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James Alexander Forbes (1805–1881)

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285:. In 1853 he raised the money for the construction, and in 1854 the mill was built. After many delays, the mill started grinding flour on December 1, 1855. However, the location Forbes chose was unfortunate, as there was only enough water in the creek to power the mill during the winter months. This, coupled with the delays in its opening which allowed competitors into the market thus dropping flour prices from a lucrative $ 50/barrel to a mere $ 5, meant that it was not generating enough income and eventually Forbes was forced into 172:
He was appointed British vice-consul in 1842. While serving as vice-consul, he advocated the takeover of California by the British government; the proposal was flatly rejected. Forbes was informed that Great Britain had no desire to interfere in California politics, but that she would look with great
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Los Gatos historian William A. Wulf describes Forbes as "a suede-shoe man . He was bright, and better educated than most men in California when he first arrived. But he was basically a bad guy who ended up losing control of circumstances." When the Jesuits arrived from Oregon to Mission Santa Clara,
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on the house. Also, according to the Hernandez family, Forbes never paid $ 8,000 he owed for the Los Gatos rancho. With regards to his marriage, he is described as having treated his wife as a servant, often not allowing her to converse with dinner guests; instead she was made to help the other
330: The two Forbes are often confused for each other, as J. A. Forbes is sometimes described as the author of the California history book. It is also unclear if the two were related. Some sources describe them as unrelated, but others describe Alexander as James Alexander's uncle. 256:
whereupon it was finally decided in 1862 that, the mine was on the Larias grant, and that the furnaces and improvements of the company below the hill were on the Berreyessa grant. The company bought into these two titles and then sold the entire operation in 1864 to the
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for US$ $ 10,500, a high price for the time. The couple had a total of twelve children, three daughters and nine sons. In 1851, he persuaded the Jesuits to establish a school at Mission Santa Clara to educate his sons; this school formed the basis of what would become
289:, much of his money also being tied up in litigation with regards to the mine. In 1858, he was evicted due to non-payment of the loan. However, a town sprang up around the mill and was initially known as Forbestown before changing its name to Los Gatos. 224:, British consul to Mexico and author of one of the first histories of California in the English language. Their company had purchased the title to the mine from Andrés Castillero in 1846, and it proved to be extremely profitable. However, 298:
they asked him to move out of the mission, which he did, but not before getting $ 11,000 from them. He then used this money to build a mansion right behind the mission. Later, he sold this to a group of
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also claimed ownership. Even the United States government stepped in to claim that the mine lay on public land between the two grants. A complex legal case involving Mexican laws and the
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Forbes' lasting legacy, however, is the town of Los Gatos. In 1850, noticing that there was no local production of flour (it was being imported from
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beginning in 1836, becoming administrator of the company's affairs in California in 1845, although that office closed the following year.
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The Beginnings of San Francisco from the Expedition of Anza, 1774 to the City Charter of April 15, 1850
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disfavor upon such interference by any other power. This sentiment was communicated to
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around the age of 12 with an uncle who owned a shipping line. He was later educated by
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The History of San José and Surroundings: With Biographical Sketches of Early Settlers
828: 139:. He then came to California on a whaleship in 1831, and worked for a while as an 691: 214: 100: 91:
as well as the first British consul to the U.S. state of California. He built a
205:. Five of the Forbes sons were part of the first class at Santa Clara College. 734: 462: 286: 154:. In 1834, he married Ana María Galindo, daughter of Jose Crisostino Galindo, 140: 136: 128: 155: 120: 116: 92: 49: 246:
as "one of the most remarkable civil trials in this or any other country",
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James Alexander Forbes (1804 -1881): His Descendants for Four Generations
119:, Scotland to John Alonzo Forbes and Marta Rodriguez, he emigrated to 668:
Commander of All Lincoln's Armies: A Life of General Henry W. Halleck
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in 1844. The rancho and cattle were sold in 1847 to Commodore
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Kavenaugh, Dennis J., S. J. (1905). Irvine, Lee H. (ed.).
