FORBES, John of the East India Company (HEICS), Major-General 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
- Baptised: 9 May 1742, Skene parish, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 3
- Marriage (1): HAY, Isabella 1
- Partnership (2): Unknown
- Died: 3 October 1808, Winterfield, Dunbar parish, East Lothian, Scotland 2 4 7 9
- Buried: Yester, East Lothian, Scotland 1
User ID: V758.
General Notes:
"FORBES
JOHN
GEORGE FORBES/
M
09/05/1742
238/ 10 62
Skene"
from Births and Baptisms
Old Parish Registers
Skene parish Aberdeenshire
Baptisms
"(indexed 1742)
Forbes May 9 George Forbes of Lochermich & his Lady had a child baptised called John"
Note:
The assumption here is that the John Forbes who worked for the East India Company was this legitimate son of George Forbes.
For George Forbes of Lochermick had another son, named John, born outside of marriage, and baptised in 1747.
It may be that the illegitimate son was the Major-General John Forbes recorded here, if the legitimate child died. The officer was referred to as the "youngest son" of his father, but this could mean "youngest surviving legitimate son".
"(1805)
Forbes, Maj.-Gen. John 5, St Andrew's square
from Scottish Post Office Directories
(1808)
"OCT.
3. At Dunbar, Major-general John Forbes, late in the service of the Hon. East India Company. He returned from Bengal about eight years ago, with a competent fortune, after serving the company with reputation above 40 years. He was the youngest son of George Forbes, Esq., of Lockermick, near Aberdeen."
from The European Magazine
"1808 Domestic Occurrences
On the 3d October, at his house in Dunbar, John Forbes Esq. late Major-General in the service of the Hon. the East India Company, on the Bengal establishment. He went out to India in the year 1761, and continued in actual and unremitting service, for more than 40 years, in the course of which he displayed an enterprizing and gallant spirit in action, with most honourable moderation and integrity in the stations where he commanded during the intervals of peace. The consequence of which was, that he retired with a high character and moderate fortune. General Forbes was the youngest son of George Forbes, Esq. of Lochermick, near Aberdeen, and was the maternal uncle of the late Mr Professor Porson and of Mr Perry of Merton."
from The Athenaeum
"MI:
Sacred to the memory of Major General John Forbes of the Hon. East India Company Service who died 3rd Oct 1808 and Isabella Hay his spouse who died 31st May 1826."
from Memorial stone
"Forbes
John
18/4/1809
at Winterfield, near Dunbar, Major General in the East India Company
TD
Edinburgh Commissary Court
CC8/11/5"
from Wills and Testaments
WILL
The will of Major-General John Forbes was a complex affair comprising a number of documents, covering earlier nuptial contract requirements, the disbursement of capital and dividends, and a number of specific bequests that mirror some complication in relationships.
While his wife Isabella Hay or Forbes was his executor and heir, it seems that a number of provisions required her to pay an assortment of sums to various members of family and others. Their home in St Andrew's Square in Edinburgh with its garden, offices and contents are among the matters treated. Provision is made for:
-Mrs Ellison Hay of Forbes in Gifford, mother of Isabella Hay
-Mrs Janet Robertson of Aberdeen, sister of John Forbes
-Mrs Christian Moore of Edinburgh, sister of John Forbes
-Jean Forbes, natural daughter of John Forbes, and a total of four natural children of his, from the estate in India
-Miss Isabella Birkman, daughter of Captain Gregory Birkman
There are several legal documents concerning this transference of property, among which is a piece extracted on 27 August 1808 at Winterfield from a another document dated 18 March 1806 at Edinburgh, to which several people put their signature, namely "James Forbes, Isabella Forbes, James Lightbody".
James Lightbody was the Edinburgh solicitor referred to elsewhere in the documents, and Isabella is likely to have been the wife. James Forbes may be a clerical error for John Forbes when the extract was copied, as no other James Forbes is known in the immediate family. More research might bring out interesting links to other notable people of the time, for example the Earl of Lauderdale, eldest son of Lord Maitland.
COURT JUDGMENT
A case was heard before the courts in 1830, after the death of Mrs Forbes, to settle disputes regarding bequests contained in the will of John Forbes.
The trust deed of settlement established by John Forbes appointed his estate to be divided into fifths, four fifths to be shared equally by each of his four natural children after the death of his widow, and, if one or more of them had died, by their heirs; if there were no heirs the share was to be be divided among the surviving children.
An annuity was also provided for one of the children during the lifetime of his widow. Four natural children were named:
-Alexander,
-Mary - Mrs Paton
-Isabella - Mrs Royle
-Jean - Mrs Mills
Some of the original legatees had died, and the courts had the task of deciding how the estate should be divided, according to the original intentions of the testator, among those remaining. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 10 11
Research Notes:
EAST INDIA COMPANY
"The East India Company was a phenomenon, a huge business enterprise that in effect ruled a subcontinent from the 17th to the 19th centuries. It raised private armies, employed generals, fought pitched battles against other European colonists, founded towns and made vast fortunes for those involved. For young men hoping to make their way in the world of the burgeoning British Empire, it was one of the most exciting, dynamic and promising avenues to success. The Company traded in silk, cotton, opium, indigo dye, saltpetre and tea, and after its famous general, Robert Clive, defeated the French at Plassey in 1757, it ran India as a virtual monopoly. When Henry Dundas became President of the Board of Control in 1784, he began to appoint Scotsmen to key positions, so much so that by the end of the 18th century, they dominated the activities of the East India Company, their connections reaching back to Scotland."
from Glenbuchat Heritage website, quoting extract from a Daily Mail article 12
John married Isabella HAY.1 (Isabella HAY was born about 1755, died on 31 May 1826 1 7 and was buried in Yester, East Lothian, Scotland 1.)
Marriage Notes:
"MI:
Sacred to the memory of Major General John Forbes of the Hon. East India Company Service who died 3rd Oct 1808 and Isabella Hay his spouse who died 31st May 1826."
from Memorial stone
1
John had a relationship with.
|
