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Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts

31 March 2019

Armenians in Calcutta, True Population: Snapshot View of the Early 19th Century

Have you ever wondered about the number of Armenians who lived in Calcutta during the 19th century? 

Many people think it was actually more than just a few hundred. In fact it can be seen from these figures, that it really was only just a few hundred. 

Originally extracted from the Armenian Church Registers of the Holy Nazareth Church Calcutta, this snapshot gives a far more realistic picture of the Armenian minority community of the city. Compiled from the Statistics of the Colonies of the British Empire, 1839.

In 1814 there were 464 Armenians in Calcutta
In 1815 there were 480 Armenians in Calcutta
In 1836 there were 505 Armenians in Calcutta



31 October 2018

John Arakelian D.C.M. Public Service Beyond Question - Dignity in the Face of Adversity

Last year I was fortunate to work with CAIA, the Centre for Armenian Information and Advice in London on their UK Armenians and WW1 project.

One of the stories I uncovered was about John Arakelian, his work with the British Intelligence in the Middle East and how he came to save 380 orphaned Armenian boys and girls in Baghdad. The original post can be found on CAIA's website above.

Following the project's completion I reproduce the story here on my blog because there is a Armenian Calcutta connection. (Please note the hyperlinks in [square brackets] do not work in this blog, please go to the end of the story to see the appropriate link.)

John Haig Arakelian D.C.M., M.M.

“…How?
How did I end up here?
In a jail in Wales.
How?...” 

On a cold November morning in 1914, John Arakelian found himself being detained by the Chief Constable of Newport Police as an ‘unregistered alien’, the underlying accusation being that he was a German spy[1]. Held for several days in a local gaol pending further enquiries, one can only imagine how he must have felt. He could be forgiven for allowing his mind to drift off and think about home; the warm breezes blowing across his land, the golden hues of a setting sun reflecting on the surrounding hills and mountains and the beautiful sweet smells hanging in the air, gently wafting up from the successful family farm growing 84,000 fruit trees. And yet as he lay in his cell, he had faith. Protesting he was not Turkish but Armenian, recounting his already extraordinary military service in the British Army, that faith was, eventually proved.

After exhaustive enquiries by the Chief Constable into John’s life which revealed nothing untoward, John was released without charge[2] and allowed to return to what he did best. Serving in the British Army. He was in Wales with his regiment, the 3rd Dragoon Guards, going about his military business and following orders. It was his background, accent, looks and his ability to speak six languages that made authorities twitchy. Yet, his future military actions would prove unequivocally that he was loyal, trustworthy and dedicated to the Crown. It’s just a shame the British Government took so long to recognise this extraordinarily unique, fearless yet humble Armenian when it came to his application for citizenship of the country he had served for 17 years.

Born on the 1st April 1886 in Broussa near Constantinople, one of 10 children[3] (he had two brothers and seven sisters), this staunchly Armenian family owned considerable property and land. A large warehouse was used for the manufacture of silk and the Arakelian’s ensured their workers had sufficient housing, dedicating one large house, four smaller houses, eleven other houses and a large bath house solely for their use. The family also grew several thousand grape vines and fruit trees. It was a long establish and profitable farm, and they helped the local community by employing as many people as they could between their fruit and silk businesses.

John’s father, Onig but also known as John, passed away when he was seven years of age in 1892. The property and assets became the sole responsibility of his mother Pilazou neĆ© Andonian but the family soon fragmented and split up. His two brothers Bedros and Vahram and two of his sisters as well as an aunt went to England to live in 1894. John remained behind and attended the local protestant school. Four years later his brother, Bedros returned to the family farm from England and made arrangements for John to go and live there with him. By 1900 both John and Vaham were in London, and with the guidance of their brother Bedros, John was quickly enrolled at Professor  Garabed[4]   Thoumaian’s School, completing his education at  Clarence School at Weston-Super-Mare. He took an apprenticeship in 1904 with an established and well respected firm of builders, Foster & Sons of Bath to learn machinery. He stayed for a year and moved to Glasgow finding employment within the engineering department of a large company. He quickly realised this was not the path he wanted to follow and boldly set about joining the Scottish military by applying to the Royal Scots Greys. His first posting was to the depot in Edinburgh. For the sake of clarity, he ensured the military authorities were aware of his nationality and that he wasn’t a British Subject. This wasn’t something they were particularly concerned about and being impressed by his physique as well as having the correct credentials, John was posted to Tidworth Camp near Salisbury. Whilst there he caught the eye of a General who complimented him on his “smart appearance and good horsemanship[5].”  

