The Winterthur Library

The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware 19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Forbes, Alexander, 1824-1914.

Title: Papers

Dates: 1848-1914, bulk dates 1875-1890

Call No.: Col. 670

Acc. No.: 02x113

Quantity: about 70 items (2 boxes)

Location: 38 G 1

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Alexander Forbes was a carpenter and builder in Cleveland, Ohio. He was born in Scotland on March 24, 1824. His parents were Christina (or Christiana) Tawse (1795-1877) and William Forbes (1787-1856). The Forbes family came to the United States when Alexander was thirteen; he eventually settled in Cleveland, Ohio. He was became the chief carpenter and builder for the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Co., which operated out of Cleveland. He made his own tools and tool box, which are now in the Winterthur Museum collection. According to the family, Forbes took his tool chest, tools, and himself to California during the Gold Rush and worked there for awhile, before returning to Ohio. He is also said to have sailed around the world twice while serving as a ship’s carpenter.

In 1852, Forbes married Jane Mays (1826-1879; surname also found as Maize) in Franklin County, Ohio. They had two sons, although one died young. In 1880, Forbes was badly injured in a fall on the job, and he even lost his memory. He spent some time traveling and eventually his memory returned. He died in Cleveland on August 21, 1914.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The collection contains an assortment of items relating to Alexander Forbes, including letters, photos, train passes, and trade cards. Among the photos are a daguerreotype of Forbes (probably taken between 1850 and 1855), a photograph of Forbes as an elderly man, two copies of photos of Forbes, one of which includes his son and grandson, and a photo of a woman (a great-granddaughter). Many of letters are from the Lake Shore and Southern Michigan Ra1ilway Co., requesting other people to be of assistance to Forbes in the travels he undertook after his injury. The railroad passes are from his travels, as well. Other letters concern a railroad car for which Forbes had a patent and refrigerators which he and a Mr. Macbeth were making and selling. As well, there is an 1848 agreement between Forbes and several others about him building a pulpit and a cupola for a meeting house. Most of the trade cards are from San Francisco. Two are for hotels, two for restaurants, one for a combination watchmaker, jeweler, and optician, and one for a hat store. In addition, the collection includes certifications of membership in the Odd Fellows and in the Railway Men’s Mutual Relief Association, a photocopy of Forbes' passport issued in 1878, and two bills of exchange drawn in California in 1849 and 1850.

ORGANIZATION

The items are arranged by type (photos, letters, trade cards, etc.) Oversize materials and the daguerreotype are in Box 2.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.

PROVENANCE

Transferred from Winterthur Museum.

RELATED MATERIALS

Alexander Forbes’ tool chest and tools are in the collection of Winterthur Museum.

ACCESS POINTS

Topics:

Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Railway Men’s Mutual Relief Association.

Carpenters - Ohio - Cleveland.

Railroad passes.

Pulpits.

Domes.

Refrigerators - 19th century.

Bills of exchange.

Daguerreotypes.

Photographs.

Trade cards.

Passports.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 38 G 1

All accession numbers begin with 02x113.

Box 1:

Folder 1: photographs

.5 Alexander Forbes as older man, cabinet photo taken by J.F. Ryder, Cleveland, O.

.6 copy of photo of Alexander Forbes, with son Henry William (1854-1902), and grandson Russell Harris Forbes (1885-1958); original was taken by Smith Curry Studio, Rochester [probably Minnesota as Henry William Forbes lived in that state for a time]

.7 copy of photo of Alexander Forbes as older man, original was taken by Saunders-Cross Co., Cleveland

.8 Margey Forbes Winter, circa 1950s;

[Margery Louise Forbes (1918-1994) was a daughter of Russell Harris Forbes and his wife Rose Redford Lowrie]

.9 photograph of painting of “Sutter’s Mill, 1851”; the painting was done by Nahl; the photo was printed by A. Roman Publishing Company of San Francisco, 1876; on back of photo is printed “Captain Sutter’s Account of the First Discovery of Gold”

Folder 2: photographs

.10a-m color photographs of Alexander Forbes’ tool chest, his tools, and some other items found in the tool chest [chest and tools are in the Winterthur Museum collection];