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also laid claim to the mine on the basis that it lay on
695:, U.S. Supreme Court, 69 U.S. 2 Wall. 649 649 (1864) 232:. Furthermore, Berreyesa's neighbor Justo Larios of 610:
Land and Law in California: Essays on Land Policies
273:), he purchased about 2,000 acres (8.1 km) of 135:, having converted one of his uncle's ships into a 57: 35: 28: 758:. The History Museum of Los Gatos. Archived from 486:Kyle, Douglas E.; Hoover, Mildred Brooke (2002). 733:. Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce. Archived from 302:, neglecting to tell them there was a $ 20,000 131:, Uruguay, and fought for Argentina during the 433:Butler, Phyllis Filberti (December 9, 2001). 8: 650:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( 613:. Purdue University Press. pp. 132–33. 807:A History of California: The Spanish Period 492:. Stanford University Press. p. 370. 456: 454: 25: 560:The United States Consulate in California 467:A History of Berkeley, From the Ground Up 402: 400: 398: 396: 394: 786:. Charles Scribner & Sons. pp.  671:. Harvard University Press. p. 93. 411:. Los Gatos Weekly-Times. Archived from 80:(January 6, 1804 – May 6, 1881) was the 783:The United States and Mexico, 1821–1848 340: 816:british consul James Alexander Forbes. 792:james alexander forbes british consul. 643: 435:"Los Gatos' small-town holiday charms" 281:with the intent of building a mill on 213:He was also an early investor in the 7: 693:The Fossat or Quicksilver Mine Case 463:"Assembling the Cast of Characters" 585:. History San José. Archived from 557:Kelsey, Rayner Wickersham (1910). 249:United States v. Andres Castillero 14: 845:People from Los Gatos, California 810:. The Macmillan Company. p.  712:. A.L. Bancroft and Co. pp.  804:Chapman, Charles Edward (1921). 536:. Kessinger Books. p. 140. 519:. Zoeth S. Skinner. p. 523. 513:Eldredge, Zoeth Skinner (1912). 780:Rives, George Lockhart (1913). 637:A History of the New California 407:Aldrich, Bob (March 27, 1996). 756:"Brief History of Forbes Mill" 1: 855:British expatriates in Mexico 275:Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos 184:, a 1,939-acre (7.8 km) 182:Rancho Potrero de Santa Clara 607:Gates, Paul Wallace (1991). 489:Historic Spots in California 665:Marszalek, John F. (2004). 254:United States Supreme Court 238:Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 226:José de los Reyes Berreyesa 180:The Forbes family lived on 160:Mission Santa Clara de Asís 21:Alexander Forbes (explorer) 871: 355:. Los Gatos Public Library 259:Quicksilver Mining Company 18: 373:Glienke, Barnard (2014). 565:University of California 310:Forbes died in 1881, in 234:Rancho Los Capitancillos 19:Not to be confused with 706:Hall, Frederic (1871). 439:San Francisco Chronicle 252:eventually reached the 192:received from Governor 640:. Lewis Publishing Co. 530:Dana, Julian (2005) . 203:Santa Clara University 78:James Alexander Forbes 30:James Alexander Forbes 850:People from Inverness 579:"Forbes and Stockton" 409:"The Old Mill Stream" 533:Sutter of California 461:Cohen, Alan (2007). 279:José María Hernandez 167:Hudson's Bay Company 97:San Jose, California 731:"Our Rich Heritage" 353:Hooked on Los Gatos 194:Manuel Micheltorena 69:Alameda, California 718:forbes castillero. 243:The New York Times 230:Rancho San Vicente 198:Robert F. Stockton 186:Mexican land grant 89:Mexican California 75: 74: 862: 819: 818: 801: 795: 794: 777: 771: 770: 768: 767: 752: 746: 745: 743: 742: 727: 721: 720: 703: 697: 689: 683: 682: 662: 656: 655: 649: 641: 631: 625: 624: 604: 598: 597: 595: 594: 575: 569: 568: 554: 548: 547: 527: 521: 520: 510: 504: 503: 483: 477: 476: 474: 473: 458: 449: 448: 446: 445: 430: 424: 423: 421: 420: 404: 389: 388: 370: 364: 363: 361: 360: 345: 325: 222:Alexander Forbes 175:Thomas O. Larkin 148:Rancho San Pablo 64: 45: 43: 26: 16:British diplomat 870: 869: 865: 864: 863: 861: 860: 859: 825: 824: 823: 822: 803: 802: 798: 779: 778: 774: 765: 763: 754: 753: 749: 740: 738: 729: 728: 724: 705: 704: 700: 690: 686: 679: 664: 663: 659: 642: 633: 632: 628: 621: 606: 605: 601: 592: 590: 577: 576: 572: 556: 555: 551: 544: 529: 528: 524: 512: 511: 507: 500: 485: 484: 480: 471: 469: 460: 459: 452: 443: 441: 432: 431: 427: 418: 416: 406: 405: 392: 385: 377:. Independent. 