Forbes, John (Feb 10, 1827 – Oct 29, 1879) by Charles R. Forbes

STORY OF JOHN FORBES Jr. Who is C. W. Green's mother's
father.

 

John Forbes Jr. was born on the
Isle of Aaron in Scotland on 27 Mar 1827.  He was the son of John Forbes Sr. and
Catherine Findley.  At the age of 22 (7
Apr 1849) he married Janet Smith who was four and one half years (born 6 Sep
1822) his senior.  They had one child,
Davinie, who was born 11 Feb 1850.

John Forbes joined the church in
1845 (18 July).  In 1853, John Forbes,
his wife Janet, their daughter Davinie and his brother James immigrated to
America.  They sailed on 28 Feb 1853
aboard the ship "Intrenational" [sic] They crossed the plains in a
covered wagon.  Their first home in the
valley was a dugout in Findley's hollow.John [sic] Forbes and his family, James
Forbes and Thomas Findley shared the dugout.  He built a log cabin, in the hollow which is
believed to be the first house in the area with shingles and raised the first
potatoes.  About two years after arriving
here, his wife Janet, died.

A year or so later, John Forbes
married Hannah Sheen, who had emi�grated from England with her father, James,
and family and her child, Ann Eliza, born out of wedlock, The [sic] story goes
that the father of Ann Eliza met them at the dock and tried to take her away
from Hannah, but was not successful.  After
arriving in America, they crossed the pla�ins by handcart.  John Forbes and Hannah Sheen had seven
children by the marriage, They [sic] were Catherine, Hannah Maria, Janet, John,
Harriet Ellen, James Robert and Thomas George.

He lived in the log cabin most of
the remainder of his life, They [sic] had to walk to Kaysville to church.  Shortly before he died, he built the red brick
house upon the hill, He [sic] mixed the 
morter [sic] with his feet, it is believed that is the reason he got
"quick Pneumonis" [sic] and died, He [sic] died 28 Oct 1897, at the
age of 52.

Much of the interest in a man's
life lies in the stories and acc�omplishments behind the story of dates and
places.  I would like to give you a
glimpse into this part of his life.

The records show that John Forbes
was a farmer in Scotland, Some [sic] have heard that his father was a
school-teacher a teacher of Latin, Here [sic] in America we know he was a
farmer, a home builder as well as a bit of a poet and philosopher.  I'll give you an example of that in a minute.  The story is told that he walked to
Kaysville, bought a plow and carried it home on his back.  He walked to Ogden for a sack of bran. when [sic]
he reached the Weber river he found a toll bridge across it.  He has [sic] just enough money for the bran,
so he waited until the toll keeper left and then walked across the bridge and
on to Ogden, He [sic] purchased the sack of bran and carried it home on his
back.  They say one time he went to
church in Kaysville in the best overal he had, but they had holes in the knees.
 When he sat down, he put his hands on
his knees to cover up the holes.

John Forbes and his brother
Jimmy(James) made a date one day to meet an immigrant train.  They heard their father was on it.  They made the date to meet on the mountain
road when the sun started to shine on Antelope Island.  John went up to the mountain road with his
outfit,but [sic] Jimmy didn't  showup. [sic]
So John went to Salt Lake and he hunted among the immigrant train and he ran
across an older man who was quite sick and he was laying across the wagon
tongue, He [sic] examined him closer and it was his father, So [sic] he brought
him to Layton for some time before he died.

 

In a letter to brother Ross ; [sic]

I much appreciate your wife's kindness when called, but she
is like my woman cannot see the beauties of ideality.  The cares of this life hath the greatest
preponderance.  Yet we must not condemn
where seeds were never sown.  How could
flowers e'er spring or roots stretch deep or petals show their tints; My palet
hath little relish for sumptuous viands-this body hath little longing to be
decorated in gorgeous apparel, but if there is a principle if there is gem of
intellectual thought give me the higher qualities of mind.  Let me scan the immense of God and truth as
it dwells in the bosom of deity and I will be satisfied.

 

He also wrote ; [sic]

"I have wrote more poems than Burns has printed
although the quant�ity amounts to little".

 

Original poem Oct 15, 1878.  Brother John's Expense in Farming

 

1.         I now must
go through mud to plod

I first must get my horses shod

Horse shoes twenty for all year round

I must put on to plow my ground

 

2.         Four points
I must put on my plow

            The bill is high I don't know how

Each point- six bits- O dear O dear

Why can't one plow point last a
year.

 

3.         Next in
order I"ll look and see

Five lays drawn out I thought twas
three

My stillards next I'll renovate

To sell my grain can give light
wait.

 

4.         Listen, Dad,
L'll tell you now

            I have
broken the upright of the plow

            The boy in
jenteel tones so soft

            Behold I've
tore the plow lay off.

 

 5.        Great God and will you condescend

To be my Father and my friend

Favour me fortune with hope
distilled

So this year a house can build.

 

6.         Clevises,
two at any rate

            I'll also have a sand board plate

Singletrees two-cold chisells one

Irons on neckyoke must go on.

 

7.         Cultivator
foot whats the odds

Besides will have two wagon rods

One clip, two ferrells, a hook and
kee

And thats not all I plainly see.

 

8.         A neckyoke
eye and ring all strung

            A bolt to
fit any wagon tongue

            Besides
I'll send George Green my son

            To have a
little something done.

 

9.         Our hedder
too requires repairs

Four bolts, one plate-who cares who
cares  

now Flitten, how much do I owe you

Will an order on Heddars do?

 

10.       To add it up
in sum complete

I really think Jims no cheat

I hope in all the years that
follers

My bill will be one thirty dollars.

 

-incognito�-

           

 

compiled by Charles R. Forbes

copied by G. John, 1977.