History

Historical Timeline: Forbes Family and Business Interests

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1662

Milton Founded

1763

Rev. John Forbes of Scotland arrives in St. Augustine FLA

1769

Rev. Forbes marries Dorothy Murray of Milton

1779

T.H. Perkins enters fur and slave trade

1783

Treaty of Paris ends Revolutionary War

1784

First American ship to sail to China, Empress of China, leaves NY

1785

T.H. Perkins enters China Trade, one of the first merchants to do so

1786

T.H. Perkins, brother James and friend open shipping company, Perkins, Burling and Perkins – begin trading slaves, flour, horses and dried fish

1788

Constitution Ratified

1793

T.H. Perkins abandons slave trade

1799

Ralph Bennet Forbes (son of Dorothy Murray and Rev. John Murray) marries Margaret Perkins, sister of T.H. Perkins

1802

Birth of Thomas Tunno Forbes

1803

John Perkins Cushing, Forbes cousin, age 16, arrives in China as sole agent for T.H. Perkins

1804

Birth of Robert Bennet Forbes (RBF)

1813-1816

RBF attends Milton Academy for 3 years, leaves to go to work

1813

Birth of John Murray Forbes (JMF)

1815

T.H. Perkins enters opium trade with brother James

1817

Robert Bennet Forbes goes to sea at age 13

1825

RBF gets first command and goes on a 3-year voyage around the world

1826

T.H. Perkins contributes half cost to build Boston Athenaeum

1829

Thomas Tunno Forbes drowns in typhoon off Canton

1830-1832

RBF in China, returns a very wealthy man

1830

Cushing dissolves Perkins and Co and merges with Russell and Co. and returns to Boston. Russell and Co. is headed by James Sturgis, another cousin. Largest American merchant firm in China.

1830's

John Murray Forbes goes to China for 2 years, returns home to recover from an illness and goes back to China for another 3 years

1833

Year the house was built by architect Isaiah Rogers

1834

RBF marries Rose Green Smith and moves to Milton

1834

JMF marries Sarah Hathaway

1837

Panic of 1837, RBF loses fortune, returns to China to make second fortune

1839

First Opium War

1840

RBF returns from China

1840

Birth of William Hathaway Forbes (son of JMF)

1843

Death of Houqua (Chinese merchant with close business and personal ties to JMF in particular)

1844

Treaty of Wanghi ends First Opium War, opens more ports in China

1845

Birth of James Murray Forbes (son of RBF)

1846

JMF and other Boston financiers purchase Michigan Central Railroad. JMF serves as President until 1855.

1847

RBF makes Voyage of Mercy to Ireland on USS Jamestown

1849

RBF returns to China

1851

RBF returns home from China, becomes shipbuilder and ship owner, standardizes sea routes between East and West Atlantic

1854

T.H. Perkins dies, extremely wealthy with lots of business interests

1855

RBF establishes Sailors Snug Harbor – organization to help retired navalmen

1856

Second Opium War

1860

US Civil War breaks out, JMF elector for Lincoln, RBF advises Union on construction of gunboats and warships

1860

John Murray Forbes encourages more Negro troops to fight for the North, prevents Laird “rams” from falling into Confederate hands, consults for the Navy

1860

RBF organizes Coast Guard unit for MA; builds warships for the Union navy at his own expense and sells them to Congress

1863

James Murray Forbes (son of RBF) goes to China

1865

William Hathaway Forbes becomes Pres American Telephone and Telegraph Co.

1866

RBF establishes National Sailor’s Home in Quincy for sailors injured during the Civil War

1871

James Murray Forbes returns from China and marries Alice Bowditch

1878

Birth of Mary Bowditch Forbes

1880's

John Murray Forbes President Chicago, Burlington and Quincy RR

1891

Death of RBF

1891

Closing of Russell and Co.

