Holt County, Missouri

Biographies

ELWIN PORTER FORBES

Elwin Porter Forbes, farmer, section 19, was born in Columbus, New York, May 15, 1829. His grandfather was a native of England and early emigrated to America, first locating in Massachusetts, and, while in the revolutionary war, he was killed. Alfred Forbes, the father of E. P., was born in Massachusetts, and, while his father was in the war, the family moved to Vermont, where he was married to Miss Zuliva Bell, a native of Vermont. Subsequently he went to New York. They had a family of nine children, E. P. being the eighth in number.

When he was two years old the family moved to Pennsylvania and located in Corydon, and, in the spring of 1843, settled in Farmington, Iowa, where he lived till 1848, and then came to Holt County, Missouri. His father was a physician by profession, but E. P. learned the blacksmith trade while in Farmington. This he commenced at Jackson's Point, now Mound City, there at that time being no prospects of a town. Mr. F. helped to survey the town and worked at his trade for eighteen years. During the war he was in Iowa.

In 1867 he moved on his farm, which now contains eighty acres, and near his residence he has a fine fish pond, which is well stocked with fish. He was the second postmaster in Mound City and held that position for five years. He was married in the spring of 1852 to Miss Hannah Porter, a native of Ohio, who died in the spring of 1858. They had three children, two of whom are now living, Alfred C. and Belvin. Plummer is deceased.

Mr. Forbes was again married to Mrs. Dorathy Nicholson, January 22, 1860. Her maiden name was Hoover, and she was born in Hardy County, Virginia, February 12, 1826. When three years of age her parents, John and Sarah (Lykins) Hoover (both natives of Virginia), moved to Madison County, Indiana, and she was there married *to William Nicholson, January 22, 1846. He was born in Ohio, May 14, 1818, and died May 5, 1852. They had two children, Salona and Francis M. (now deceased). In 1855 she came to Holt County, Missouri, with her parents.

Source:"History of Holt and Atchison Counties, 1882"
Transcribed by Karyn