By 1908 John was sent to India to serve and transferred to the 1st Royal Dragoons at Muttra in Agra, his multitude of languages made him stand out from other soldiers and he was able to converse locally in Hindustani. One day, the Regiment Sergeant foolishly bet that if he could ride a particularly wilful and stubborn horse without being thrown off he would be given a month’s leave. John accepted the challenge with relish and, needless to say, accomplished the ride with ease. He was soon planning his month’s leave to Calcutta.

John Arakelian and the Calcutta Armenians



In Calcutta John would no doubt have gravitated toward the Armenian Church and the thriving Armenian community of the city.  It wasn’t long before he was approached by a well known local Armenian coal mine owner, C.L. Phillips[6] of Kusunda Nayadih Colliery, near Dhanbad.[7] Phillips was impressed by John and offered to purchase his discharge from the Army. John agreed and went to work for another Armenian coal firm Martin & Co in the Asansol/Dhanbad area, where he stayed until 1912. The Regiment Sergeant must have been kicking himself at the loss of such a versatile and talented soldier. But India was never going to be his last destination and after four years there, John was keen to return to Broussa and to the family farm so that he could take it over.  He requested six months’ leave from Martin & Co and sailed from Calcutta at the earliest opportunity.

Constantinople – A Strong Bond


John felt the pull of home more than ever and, rather than returning to India as he had planned, he found a position in Constantinople as a PT instructor at the American College. He wanted and needed to be close to home.

In 1912 John purchased the shares and assets of his mother and siblings and became the sole owner of the family farm, property and lands in Broussa. (Later, during WW1, whilst he was serving in the British Army, the whole of the family property was destroyed by the Turks because the Turkish authorities discovered he was serving with the British forces.)

In November 1912 the Balkan War brought him to the attention of British born barrister Sir Edwin Pears in Constantinople via Major Graves The Times correspondent of that city. Sir Edwin enquired of John as to whether he would be willing to obtain information concerning the Balkan War for English newspaper correspondents. John agreed and having met with the newspaper representatives at the Pera Palace Hotel in Constantinople he was, in John’s words:

“immediately arrested by the Turkish authorities (at the instigation of a Greek spy), and after five days confinement, was brought before the Turkish authorities War Minister, Nazim Pasha, who was rather partial to Armenians.  After questioning me as to my dealings with the English, he said that was it not for the high esteem they had for my late father he would have me shot. However, he admonished me and advised me to devote my abilities with the sword in instructing the Turkish officers.  On my release I was followed by two detectives, but after outwitting them, I went to the British Consul who arranged for me to be sent immediately to Egypt.”

It is remarkable that John survived that close shave with the authorities, it is even more remarkable that once in Egypt, his desire was still so strong he continued to want to help the British where possible. With his Secret Service work in Constantinople behind him and holding an introduction to the British Consul at Alexandria, he was quickly appointed to the Egyptian Police Force. Once again he made a good impression, this time of the Chief of Police and received praise for his work. John spent only a year in Egypt, he was anxious to return to Constantinople and he did just that in December 1913. With the assistance of Sir Edwin Pears by way of another introduction, this time to the Standard Oil Company, John was given the position of Assistant Engineer with the firm based at the Dardanelles. He was responsible for a workforce of 200 men in road-making that needed to be sufficiently well built to withstand heavy machinery for the company. On one occasion and ever the observant professional, he spotted Turkish forces in the distance moving heavy guns and military equipment. He immediately informed Standard Oil Company and he was instructed to close down the operation and return to Constantinople. He immediately relayed this important piece of surveillance to the British.

