William Henry Forney was an American lawyer, military, and politician. He was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and United States Representative from Alabama from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1893.
Background
William Henry Forney was born on November 9, 1823 in Lincolnton, North Carolina, United States. He was the son of Peter and Sabina Swope Hoke Forney. The Forneys were descended from Jacob Forney, whose father, a Huguenot, fled from France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and settled in Alsace. Jacob, left an orphan at the age of fourteen, went to Amsterdam and thence to Pennsylvania. In 1752 he married a Swiss girl, Maria Bergner; and in 1754 they removed to North Carolina. In 1835, his son Peter moved his family to Calhoun County, Alabama, and occupied lands in the fertile Coosa Valley.
Education
William Henry Forney graduated from the University of Alabama in 1844, and afterward read law in the office of his brother, Daniel Munroe Forney of Jacksonville, Alabama.
Career
When the war with Mexico began, William Henry Forney enlisted with the 16t Alabama Volunteers and served as lieutenant in the siege of Vera Cruz. After one year of service he returned to Jacksonville and resumed the study of law.
He was admitted to the bar in 1848 and with the exception of the year 1859, when he served in the legislature, he practised law constantly down to 1860. As a lawyer he established a reputation that was “more solid than brilliant. ”
Forney entered the Confederate ranks as captain of the 10th Alabama Regiment, and served on the Virginia battle-front. He won a reputation as a zealous and fearless leader. He was wounded thirteen times, and at Gettysburg was crippled for life.
He was captured at Gettysburg and imprisoned for a year. When released upon exchange he returned to the Army of Northern Virginia, “still a cripple and hobbling on crutches” and was promoted colonel. Shortly before the surrender at Appomattox he was raised to the rank of brigadier-general. He returned to Jacksonville, maimed and broken in health, and resumed his law practise for such business as one who had been so conspicuous in the Confederacy could procure under the régime of Reconstruction.
He was elected to the state Senate in 1865 and served until the Reconstruction measures were put into operation. When the Carpet-Bag government was overthrown he was elected to Congress where he served continuously from 1875 to 1893. He became a stalwart political figure in the seventh district.
Achievements
William Henry Forney is best remembered for his service as a Member of the United States House of Representatives from Alabama's 7th district.
Connections
On October 4, 1854, he was married to Mary Eliza Woodward, daughter of a prosperous merchant of Calhoun County.
