Hi Forbes listers, So far the earliest records I have for my FORBES family is in Montgomery and Herkimer County, New York. My gggggrandfather Alexander FORBES (VORBOS in the German Flatts Dutch Church records) b. 19 Oct 1784. The problem I'm having exists with his parents. The record indicates his parents were John VORBOS and Margreth, with sponsors Georg Nelles and Margreth Cunnigham. Other records indicate that his parents should be "James" FORBUS [or Vorbos I would guess]. James FORBUS married Margretha NELLES. Georg Nelles as a sponsor would support the possibility of these individuals being Alexander's parents. There is no connection so far that I can determine for the John and Margreth FORBES / VORBOS, especially with Georg Nelles as a sponsor. Anyway, Alexander FORBES m. Elizabeth CASLER abt 1804. They had 7 children according to the book "Mohawk Valley CASLERS and Allied families". However, there were only 5 listed. They are: Catharina b. 14 Jun 1805 RC Herkimer Archibaldus b. 17 jun 1809 RC Herkimer Francis b. abt 1811 Nancy Elizabeth L. b. 2 May 1816, d. 21 Mar 1905 at Moravia, NY My ancestor is Francis FORBES. He married Elisabeth HELMER b. 2 Dec 1813 [RC Herkimer], the dau of Leonard HELMER and Catherine HARTER. There children are: Henry [aka William] b. 30 Jul 1831 RC Herkimer, probably Fairfield, Herk., NY Alexander b. 28 May 1834 RC Herkimer, probably Fairfield, Herk., NY Mary Elisabeth b. 6 Apr 1836 RC Herkimer, probably Fairfield, Herk., NY Margaret abt 1838 John b. 18 Jun 1839 in Evans Mills, Jefferson, NY Lucinda b. abt 1841 Mahala b. abt 1843 Catherine b. abt 1844 James b. 31 Aug 1847 in Antwerp, Jeff., NY Robert b. abt Dec. 1849 Almira b. abt 1852 John was my ancestor. He married first Lucy PUTMAN of Alexandria, Jeff., NY on 4 Jul 1865 (this is in the 1865 New York state census for Alexandria, Jefferson Co., NY.) She d. abt 1869. John married 2nd Mary EAGEN before 1872 and they migrated to Elyria, Lorain, OH. They had two children: Lottie FORBES b. abt 1873 in Ohio; m. Henry A. Dykeman Alexander FORBES b. 10 Sep 1874 in Grafton, Lorain, OH m. Leona E. Mynderse I'd sure like to hear from another member of this family and share information with them. I've several FORBES families here and on other surname lists, but have only rarely recognised one of these family members. I hope someone here can share some insight, especially on my Alexander FORBES b. in 1784. Thanks, Carol in Calif