author
John Porter Fort
1841–1917
A Georgia lawyer, soldier, farmer, and practical scientist, John Porter Fort turned bold ideas into lasting improvements for his state. His memoir captures a life shaped by nature, wartime experience, agriculture, and a determination to bring clean artesian water to the South.
1 Audiobook
John Porter Fort: A Memorial, and Personal Reminiscences
by John Porter Fort
About the author
Born in Milledgeville, Georgia, in 1841, John Porter Fort grew up with a deep interest in birds, woods, streams, and the natural world. He studied at Oglethorpe College, later trained in law, and was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1867. During the Civil War, he served first as an enlisted soldier and later as a lieutenant in the First Georgia Regulars.
Fort became known for applying careful observation and practical experimentation to Georgia’s problems. In 1881, he drilled what was described as Georgia’s first successful artesian well, helping improve public health and encouraging the spread of flowing wells across south Georgia. He also promoted irrigation, helped develop the region’s timber and agricultural industries, and became an influential pioneer of apple growing in north Georgia.
His life story was dictated to his daughter, Martha F. Fort, during the summer of 1916 and published after his death as John Porter Fort: A Memorial, and Personal Reminiscences in 1918. Fort died in Tampa, Florida, on February 12, 1917, leaving behind a reputation as an energetic innovator and public benefactor.