events around the city. He also taught the playing of the clarinet, continuing that activity into the 1940's.

Mr. Fortune also had been active in Baltimore Little Theatre Group.

He had served as a steward, finance committee chariman and co-editor of a newspaper for the Metropolitan United Methodist Church.

He also had been a member of the Citizens Planning and Housing Association, served as a lieutenant in the auxiliary police force during World War II, and was a troop committee member for the Boy Scouts.

During the 1960's, he served as mayor of Highland Beach, a community near Annapolis.

A native of Pedro, Va., he was raised in Baltimore.

His first wife, the former Eulalia Calloway, died in the early 1940's.

His survivors, in addition to the band leader who lives in White Plains, N. Y., include his wife, the former May Williams; two other sons, John N. Fortune, Jr., of Philadelphia, and Elmer Calloway, of Atlanta; three daughters, Mrs. M. Camilla Coverdale, of Philadelphia, and Mrs. Flora M. Brown, Blanche Calloway and Mrs. Bernice Monroe, all of Baltimore; four grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren."

1920 US Census for Baltimore:

• John N Fortune 34
• Martha E Fortune 39
• Blanche D Callaway 17
• Bernice L Callaway 14
• Cabel Callaway 11
• Elmer Callaway 8
• John N Fortune 3
• Mary C Fortune 1

Sources

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114833584

• "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ8S-2GF : 24 August 2019), John Nelson Fortune, 1917-1918.

• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6Q9-F6L : accessed 28 August 2020), John N Fortune, Baltimore Ward 14, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland, United States; citing ED 238, sheet 7B, line 71, family 172, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 663; FHL microfilm 1,820,663.

• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JRC1-C29 : 21 August 2020), John Fortune, Aug 1977; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).