Here's some interesting data on Samuel FORBES (1729-1827) Samuel Forbes' great-grandfather, James Forbes (c.1635-1692), is my 7th great-grandfather. Ken Forbes Puyallup, WA ~~originally from NJ. **************************************************************************** * >From a publication entitled "The Litchfield Hills" a semi-monthly paper devoted to the interests of Litchfield County dated, April 15, 1905. THE SQUIRE FORBES PLACE Samuel Forbes, pioneer ironworker in Connecticut, and man of many other industries, built for himself and family the second "good house" in Canaan; the year was 1755. The "Squire Forbes Place" became famous far and near as the home of a man remarkable for business ability and business honesty. Many are the traditions handed down to his descendants, who treasure them as heirlooms from the misty past.... Squire Forbes was, like many others, in those days, a slaveholder, but later on gave his own slaves their freedom and became one the men active in the aiding runaway slaves to escape. The Forbes place became known as a sort of way station for the "underground railroad,".... .... The story has been handed down that Benedict Arnold fell ill on the march as the troops were passing through Canaan and found a welcome in the house of Mr. Forbes, who had already seen Arnold, he having been sent to the town before, to order some cannon cast by Mr. Forbes for General Washington.... Another man of note was Ethan Allen, who was bookkeeper for Squire Forbes and also interested in opening up and developing the ore-beds discovered by the squire in Salisbury, and still bearing his name.... Samuel Forbes had iron works in Salisbury, where cannon were cast; he had a cotton mill at Falls Village; a woolen mill at Norfolk; puddling works at Canaan, also a slitting mill, where iron pigs were cut into nail-rods; an anchor shop where anchors for ships were cast; a store opposite his dwelling house; besides all this he was a farmer on a big scale; not a fancy dairy man, just a farmer.... **************************************************************************** * **************************************************************************** * 1 Samuel FORBES b: November 10, 1729 Simsbury, Litchfield, Connecticut d: November 27, 1827 Father: John FORBES Mother: Abigail WESTOVER .. +Lucy PIERCE b: September 12, 1735 Killingly, Connecticut m: August 23, 1754 d: October 07, 1813 .... 2 Abigail FORBES b: June 19, 1755 Canaan, Litchfield, Connecticut d: July 30, 1836 ........ +John ADAMS b: March 04, 1755 Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts m: August 06, 1780 Canaan, Litchfield, Connecticut d: July 30, 1836