A Second Period in the British Army


At the outbreak of War in 1914 John was strongly advised by an English friend in Constantinople to re-join the British Army. He registered at the British Consul and was sent to England with a number of others also wishing to join.  After reporting to Whitehall he was sent to Newport in Wales where he joined the 3rd Dragoon Guards. He had only been in Newport for a fortnight when he was suspected of being a German spy and arrested. Three Court appearances and 22 days later he was cleared and released. Remarkably, he chose to continue to serve in the Army and was sent to Canterbury in Kent soon after this episode. Whilst in Canterbury he, and a number of others, went before the town Mayor to swear and sign a declaration. John believed this to be a naturalisation process, and little did he know that this misunderstanding would once again cause him no end of trouble 10 years hence.

Extracted from his Naturalisation application, a recount of some of his military career.

On the 3rd April 1916 an attack was made on the first two front trenches at HANNAH position.  We advanced about 3 miles the same day and captured FULAHYAH Redoubt and a communication trench.  I was responsible for taking the communication trench, and seven prisoners who I handed over to General O’Dowda. After this engagement I was promoted Sergeant. After the engagement at SANAIYAT on the 9th April 1916 I was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous gallantry to attending to, and bringing in wounded under rifle fire in front of the enemy’s trenches. (See London Gazette, 14th November 1916).

At SHOOMRA BEND, I was in charge of the snipers and listening posts in no man’s land, where I was successful killing one of the enemy snipers – a Sergeant. Near this position, the late General Maude came to see me in the front trenches, and complimented me for the good services I had rendered. At SHOOMRA BEND I was asked by my Commanding Officer (Lt. Col. B. Macnaughten) if I would signal the advance of the battalion from the parapet of the trenches when the attach was launched. I volunteered to undertake this duty, and I stood in full view of the enemy’s position for about six minutes to give the pre-arranged three signals for the battalion to advance.

The late General Maude was kind enough to give permission for me to search the villages for any Armenian children held in captivity by the Mohommedans.  By this means I collected about 380 Armenian boys and girls at BAGHDAD, where an orphanage was formed by the Americans for their welfare.

On one occasion when in BAGHDAD assisting the Intelligence Department, and collecting Armenian children, I discovered a large quantity of machine guns, ammunition, explosives, searchlights etc., hidden by the Germans and Turks in one of the houses.

I volunteered to go to KUT and get into communication with General Townsend to receive information and return to the British lines, but General Beach, Chief of the Intelligence Staff considered the undertaking was too hazardous and would not consent.

On another occasion in BAGHDAD some 150 persons were collected together contrary to orders, trying to create a riot.  When I arrived on the scene, I found an interpreter and British Military Police with fixed bayonets endeavouring to arrest the offenders.  Intervened and suggested to the officer in charge that the police be ordered to unfix their bayonets and return to their quarters.  I then coerced 75 of the principal offenders to accompany me to the Police Headquarters.  They were eventually tried, five of the leaders being sentenced to 18 months hard labour, and the remainder to one month’s hard labour, and deported from the country.

Again in BAGHDAD I collected about 40 Turkish officers and Turkish government employees, who by proclamation should have surrendered.  I brought them to the Military Police headquarters, where they were transferred to the Prisoners of War Camp in India. 

Courtesy of the Imperial War Museum London. Men of John's regiment, the 6th King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment bathing in a creek near Basra during the summer of 1916

John recalls:

I joined the British Army in 1914 and was demobilised 5th October 1920 at Constantinople. From here I was sent to Armenia and served under the Armenian government. On the 11th June 1921 I arrived at Baghdad and reported to the British Headquarters where I was employed on intelligence duties under Major W.J. Bovill and transferred later to S.M. Section under British government for supplying electric power and water to Baghdad. On 5th November 1921 I went to Calcutta (India) and was a student at the French Motor Company Calcutta until March 1922.  I returned to Baghdad 23rd April 1922 as motor engineer but was unsuccessful in business. On the recommendation of Colonel W. Dent I was employed by Iraq Aircraft Dept Royal Air Force where I served until 1924. I was then transferred to Navy Army and Air Force institute and resigned my position in August 1924 to return to England but unfortunately I fell and broke my arm and owing to financial difficulties I was compelled to remain in Baghdad until I left for England in May 1925. I have now nearly completed 12 months in London since May 1925 but in all as my history shows I have been about 17 years in England and in the British Army and with British companies. 48 Cornwall Road, Harrow – May to June 1925. 134 Fellings Road, Goodmayes – June 1925 to March 1926.