372: 371: 367: 358: 356: 347: 346: 342: 337: 331: 322: 320: 295: 283:Los Gatos Creek 267: 211: 113: 71: 66: 62: 53: 47: 46:January 6, 1804 41: 39: 31: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 868: 866: 858: 857: 852: 847: 842: 837: 827: 826: 821: 820: 796: 772: 747: 722: 698: 684: 677: 657: 626: 619: 599: 570: 567:. p. 254. 549: 542: 522: 505: 498: 478: 450: 425: 390: 383: 365: 339: 338: 336: 333: 319: 316: 294: 291: 266: 263: 210: 207: 165:He worked for 133:Cisplatine War 112: 109: 99:(now known as 73: 72: 67: 65:(aged 77) 59: 55: 54: 48: 37: 33: 32: 29: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 867: 856: 853: 851: 848: 846: 843: 841: 838: 836: 833: 832: 830: 817: 813: 809: 808: 800: 797: 793: 789: 785: 784: 776: 773: 762:on 2008-05-09 761: 757: 751: 748: 737:on 2008-02-07 736: 732: 726: 723: 719: 715: 711: 710: 702: 699: 696: 694: 688: 685: 680: 678:0-674-01493-6 674: 670: 669: 661: 658: 653: 647: 639: 638: 630: 627: 622: 620:1-55753-273-7 616: 612: 611: 603: 600: 589:on 2008-10-07 588: 584: 580: 574: 571: 566: 562: 561: 553: 550: 545: 543:1-4191-1499-9 539: 535: 534: 526: 523: 518: 517: 509: 506: 501: 499:0-8047-4483-1 495: 491: 490: 482: 479: 468: 464: 457: 455: 451: 440: 436: 429: 426: 415:on 2007-03-01 414: 410: 403: 401: 399: 397: 395: 391: 386: 384:9798690409364 380: 376: 369: 366: 354: 350: 349:"Forbes mill" 344: 341: 334: 332: 329: 328:relationship: 324: 317: 315: 313: 308: 305: 301: 292: 290: 288: 284: 280: 276: 272: 264: 262: 260: 255: 251: 250: 245: 244: 240:described by 239: 235: 231: 227: 223: 219: 216: 208: 206: 204: 199: 195: 191: 187: 183: 178: 176: 170: 168: 163: 161: 157: 153: 149: 146: 142: 138: 134: 130: 126: 122: 118: 110: 108: 106: 102: 98: 94: 90: 86: 83: 79: 70: 60: 56: 51: 38: 34: 27: 22: 835:1800s births 815: 806: 799: 791: 782: 775: 764:. 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Retrieved 352: 343: 327: 323: 321: 309: 296: 268: 247: 241: 212: 179: 171: 164: 114: 77: 76: 63:(1881-05-06) 840:1881 deaths 293:Personality 218:quicksilver 215:New Almaden 209:New Almaden 101:Forbes Mill 95:outside of 85:vice-consul 61:May 6, 1881 829:Categories 766:2008-01-21 741:2008-01-21 593:2008-01-21 472:2008-01-21 444:2008-01-21 419:2008-01-21 359:2008-01-21 335:References 307:servants. 287:bankruptcy 220:mine with 141:accountant 137:man of war 129:Montevideo 111:Early life 93:flour mill 52:, Scotland 42:1804-01-06 646:cite book 265:Los Gatos 156:majordomo 121:Argentina 117:Inverness 105:Los Gatos 50:Inverness 190:San Jose 152:Richmond 115:Born in 312:Alameda 143:on the 125:Jesuits 82:British 675:  617:  540:  496:  381:  326:  145:Castro 790:–50. 716:–13. 318:Notes 277:from 271:Chile 188:near 150:near 673:ISBN 652:link 615:ISBN 538:ISBN 494:ISBN 379:ISBN 304:lien 300:nuns 58:Died 36:Born 812:494 714:412 158:of 127:in 87:to 831:: 814:. 788:48 648:}} 644:{{ 581:. 563:. 465:. 453:^ 437:. 393:^ 351:. 314:. 261:. 162:. 107:. 769:. 744:. 681:. 654:) 623:. 596:. 546:. 502:. 475:. 447:. 422:. 387:. 362:. 44:) 40:( 23:.

Index

Alexander Forbes (explorer)
Inverness
Alameda, California
British
vice-consul
Mexican California
flour mill
San Jose, California
Forbes Mill
Los Gatos
Inverness
Argentina
Jesuits
Montevideo
Cisplatine War
man of war
accountant
Castro
Rancho San Pablo
Richmond
majordomo
Mission Santa Clara de Asís
Hudson's Bay Company
Thomas O. Larkin
Rancho Potrero de Santa Clara
Mexican land grant
San Jose
Manuel Micheltorena
Robert F. Stockton
Santa Clara University

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