John Murray Forbes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Murray Forbes
Crayon portrait by Seth Wells Cheney, c. 1851
Born	(1813-02-23)February 23, 1813 Bordeaux, France
Died	October 12, 1898(1898-10-12) (aged 85) Milton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Education	Phillips Academy Round Hill School
Occupation	Railroad magnate, merchant, financier
Spouse(s)	Sarah Hathaway
Children	6, including William, John
Relatives	Robert Bennet Forbes (brother) Francis B. Forbes (cousin) John Murray Forbes (uncle) Thomas H. Perkins (uncle)
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John Murray Forbes (born February 23, 1813 – died October 12, 1898) was an important American businessman. He was known for building railroads, trading goods, and helping others. He also worked to end slavery. In the 1850s, he led two big railroad companies: the Michigan Central railroad and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. He also continued his family's business with Russell & Company.

Early Life and Family

John Murray Forbes was born on February 23, 1813, in Bordeaux, France. His family had Scottish roots. His father, Ralph Bennett Forbes, tried to start a business in Bordeaux but it didn't work out. His mother, Margaret Perkins, came from a rich family in Boston. They were known for trading with China.

John had an older brother named Robert Bennet Forbes. Robert became a sea captain and a trader in China. John's uncle, John Murray Forbes, was a lawyer and a diplomat. Another uncle, Thomas Handasyd Perkins, was also a merchant. One of his cousins, Francis Blackwell Forbes, became a botanist, someone who studies plants.

In 1814, when John was a baby, his parents moved back to Milton, Massachusetts. He went to school at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. Later, from 1823 to 1828, he attended Round Hill School in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Building Railroads and Businesses

John Murray Forbes was one of three brothers who went to Canton, China, to work for their uncle. But unlike his brother Robert, John didn't stay in the China trade. He came back to Boston and started investing in railroads and land.

Forbes became a very important person in building America's railroad system. From 1846 to 1855, he was the president of the Michigan Central Railroad. He also served as a director and president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. His work helped the American Middle West grow a lot. In 1838, he also started his own investment company in Boston, called J.M. Forbes & Co..

Helping the Country

In 1860, John Murray Forbes supported Abraham Lincoln for president. He was chosen to be an elector, meaning he voted for Lincoln. During Lincoln's time as president, Forbes led the Republican National Committee. This group helps guide the Republican political party.

Forbes strongly supported the Union during the American Civil War. He helped start the New England Loyal Publication Society in 1863. This group worked to support the Union cause. After the war, he was honored by the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

Forbes also attended Republican meetings in 1876, 1880, and 1884. However, he later became unhappy with the Republican party. He then worked to help the Democrat Grover Cleveland become president.

Giving Back to Others

John Murray Forbes was a generous person. He gave money and weapons to people in Kansas who were fighting against slavery. In 1859, he even hosted John Brown, a famous abolitionist who fought against slavery.

Forbes also helped re-establish Milton Academy in 1884. This was a school located south of Boston, Massachusetts.

Personal Life

John Murray Forbes at 68 years old

John Murray Forbes married Sarah Swain Hathaway (1813–1900). They lived in Milton, Massachusetts. In the summers, they would stay on Naushon Island in Dukes County, Massachusetts. They had six children: two sons and four daughters.

• Ellen Randolph Forbes (1838–1860).
• Alice Hathaway Forbes (1838–1917), who married Edward Montague Cary in 1875.
• William Hathaway Forbes (1840–1897), who married Edith Emerson. Edith was the daughter of the famous poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. William later became the first president of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company.
• Mary Hathaway Forbes (1844–1916), who married Henry Sturgis Russell in 1863.
• John Malcolm Forbes (1847–1904), who was known for his love of yachting and horses. He married Sarah Coffin Jones in 1873.
• Sarah Forbes (1853–1917), who married William Hastings Hughes in 1887.

John Murray Forbes passed away from pneumonia on October 12, 1898, in Milton, Massachusetts.

Family Connections

His cousin Francis Blackwell Forbes (1839–1908) is the great-grandfather of John Forbes Kerry. John Kerry was a U.S. presidential candidate in 2004. Another descendant, Jonathan Meath, is a well-known television producer who has won an Emmy Award.

His Legacy

In September 1899, a magazine called Atlantic published a story about John Murray Forbes. It was written by Edward Waldo Emerson, who was Ralph Waldo Emerson's son. The Emerson and Forbes families were very close. John's son, William, married Ralph's daughter, Edith.

The famous writer Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote about Forbes:

"He was a man of great strength, good intentions, good sense, and good actions. He was also kind at home and always preferred to help others. Everywhere he went, he was a helper... This man probably doesn't realize that, with his kindness to people and his respect for educated and scientific people, he is unlikely to meet anyone better than himself," and "I think this is a good country that can have such a person as he."

A small town in Forbes, Missouri, is named after him.