1897

Death of William Hathaway Forbes

1898

Death of John Murray Forbes

1923

Replica Lincoln cabin built by Thomas Murdoch for Mary Bowditch Forbes

1937

Death of James Murray Forbes

1962

Death of Mary Bowditch Forbes; nephew H.A. Crosby Forbes inherits property

1964

Crosby Forbes opens the property to the public as a museum

1966

History

History

Historical Timeline: Forbes Family and Business Interests

Milton Founded

Rev. John Forbes of Scotland arrives in St. Augustine FLA

Rev. Forbes marries Dorothy Murray of Milton

T.H. Perkins enters fur and slave trade

Treaty of Paris ends Revolutionary War

First American ship to sail to China, Empress of China, leaves NY

T.H. Perkins enters China Trade, one of the first merchants to do so

T.H. Perkins, brother James and friend open shipping company, Perkins, Burling and Perkins – begin trading slaves, flour, horses and dried fish

Constitution Ratified

T.H. Perkins abandons slave trade

Ralph Bennet Forbes (son of Dorothy Murray and Rev. John Murray) marries Margaret Perkins, sister of T.H. Perkins

Birth of Thomas Tunno Forbes

John Perkins Cushing, Forbes cousin, age 16, arrives in China as sole agent for T.H. Perkins

Birth of Robert Bennet Forbes (RBF)

RBF attends Milton Academy for 3 years, leaves to go to work

Birth of John Murray Forbes (JMF)

T.H. Perkins enters opium trade with brother James

Robert Bennet Forbes goes to sea at age 13

RBF gets first command and goes on a 3-year voyage around the world

T.H. Perkins contributes half cost to build Boston Athenaeum

Thomas Tunno Forbes drowns in typhoon off Canton

RBF in China, returns a very wealthy man

Cushing dissolves Perkins and Co and merges with Russell and Co. and returns to Boston. Russell and Co. is headed by James Sturgis, another cousin. Largest American merchant firm in China.

John Murray Forbes goes to China for 2 years, returns home to recover from an illness and goes back to China for another 3 years

Year the house was built by architect Isaiah Rogers

RBF marries Rose Green Smith and moves to Milton

JMF marries Sarah Hathaway

Panic of 1837, RBF loses fortune, returns to China to make second fortune

First Opium War

RBF returns from China

Birth of William Hathaway Forbes (son of JMF)

Death of Houqua (Chinese merchant with close business and personal ties to JMF in particular)

Treaty of Wanghi ends First Opium War, opens more ports in China

Birth of James Murray Forbes (son of RBF)

JMF and other Boston financiers purchase Michigan Central Railroad. JMF serves as President until 1855.

RBF makes Voyage of Mercy to Ireland on USS Jamestown

RBF returns to China

RBF returns home from China, becomes shipbuilder and ship owner, standardizes sea routes between East and West Atlantic

T.H. Perkins dies, extremely wealthy with lots of business interests

RBF establishes Sailors Snug Harbor – organization to help retired navalmen

Second Opium War

US Civil War breaks out, JMF elector for Lincoln, RBF advises Union on construction of gunboats and warships

John Murray Forbes encourages more Negro troops to fight for the North, prevents Laird “rams” from falling into Confederate hands, consults for the Navy

RBF organizes Coast Guard unit for MA; builds warships for the Union navy at his own expense and sells them to Congress

James Murray Forbes (son of RBF) goes to China

William Hathaway Forbes becomes Pres American Telephone and Telegraph Co.

RBF establishes National Sailor’s Home in Quincy for sailors injured during the Civil War

James Murray Forbes returns from China and marries Alice Bowditch

Birth of Mary Bowditch Forbes

John Murray Forbes President Chicago, Burlington and Quincy RR

Death of RBF

Closing of Russell and Co.

Death of William Hathaway Forbes

Death of John Murray Forbes

Replica Lincoln cabin built by Thomas Murdoch for Mary Bowditch Forbes

Death of James Murray Forbes

Death of Mary Bowditch Forbes; nephew H.A. Crosby Forbes inherits property

Crosby Forbes opens the property to the public as a museum

Designated National Historic Landmark