Historical Timeline: Forbes Family and Business Interests
1662
1662
Milton Founded
1763
1763
Rev. John Forbes of Scotland arrives in St. Augustine FLA
1769
1769
Rev. Forbes marries Dorothy Murray of Milton
1779
1779
T.H. Perkins enters fur and slave trade
1783
1783
Treaty of Paris ends Revolutionary War
1784
1784
First American ship to sail to China, Empress of China, leaves NY
1785
1785
T.H. Perkins enters China Trade, one of the first merchants to do so
1786
1786
T.H. Perkins, brother James and friend open shipping company, Perkins, Burling and Perkins – begin trading slaves, flour, horses and dried fish
1788
1788
Constitution Ratified
1793
1793
T.H. Perkins abandons slave trade
1799
1799
Ralph Bennet Forbes (son of Dorothy Murray and Rev. John Murray) marries Margaret Perkins, sister of T.H. Perkins
1802
1802
Birth of Thomas Tunno Forbes
1803
1803
John Perkins Cushing, Forbes cousin, age 16, arrives in China as sole agent for T.H. Perkins
1804
1804
Birth of Robert Bennet Forbes (RBF)
1813-1816
1813-1816
RBF attends Milton Academy for 3 years, leaves to go to work
1813
1813
Birth of John Murray Forbes (JMF)
1815
1815
T.H. Perkins enters opium trade with brother James
1817
1817
Robert Bennet Forbes goes to sea at age 13
1825
1825
RBF gets first command and goes on a 3-year voyage around the world
1826
1826
T.H. Perkins contributes half cost to build Boston Athenaeum
1829
1829
Thomas Tunno Forbes drowns in typhoon off Canton
1830-1832
1830-1832
RBF in China, returns a very wealthy man
1830
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
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
1833
Year the house was built by architect Isaiah Rogers
1834
1834
RBF marries Rose Green Smith and moves to Milton
1834
1834
JMF marries Sarah Hathaway
1837
1837
Panic of 1837, RBF loses fortune, returns to China to make second fortune
1839
1839
First Opium War
1840
1840
RBF returns from China
1840
1840
Birth of William Hathaway Forbes (son of JMF)
1843
1843
Death of Houqua (Chinese merchant with close business and personal ties to JMF in particular)
1844
1844
Treaty of Wanghi ends First Opium War, opens more ports in China
1845
1845
Birth of James Murray Forbes (son of RBF)
1846
1846
JMF and other Boston financiers purchase Michigan Central Railroad. JMF serves as President until 1855.
1847
1847
RBF makes Voyage of Mercy to Ireland on USS Jamestown
1849
1849
RBF returns to China
1851
1851
RBF returns home from China, becomes shipbuilder and ship owner, standardizes sea routes between East and West Atlantic
1854
1854
T.H. Perkins dies, extremely wealthy with lots of business interests
1855
1855
RBF establishes Sailors Snug Harbor – organization to help retired navalmen
1856
1856
Second Opium War
1860
1860
US Civil War breaks out, JMF elector for Lincoln, RBF advises Union on construction of gunboats and warships
1860
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
1860
RBF organizes Coast Guard unit for MA; builds warships for the Union navy at his own expense and sells them to Congress
1863
1863
James Murray Forbes (son of RBF) goes to China
1865
1865
William Hathaway Forbes becomes Pres American Telephone and Telegraph Co.
1866
1866
RBF establishes National Sailor’s Home in Quincy for sailors injured during the Civil War
1871
1871
James Murray Forbes returns from China and marries Alice Bowditch
1878
1878
Birth of Mary Bowditch Forbes
1880's
1880's
John Murray Forbes President Chicago, Burlington and Quincy RR
1891
1891
Death of RBF
1891
1891
Closing of Russell and Co.
1897
1897
Death of William Hathaway Forbes
1898
1898
Death of John Murray Forbes
1923
1923
Replica Lincoln cabin built by Thomas Murdoch for Mary Bowditch Forbes
1937
1937
Death of James Murray Forbes
1962
1962
Death of Mary Bowditch Forbes; nephew H.A. Crosby Forbes inherits property
1964
1964
Crosby Forbes opens the property to the public as a museum