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American History
Robert Forbes |
ROBERT FORBES is now living retired at Carbondale, where
more than forty years ago he had his first
experience in Kansas as a coal minor. Thus he was identified with Carbondale in the height
of its
prosperity as a mining center.
He came out to Kansas from Ohio in 1875, making the journey by railroad. He had followed
coal mining
in Ohio, and was practically reared to that vocation in his native land of Scotland. He
was born in
Scotland in September, 1849, and was twenty-three when he came to America in 1872.
Forty years ago Carbondale was a very prosperous mining town, and the mines produced a
very large
tonnage of coal every day. Mr. Forbes did not remain in Carbondale long, going west to
Colorado and
from there to New Mexico. He was a mining prospector and very few people realize what
hardships,
hazards, dangers and difficulties the mining prospector contends with in the course of a
few years. The
West forty years ago was still a dangerous country, and the life of the prospector was one
of special
hazard. The Indians were still hostile in some sections, and Mr. Forbes had many narrow
escapes, and
one of his partners met death at the hands of the red skins.
He was one of the comparatively few who "struck it rich. " He discovered a large
deposit of silver, and
with the development of the mines he was insured of a fortune, as he regarded it at the
time. He finally
sold his interest in the silver mines in 1884.
In the meantime he had returned to Kansas and secured a farm of 740 acres in Fairfax
Township of Osage County. Even then he did not have smooth sailing, since he had to
encounter hardships of all kinds in the development of his farm and in contending with the
plagues of grasshoppers and dry years. But that is all now a matter of the past, and long
before he retired from active business Mr. Forbes was one of the most prosperous farmers
of Osage County. Even now his holdings approximate 3,000 acres, most of it in Osage
Country.
In 1876 Mr. Forbes married Mary Mitchell. They reared a family of four sons and two
daughters, and
they provided liberally for the education and training of these young people. The four
sons are John, Robert, Daniel and Andrew. John, the oldest son, and Daniel, the third in
age have both been admitted to the bar, while the other two are practical farmers. Mr.
Forbes has voted the democratic ticket since 1896. He retired in 1903,and with his wife is
now enjoying the comforts of a substantial home in Carbondale.
Courtesy of Kansas Gen Web |
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