[the labels seen in these photos are in folder 9]

Folder 3: death certificate; newspaper articles

.11 “Carpenter Tools of Gold Rush Days Placed on Display,” not dated, apparently from a Denver newspaper [photocopy]

.12 death certificate of Alexander Forbes [photocopy]

.13a-b Forbes’ entry in “Passenger and Immigration Lists Index” [two copies, both photocopies]

.14a-b “Union Depot to Collapse in Few Years,” interview with Alex Forbes in a Cleveland newspaper, circa 1910 [two photocopies]

Folder 4: agreement to build, 1848

.15 “Article of agreement made and concluded between Alex Forbes of the one part and John Jeffrey, James Hearts, and Eleazer Ross of the other”: Forbes agreed to build a pulpit and pews[?] “on the same plan and manner as those in the new Presbeterian [sic] Meeting house in Ashland”; Forbes also agreed to build a cupola; dated Sept. 1848, although the agreement specified payments were to be made in 1847; the church (or meeting house) for which the work was to be done is not named;

The document had parted along fold lines, and part of text is missing; at some point, the document was glued to backing paper

Folder 5: letters

.16 part of an envelope addressed to Jane Forbes, Cleveland, Ohio; postmark: Wil[faded], CT

.17 blue envelope on which is printed “Circular Letter of Credit issued by Brexel, Morgan & Co., New York, on Messrs J.S. Morgan & Co., London or Messrs Drexel, Harjes & Co., Paris, favor of,” followed by on blank on which was written the name Mr. A. Forbes; additional instructions are printed on back of envelope. [the envelope is now empty]

.18 yellow envelope addressed to Messrs Forbes & Macbeth, Cleveland, Ohio, Manufacturers Refrigerators; postmarked Toledo, O.; return address: Ballard & Rood, Toledo

.19 a sketch showing pitch of transvers axis, spring bevel, intersections line, etc.

,20 envelope addressed to Alex. Forbes, Cleveland, from J. W. Forbes, Rochester, Minnesota, postmarked 1884

.21 letter from Walton & Brother, Louisville, Ky., May 3, 1867, to Forbes & Macbeth, Cleveland: received three of their refrigerators, and people like them, but think the price is too high; if F&M reduce price, then W & Bro. can more easily sell them; like the quality of them;

Printed and illustrated billhead: importers of queensware, steamboat & hotel furnishers; illustrated with picture of a steamboat; printed by John P. Morton & Co.

.22 letter from Charles Paine, Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Co., Cleveland, April 24, 1875, to Forbes, chief carpenter, &c.: encloses check as token of gratitude for Forbes’ extra care and diligence on his job;

Printed letterhead

.23 receipt from M.D. Leggett & Co., Cleveland, Feb. 11, 1877: Forbes paid for an application for some kind of patent railroad car, by Reiblem[?] & Forbes;

Printed letterhead: counsellors at law in patent causes

.24 letter from Charles Paine, Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Co., Cleveland, July 19, 1878, “to whom it may concern”: character reference for Forbes, “one of our most skillful & trusted men”;

Printed letterhead; bears stamped seal of the railroad;

Letter has been mounted on backing paper

.25 letter from Charles Paine, Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Co., Cleveland, July 9, 1881, “to whom it may concern”: letter of introduction for Forbes, “I commend him to the friendly attention of all to whom he may show this letter as deserving of their esteem”;

Printed letterhead; bears stamped seal of the railroad;

Letter has been mounted on backing paper

.26 letter from Charles B. Couch, Superintendent’s Office, Eastern Division, Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Co., Cleveland, January 9, 1882, “to railway officials, employees and others”: letter of introduction for Forbes, who, having suffered from an accident, was travelling in search of a return to health;

Printed letterhead; bears stamped seal of the railroad;

Letter has been mended with paper strips; section in lower right corner is missing

.27 letter from L. H. Clarke, Chief Engineer’s Department, Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Co., Cleveland, January 14, 1882, “to whom it may concern”: letter of introduction for Forbes, who, having suffered from an accident, was travelling for his health;

Printed letterhead;