I have served under the British since I completed my education in England in all, about 17 years, therefore I feel more British and my record in the British Army is not in vain, I hope.

Naturalisation, Compensation, Honour, Acceptance - Disappointment


Initially, at the time of John’s application for naturalisation in 1925, he hadn’t lived in England for the minimum qualifying period of five years, and his application was put back. However, because his “public services were beyond question” it was suggested by a reviewing officer that he should wait a year and apply again. John’s urgency for a successful application was compounded by the fact that his personal circumstances were now desperately dire. With a wife and young baby he was barely scraping a living as a window cleaner at the Savoy Hotel in London. He couldn’t apply for his War Compensation because he wasn’t a British citizen.  Even the reviewing officer felt John was a most deserving case


“I am sorry for this man, who has deserved well of this country, and would be reluctant to stigmatise him for all time as a “window cleaner”. He was an engineer, but in hard times he is not ashamed to do any work he can get.”



John was finally granted naturalisation in August 1926 at which time he applied for his War Compensation. Unfortunately he was notified that it was too late and his application was rejected. This would have been a bitter blow.

He and his wife Angel, whose first child was born in Baghdad in 1925, went on to have at least 2 more children who were born in London.

Following the death of his wife Angel in London in 1933, John spent some time living with his son and daughter-in-law in Hertfordshire. In 1959 he made one last voyage to the Middle East. No further trace of him can be found.

He was a man of great loyalty, dedication, commitment and dignity in the face of adversity and, in his own words…..


Medals

Recommended for a Victoria Cross which is the highest award in the UK honours system. He ended being awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the second highest award in the honours systems. He was also awarded the Military Medal As well as the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1920 and the Victory Medal 1914-1919.


Sources used for this blog entry:

AGBU on Flickr
Ancestry.com
Archive.org
BillionGraves.com
British Library
California Digital Newspaper Collection
Digital Library of India
Families in British India Society
Find A Will, Government Website
Findmypast.co.uk
Forces War Records
Hathi Trust Digital Library
Imperial War Museum
London Gazette
National Archives Kew
Newspaperarchive.com
Newspapers.com
British Newspaper Archive
Wellcome Trust Library

My thanks to Diane John for assisting with document acquisition.


[1] Western Mail, 3 November 1914, P.3
[2] Western Mail, 17 November 1914, P.3
[3] British Army WW1 Service Records, 1914-1920 for John Haig Arakelian – Personal Statement
[4] In June 1893 Professor Toumaian, who was also an Armenian Pastor was teaching at the American-Armenian Christian College, “Anatolia College”  in Marsovan. He and a number of other Armenian intellectuals were detained by the Turks who believed there was an “insurrectionary movement among the Armenian Christians”. During the trial, it has been expected that Professor Toumaian and fellow teacher at the college Mr. Kayayan, would be quickly released. Even with little or no evidence to suggest they were involved, both men were in fact condemned to death. On hearing the news the Professor’s wife, Madame Toumaian vigorously lobbied in the Houses of Parliament trying to get assistance from the members for their release. Perhaps bowing to external pressure, by August 1893 the Turkish authorities pardoned Professors Toumaian and Kayayan and expelled them from the country. Toumaian returned to England and settled in Essex with his wife and children. During WW1 Toumaian’s son, Armen signed up and fought in France against the Germans for the British.
[5] British Army WW1 Service Records, 1914-1920 for John Haig Arakelian – Personal Statement
[6] Armenian Settlements in India by Anne Basil, P.85.
[7] Indian Engineering Vol. 31 by Patrick Doyle 1902.

16 July 2017

Theodore Forbes, Eliza Kevork Their Male Descendants and Their Royal Cousins Princes William and Harry



It is already known and well documented that Scottish Theodore Forbes[1] and Indian-Armenian Eliza Kevork are ancestors of British Royals, Princes William and Harry respectively.

The direct male Forbes line of descendancy of
Theodore Forbes, Ann Macdonnell and Eliza Kevork


Theodore and Eliza had at least 3 children, Katherine Scott Forbes in 1812, Alexander Scott Forbes in 1814 and a third, possibly a boy who died as a baby.

