Thomas Fortune (Forten) was a journeyman sail maker in the sail loft of Robert Bridges, a prominent Philadelphia business owner. While still employed by Bridges, Thomas branched out, and started a side-business making sails for his own “circle of customers,” and keeping his own accounts. “In August 1770, he got an order from merchant Lambert Caldwalader…For making a sprit sail for Caldwalader’s boat and supplying the twine, grommets, and canvas…” (Winch, Julie, A Gentleman of Color, pg 22).

Thomas saved his money, and invested it advancing loans for interest, including loaning out money to some well-respected white citizens recorded in the Proprietary Tax list of Philadelphia county from the 1700’s; For instance, in the tax list of 1774, James Cannon a white educator, had 10 pounds belonging to “Thomas Fortune.”

James Cannon was a professor of Mathematics at the College of Philadelphia, and he held a degree from Edinburgh University. “Cannon would emerge as a leading radical and become one of the principal framers of the 1776 Pennsylvania Constitution.” (Winch, Julie, A Gentleman of Color, pg 23).

Thomas Fortune (Forten) married another African American woman named Margaret Waymouth they had 2 children, Abigail and James Forten, who became a wealthy African American business owner, and altered the family surname from “Fortune,” to "Forten.”

Thomas brought his young son James to work with him at a very early age, and began teaching James his valuable trade; however, tragically Thomas died of illness around 1774, when his son James was only 7 years of age.