Photo courtesy of the Historical Society of Montgomery County, PA
JOSEPH FORNANCE was born in Washington D. C. April 24, 1841. He was the son of the Hon. Joseph Fornance, also a lawyer, who served as the local representative in Congress from 1839 to 1844, and was later president of the Norristown town council.
The younger Joseph Fornance, the eldest child of the Hon. Joseph and Anne B. McKnight Fornance, was reared in Norristown and attended school in the borough entering Treemount Seminary and pursuing special studies under the instruction of the Rev. Samuel Aaron, a teacher of wide reputation. He taught school for several years and for a short time was employed as a clerk in the office of the United States District Court in Philadelphia. He studied law, was a law student in the office of Gilbert Rodman Fox, Esquire, a noted member of the Norristown bar, was admitted to the bar of Montgomery County, April 12, 1866, and at once began the practice of law.
In 1877 he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, with plans of permanently staying there, but after a trial of one year returned to Norristown. He then set to practice law here, which turned out well, achieving an excellent reputation as a lawyer. Politically he was a Democrat, but believed in sound money principles He was involved in the nomination of William Jennings Bryan for the Presidency in 1896 and again in 1900.
Mr. Fornance was interested in local politics, though he did not seek office. He was for many years deeply interested in matters relating to local history and took a very prominent part in the 1884 celebration of the 100th anniversary of the organization of the Montgomery County, being president of the Centennial Association.
The celebration was planned and run by The Historical Society of Montgomery County and the surplus fund from the Centennial festivities formed the nucleus of the money used to purchase a substantial building known as “Historical Hall” for a permanent home for the Historical Society of Montgomery County.
Mr. Fornance was for a number of years the honored president of the Historical Society.
He was chairman of the Publication Committee, did a large share of the work editing two volumes of "Historical Sketches.” The first published in 1895, the second in 1900.
Mr. Fornance married, February 22, 1881, Ellen, daughter of Colonel Thomas P. and Sarah Ann (Leedom) Knox. Their children: Joseph Knox, born September 16, 1882; Eleanor, born November 15, 1883, died July 10, 1893; Lois, born October 28, 1885, was a student at Swarthmore College. Joseph Knox Fornance was a graduate of Princeton University, and studied law under his father at Norristown.
Originally 120 acres, in 1902 Mr. and Mrs. Fornance sold from the remaining land, a tract of about twenty-two acres, an area bounded by Main, Marshall, Buttonwood and Selma streets, to the Hamilton Terrace Company, composed of several enterprising Norristown business men. The purchaser has opened and graded the streets, platted the land into building lots, and erected on about one-third of the purchase over fifty handsome dwellings, including the large Apartment House at the corner of Main and Hamilton streets.
Joseph and Ellen’s son Joseph Knox Fornance lived at Selma with his wife until he died in 1965. His widow Ruth Ryder Fornance survived him until 1982 when the remaining land became apartments and the Selma Mansion was abandoned and fell into disrepair.