Baptism record of Catherine Scott Forbes and Alexander Scott Forbes
via www.fibis.org 

The royal line can be traced through Katherine Scott Forbes’s marriage to James Crombie and their children, all of which is well documented in various family trees on a number of genealogy websites. More recently a number of news articles published world-wide both in print and digitally, have explored the direct relationship with the Princes, and it is not my intention to investigate this genealogy line today.

However, scarce recognition (so far) has been given about the life and descendants of Katherine Scott Forbes’s brother Alexander Scott Forbes.

But first, not so commonly known is the fact that Theodore Forbes also had another son, not with Indian-Armenian Eliza Kevork but borne by a Scottish woman called Ann Macdonnell.

Theodore Forbes acknowledged his illegitimate son in his Will.

The child was named Frederick Forbes, and is acknowledged by Theodore in his Will[2] as “my respected son Frederick by Ann Macdonnell of Aberdeenshire”. Little Frederick was bequeathed 20,000 Bombay Rupees, only 5,000 Rupees less than Alexander, the son Theodore had with Eliza Kevork. Frederick was born in Scotland on 22 November 1808 and it would seem that after Theodore’s death, Frederick came under the care of his uncle (Theodore’s brother) Alexander Forbes and his wife Annabella nee Reid and their children.

Conveniently ignoring his illegitimacy, Frederick became fully absorbed into the Forbes family, and he went on to graduate from Marischal University in 1827[3]. In 1831 Frederick was nominated by his cousin, John Forbes (son of Alexander Forbes the uncle that took in Frederick)  for entry into the East India Company as an Assistant Surgeon[4]. His preparations for a military career didn’t quite go to plan. Having studied medicine for some time, The Royal College of Surgeons in London wrote that Frederick was “found to be unqualified for the situation” and was therefore referred back to his professional studies for a further six months. Frederick was finally examined and passed as an Assistant Surgeon in February 1832.

The Royal College of Surgeons found Frederick Forbes "unqualified"


From the book: The Visit of Frederick Forbes to the Somali Coast in 1833” by Roy Bridges[5]: an explanation is give as to why: “…..Frederick found himself in the Gulf of Aden in the Red Sea in 1833 because his ship, the brig Tigris, had been ordered to Mocha to keep an eye on developments there as Mohammed Ali's campaigns against his nominal Turkish overlord proceeded…….


….at the time of his [Frederick’s] visit to the Somali Coast he was attached to the Indian Navy. His regrettably brief subsequent life shows that he was on the way to becoming a notable scholar-explorer. At this early stage he obviously had some hopes of travelling in Africa[6] but the accidents of his career led him to make expeditions in the Mesopotamian and Persian regions of South-West Asia.[7]

Frederick’s thesis in 1840 on the “Nature and History of Plague as Observed in the North Western Provinces of India” gained him a gold medal awarded by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Edinburgh. Touchingly, Frederick dedicated the book to his uncle 


 
“Alexander Forbes, Esquire
of
Boyndlie, Aberdeenshire.
This Treatise is Inscribed
As A
Mark Of Respect And Gratitude”

Like so many about to embark into unknown territories, Frederick made a Will on the 3rd April 1841 in Tehran, Persia.  Witnesses were Frederick Hughes of the Madras Company and Syeed Khan.  Frederick appointed “Charles Forbes Esquire or the managing partner for the time being of the firm of Forbes and Company, Bombay, Alexander Forbes Esquire of Boyndlie [his uncle] in the county of Aberdeen, and James Crombie [his half sister Kitty Forbe’s husband and ancestor to Princes William and Harry respectively] now lately residing at Swailand of Elrick in the parish of Newmachar and county of Aberdeen, to be the executors of this my will.”


Frederick ensured his mother (Ann) was provided an annuity for her lifetime.


Frederick’s Will is also evidence of his blood relationship to Alexander Scott Forbes.

I give and bequeath to Alexander Scott Forbes son of my late father
Theodore Forbes of Bombay........


Frederick’s last bequest: “I give and bequeath the residue of my personal estate whatsoever or wheresoever to my said executors Alexander Forbes and James Crombie for their absolute use and benefit for and on account of the trouble they may have in the performance of the trusts of this my will, to be equally divided between them, their heirs or assigns.”

