FORBES, Isaac M.
Isaac M. FORBES, general farmer and stock
dealer, is one of the best known men in Marshall county, being a man of rare business
tact and ability and one of the best judges of stock in the
state. Often he is called upon to act as judge of Shorthorn
cattle at state fairs and fat stock exhibits, and his judgment
in such matters is seldom called in question. He is a native of
Hopewell township, Marshall
county, born on the farm where he now resides, September 19,
1847, and is a son of Peter and Sarah (BUCKINGHAM) FORBES, the
former a native of North Carolina, and the latter of Pennsylvania.
Caleb FORBES, the grandfather of our
subject, was of Scotch descent, but reared in North Carolina, where he married Elizabeth
LINDSEY, and there reared a family of four children. The family
came to Marshall county in 1831, by wagon from
North Carolina, and settled upon section 15, Hopewell township. The tract was all timber
land, none of which was of recent growth. The Indians and wild
animals were numerous at this time. Caleb FORBES was the first
settler in Hopewell township, and there lived peacefully
with the Indians, never having any trouble from their presence.
He improved his far, and there resided for many years, finally,
however, retiring from active work and moving to Henry, where he
died at the residence of his daughter, at the age of about
eighty-three years. His wife also died at about the same age and
their bodies were interred in the cemetery on his farm, known as
the Forbes cemetery.
For some years after coming to Marshall county, Caleb
FORBES operated a horse mill, the first in this locality. It was
well patronized by the old settlers for many miles around. In
early life he was a member of the Baptist church, but later
became a Universalist and died in that faith. He was one of the
best read men in scriptures and was well read in the general
literature of the day. Of the four children born to Caleb FORBES
and wife, William, Courtney Martin, Mrs. Fannie SAWYER and
Peter, are all deceased.
Peter FORBES, the father of our subject,
was the youngest child of the family, and was twelve years of
age when he came with his parents to
Marshall
county. His education in the schools was very limited, but he
was a natural mathematician, and delighted in solving intricate
problems. He married Sarah BUCKINGHAM, a native of Greene
county, Pennsylvania,
born in 1820, and a daughter of Isaac BUCKINGHAM, who was of
English descent. Her father removed to Woodford county,
Illinois, in 1831, locating near
Washburn, where Mrs. FORBES grew to lovely womanhood. After
their marriage they settled upon the farm now owned by our
subject and lived for some years in a sawed oak timber house.
His father gave him eight acres of land, which was then
unimproved, and was by him cleared of timber and brought under
cultivation. In addition to his farming operations, he traded in
stock and was for years one of the foremost men in this
locality. In the early day he used to haul wheat to
Chicago
and sell it there for thirty-seven and a half cents per bushel.
He also drove many a herd of cattle to that city, and was a
heavy shipper of stock. Success crowned his efforts and at his
death he was the possessor of two thousand two hundred and
eighty acres of land, the greater part of which was accumulated
during the last ten years of his life. He died November 7, 1860,
and his estate was valued at about eighty-seven thousand
dollars. His wife survived him several years, dying March 9,
1871. They were the parents of ten children, six of whom grew to
maturity. Mary Elizabeth, who married John KENNEDY, died,
leaving seven children. William, who married Laura MAYES, now
lives in Harper county,
Kansas, and they have two children.
Ruth, now the wife of Irving BROADUS, lives in Lacon, Illinois,
and they have five children. Isaac M. is the subject of this
sketch. Caleb married Ellen E. GREEN, who died, leaving three
children. Sarah Eleanor, now the wife of Samuel M. CROFT, lives
in Harper county, Kansas, and is the mother of six children. In
politics, Peter FORBES was a democrat, and held many of the
township offices, including supervisor. He was a well posted
man, and his death was mourned, not alone by his family, but by
many friends as well.
The subject of this sketch was born
September 19, 1847, on the farm where he now resides. After
receiving his primary education in the public schools of
Marshall
county, he entered Lombard university
of Galesburg, Illinois, where he finished his course. From
the time he was fourteen years old he handled and traded in
stock, and was always successful in that line. After leaving
college, he traveled for a year, and subsequently, in 1870,
married Miss Fannie M. THORP, a native of Ohio, and daughter of James and Margaret Jane (VANCE)
THORP, the former a native of New York,
and the latter of
Virginia. They were married, however, in
Erie county, Ohio, and in 1857 came to Marshall
county, Illinois,
making their permanent home at Henry, where both subsequently
died. They were the parents of seven children, of whom four grew
to maturity – James, who married Jane IRWIN, now lives in Jewell
county, Kansas; John, who married Elizabeth KLEGG, now resides
on a large farm in Livingston county, Illinois; William, who
married Margaret FORD, now resides in Peoria, Illinois, and
Fannie M. is now Mrs. FORBES.
Mrs. FORBES, who was born March 31, 1851,
in Eerie county, Ohio, received
her education in the public schools of
Henry,
Illinois. After her marriage with
Mr. FORBES, they settled upon the home place of her husband. But
one child came to bless their union – Rankin Caleb, who was born
January 4, 1882. For the past fourteen years Mr. FORBES has been
engaged in raising thoroughbred stock, especially Shorthorn
cattle. At the present time he has a large herd upon his place,
comprising upwards of a hundred head and he has made many sales
in Chicago and elsewhere. Of
his farm of seven hundred acres the greater part of it is used
for grazing purposes.
Politically, Mr. FORBES is a democrat, and
for years has taken an active part in political affairs in his
township and county. He has been road commissioner, assessor and
supervisor, serving in the latter office for three years. He has
been urged by his friends time and again to make the run as a
member of the general assembly, and also for the state senate,
but has invariably declined the honor. For some years he has
been in partnership with his brother Caleb in the stock
business, in which line they have met with the best success.
They are both business men of acknowledged ability and
thoroughly understand the business in which they are engaged.
Few men have the confidence of their fellow-citizens in a
greater degree than the FORBES brothers. A daughter of Caleb
FORBES, Miss Mabel, is a young lady of great natural ability as
an elocutionist, and her rendering of “The Two Portraits” is
rarely excelled.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. FORBES is an ideal
one, both being highly educated and yet keep up their reading in
the standard and current literature of the day.
Extracted March 2011 by Norma Hass from
The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois,
1896.
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