There is a Patrick Forney HARKEY (1902-1954) in Lincolnton, Lincoln Co., NC, so there appears to be someone named Patrick FORNEY, presumably with the rank of Commodore, whom they're being named after.  There were many FORNEYs in North Carolina, including some in Lincoln County, but the only Patrick FORNEYs I've found, so far, have been out-of-state.

1.  Marriage Record:

2.  1890 Census:  the 1890 Census Population Schedules were destroyed.

3.  1900 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #48 of 48):  Ironton Twp., Lincoln Co., NC, Roll T6623_1203, p. 90B, SN 24, SD 8, ED 107, enumerated 22 Jun 1900, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1900 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

1900:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

19

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

440

444

Stroup Peter

Head

W

M

Jun 1821

78

W

NC

NC

NC

Farmer

Y

Y

Y

O

F

F

335

Stroup Patrick F

Head

W

M

Nov 1869

30

M

11

NC

NC

NC

Farmer

Y

Y

Y

"   Ella

Wife

W

F

Dec 1870

29

M

11

4

4

NC

NC

NC

Y

Y

Y

"   Walter

Son

W

M

Jan 1890

10

S

NC

NC

NC

School

Y

Y

Y

"   Eva

Dau

W

F

Jun 1893

6

S

NC

NC

NC

at School

Y

Y

Y

"   Essie

Dau

W

F

Jun 1896

3

S

NC

NC

NC

"   Linnie

Dau

W

F

Jun 1899

11/12

S

NC

NC

NC

Peter is Patrick's father.