Frederick Forbes left the residue of his estate to his uncle, Alexander Forbes and James Crombie, his half sister Kitty's husband.

 Just 5 months later, in September 1841 Frederick was murdered. 



“Intelligence was yesterday received at Agra of the murder of Dr. Forbes, by Ibrahim Khan, the Beelochee chief of Seistan.  Dr. Forbes, under the protection of Mohumud Reza Khan, the most influential chieftain in Seistan, had completed the circuit of the lake [at Seistan] and visited all sites of interest in the province, accompanied by one Persian servant. From the residence of Mohumud Reza Khan he was escorted to Jehanabad, the fort of Ibrahim Khan, Beelochee, and after remaining with that chief a few days, he left for Sash, with a party of Ibrahim Khan’s horse for a guide.  The Khan joined him at a short distance from the fort; they breakfasted together in a friendly manner, and Dr. F. was immediately murdered. Our report says, that being attacked by a large hound brought out to hunt the hog, he shot it in self-defence, and the Khan in a moment of irritation immediately fired on him.  The other and more probable story is, that the Khan, on pretence of examining his arms, got possession of his gun, pistols, and sword, then immediately gave the signal to his horsemen, who seized the doctor, dragged him through the water of the lake until he was half-drowned, and when he was brought out, the Khan shot him with his own hand.  His Persian attendant was barbarously murdered a day or two after.[8]

Nearly 10 years with the East India Company, and he was dead at 34.

Direct male Forbes descendants of Theodore and Eliza Forbes
 
Turning now to Alexander Scott Forbes, son of Theodore and Eliza. He married Elizabeth Cobb 29 June 1865 at Dundee, her father James was a Scottish weaver. Alexander and Elizabeth had two children Catherine Forbes in June 1866[9] and Frederick Forbes in February 1869[10]. Alexander Scott Forbes was an insurance agent and comfortably placed financially, so much so that they also fostered two other children Louis and Jenny Mudie[11]. Alexander Scott Forbes died 7 April 1887[12] and by 1891 his widow Elizabeth and their son Frederick where living alone in the family house 14 Ann Street, Arbroath, Scotland. Elizabeth’s income derived from her husband’s estate whilst Frederick was a clerk with a shoe manufacturing company.

Birth record for Frederick Forbes



Alexander and Elizabeth Forbes’s son Frederick married Agnes Low Petrie 27 December 1897 in Arbroath[13]. Agnes was a working girl and employed as a flax reeler, her father was a hairdresser. Frderick and Agnes had 3 children, Elizabeth Ross Forbes born 1898[14], David Buik Forbes born 1903[15] and Ethel Agnes Forbes born 1904[16]. Frederick Forbes was a commercial traveller/shoe salesman, he died of pneumonia in 1909 in Arbroath[17], the death was registered by his brother-in-law Alexander Buik (who had married Catherine, Frederick’s sister in 1888 in Arbroath) leaving Agnes with 3 young children to bring up alone.

 
Birth record of David Buik Forbes


The vast fortune that had been left to Alexander Scott Forbes by his father Theodore in his Will of 21 September 1820 was diminishing, In the Will Theodore wrote days before his fateful demise: “To my respected son Alexander Scott Forbes by the said Eliza Kewark [sic] and now in India where it is my wish that he should remain, the sum of twenty five thousand 25, 000 Bombay Rupees.” A handsome bequest for the day.

By 1920, Agnes’s eldest daughter Elizabeth had struck up a blossoming friendship  with a fellow Scot, James A. Keith. He was a grocer’s assistant and in December of that year sailed from Liverpool to New York[18] with a view to starting a new life.  It is this innocuous migration of an unrelated Scottish lad that would end up influencing the remaining Forbes family to leave Scotland and start their own new lives in the land of the brave and the free.

On the 23rd June 1923 (Elizabeth) Lizzie Forbes sailed from Glasgow to Boston to meet James Keith, a month later on the 6th August James and Lizzie had married in Troy, Rensselaer, New York[19] a town which would become the home of the migrated Forbes whose roots where originally from India. Lizzie and Keith had two children, Ronald Bruce Keith born 1926 died 2006 and David Forbes Keith born 1929 died 1985.

