One of my goals for
2012 is to use the Surname Saturday blogging prompt as a way to assure that I
spend some time researching each of my family lines and that I have appropriate
source citations for the genealogical facts related to my ancestors. I’ve
decided to use my ahnentafel report and work back through the generations
starting with my grandparents, writing a summary of each ancestor. If you
discovered this post through a search engine and find one of your ancestors
listed here, please leave a comment to let me know.
My paternal 2nd great-grandfather James Forshee was born 25 December 1810[1] in
Tennessee[2]. His
parents are believed to be John Forshee and Agnes Weston.
On 15 September 1830, he married Sarah Parker,[3] probably in Monroe County, Tennessee. The couple had seven known children:
Richard Forshee (1834-1905)[6]
Benjamin Thomas Forshee (1838-1865)[9]
Margaret Forshee (1840-1917)[10]
Sarah Belle Forshee (1856-1923)[13] –
my great-grandmother
James was born, raised, married, and fathered his oldest
children in Monroe County, Tennessee. Sometime before the mid-1850s, he moved
his family to Missouri, settling in the southeast part of the state. He was a miller[14] in
Tennessee and a farmer in Missouri.[15]
James and all of his sons served the Union during the
conflict, either in the Enrolled Missouri Militia or the 32nd
Missouri Infantry. The family lived in an area of Missouri that was plagued by
guerrilla activity; see the post Death
Threats in Southeast Missouri for more on how it affected my ancestors in
the area.
The Civil War took a great toll on the Forshee family. Two
of the five sons died of disease during the Civil War: Joseph, the youngest,
died of consumption in Vicksburg;[16]
John died of consumption also, while at home in Washington County, Missouri.[17] Benjamin
died in February 1865 and is buried in Washington County; I have not yet been
able to locate more information about his death.
James died 28 June 1878 and is buried at Hopewell Cemetery
in Washington County, Missouri.[18]
I would like to learn more about James’ life both in
Missouri and Tennessee. I have searched for deeds without little deeds;
however, the surname FORSHEE is spelled many different ways and another search
may be in order to look for alternate spellings. I would like to do some
newspaper research, but need to make a list of newspapers of the area and see
if any have been digitized. From an acquaintance who lived in St. Francois
County, I understand there are still many Forshee descendants in the area; I
need to see if I can find some living cousins!
[1] Find A Grave,
online database (www.findagrave.com : accessed 10 Mar 2010), James B. Forshee,
Find A Grave Memorial# 5268992, created by Larry G. Flesher, 12 March 2001
(includes gravestone photograph).
[2] 1850 U.S. census, Monroe County, Tennessee, population
schedule, District 11, p. 3B, dwelling 39, family 39, household of James
Foshee; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15
Nov 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432,
roll M432_891.
[3] Sarah Forshee, certificate #231457, Declaration for
Mother's Army Pension, filed 26 Jul 1880; Case Files of Approved Pension
Applications of Widows and Other Dependents of Civil War and Later Navy
Veterans, ('Navy Widows' Certificates'), 1861-1910; Record Group M1279;
National Archives, Washington.
[4] 1870 U.S. census, Washington County, Missouri, population
schedule, Concord, p. 25 (penned), 67 (stamped), dwelling 167, family 169,
George Forchee; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com :
accessed 28 Jul 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration
microfilm M593, roll 825.
[5] Find A Grave,
online database (www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 Jul 2012), George Forshee,
Memorial #5268986, created by Larry G. Flesher, 12 March 2001 (includes
gravestone photograph).
[6] Find A Grave,
online database (www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 Jul 2012), Richard Stephen
Forshee, Memorial #12418359, created by Kaaren Crail Vining, 20 November 2005.
[7] 1850 U.S. census, pop. sch., District 11, Monroe,
Tennessee, p. 3B, dwell. 39, fam. 39, household of James Foshee.
[8] Compiled service record, John H. Forshee, private, 31st
Missouri Infantry; Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who
Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the American Civil War, compiled 1890
- 1912, documenting the period 1861 - 1866, Civil War; 94; digital images,
"Civil War Soldiers - Union - MO," Footnote (www.footnote.com
: accessed 27 Jan 2011).
[9] Find A Grave,
online database (www.findagrave.com : accessed 10 Mar 2010), Benjamin Thomas
Forshee, Memorial #5268979, created by Larry G. Flesher, 12 March 2001
(includes gravestone photograph).
[10] Find A Grave,
online database (www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 Jul 2012), Margaret Ellen
Forshee Robinson, Memorial #39384670, created by Ruth Carver, 12 July 2009
(includes gravestone photograph).
[11] 1850 U.S. census, pop. sch., District 11, Monroe,
Tennessee, p. 3B, dwell. 39, fam. 39, household of James Foshee.
[12] Compiled service record, Joseph F. Forshee, private,
31st Missouri Infantry; Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who
Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the American Civil War, compiled 1890
- 1912, documenting the period 1861 - 1866, Civil War; 94; digital images,
"Civil War Soldiers - Union - MO," Footnote (www.footnote.com
: accessed 27 Jan 2011).
[13] Texas State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital
Statistics, death certificate 4483 (1923), Sarah Belle Martindale; digital
image, Fold3.com, Texas Death Certificates (http://www.fold3.com/documents/19419207/texas_death_certificates/
: accessed 2 May 2011).
[14] 1850 U.S. census, pop. sch., District 11, Monroe,
Tennessee, p. 3B, dwell. 39, fam. 39, household of James Foshee.
[15] 1860 U.S. census, Washington, Missouri, population
schedule, Concord, p. 44, dwelling 274, family 296, household of James Foshee;
digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Nov
2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll
M653_659.
[16] Compiled military service record, Joseph F. Forshee,
private, 31st Missouri Infantry, Civil War, 94.
[17] Compiled military service record, John H. Forshee,
private, 31st Missouri Infantry, Civil War, 94.
© 2012 Denise Spurlock
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