Missing her daughter and with nothing to keep her and the two remaining children in Scotland, Agnes followed Lizzie to New York in September 1925[20], taking David and Ethel with her. The three of them took up residence in Stow Avenue, Troy, David found employment as a book-keeper whilst Ethel was a cashier.

In 1928 Agnes’s son, David Buik Forbes married a Scottish woman called Una Smith moving just a few houses away in Stow Avenue. David and Una lived in several locations but stayed in Troy for the rest of their days.


In September 1929[21] Agne’s daughter, Ethel married Alexander Smith a migrant Scot like herself. With David and his sister Ethel now married, Agnes moved in with James, Lizzie and their family, where she lived out her days, dying in 1939. 

Image via findagrave.com

Agnes is remembered on a marker stone at Elmwood Hill Cemetery along with that of her son-in-law James Keith who at the time of his death in 1956, had been the manager of the Mohican Markets in Troy and Albany for 20 years. Agnes’s beloved daughter Lizzie Keith died in 1963 and had been an integral member of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church choir for over 40 years[22]. Remembered on the same memorial is one of James and Elizabeth’s children David Forbes Keith.

David and Una Forbes had two children a boy and girl and thus continued the direct male Forbes descendancy from Theo and Eliza of Surat in India. David was a salesman for over 20 years with the Tetley Tea Co and heavily involved with community life in Troy whilst Una worked for the Denby’s department store and became a well loved and trusted member of staff.


It might come as a surprise that today there are living descendants in New York who share the same common ancestors of Princes William and Harry, Scottish Theodore Forbes and Indian Armenian Eliza Kevork.



[1] For the personal papers of Theodore Forbes including letters from Eliza Kevork to her daughter Kitty Forbes see GB 0231 University of Aberdeen, Special Collections, MS2740: Ogilvie-Forbes, various family members in India, including merchants William Forbes and Theodore Forbes, and in military service, including Captain William Ogilvie and Dr Frederick Forbes: 19th century. http://calms.abdn.ac.uk/DServe/dserve.exe?dsqServer=Calms&dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqPos=0&dsqSearch=%28RefNo%3D%27MS%202740%27%29

[2] British Library: L/AG/34/29/344
[3] Roll of the Indian Medical Service 1615-1930
[4] British Library: Cadet Paper L/MIL/9-382
[5] The International Journal of African Historical Studies, Vol. 19, No. 4 (1986), pp.679-691. Frederick Forbes left a manuscript journal record of his cruise along the Somali coast and experiences in Berbera in 1833-1834.
[6] Journal of Frederick Forbes, 29 February 1836
[7] More details on Forbes's family background and life appear in Roy C. Bridges, "An Aberdeenshire Family and the Indian-African Connection in the Early Nineteenth Century," An African Miscellany for John Hargreaves, Roy Bridges, ed. (Aberdeen, 1983), 5-10. Forbes's Asian journeys of note were recorded in Journal Royal Geographical Society, IX (1839), 409-430 and XIV (1844), 145-192. Forbes also wrote a medical treatise, Thesis on the Nature and History of the Plague as Observed in the North West Provinces of India ... (Edinburgh and London, 1840)

[8] Agra Ukhbar, 16 September 1841
[9] Scottish Statutory Registers: Births 272/ 0 319
[10] Scottish Statutory Registers: Births 272/0 151
[11] Evidence of this can be seen in the Scottish 1881 census
[12] Scottish Statutory Registers: Deaths 272/ 124
[13] Scottish Statutory Register: Marriages 272/ 1 199
[14] Scottish Statutory Register: Births 272/ 1 539
[15] Scottish Statutory Register: Births 272/1 70
[16] Scottish Statutory Register: Births 272/1 442
[17] Scottish Statutory Register: Deaths 272/1 19
[18] Ancestry.com: New York\u002C Passenger Lists\u002C 1820-1957
[19] Troy Irish Genealogy Society Rensselaer County Marriage Index Vols. 4 & 5

[20] Ancestry.com the New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. Glasgow to New York 25 September 1925

[21] Troy Irish Genealogy Society Rensselaer County Marriage Index Vol. 9
[22] The Troy Record, 25 March 1963