Robert Forrester (1824 - 1892)

Born 9 Aug 1824 in Dublin, Dublin County, Ireland

Husband of Bridget (Murphy) Forrester — married about 1851 (to about Jan 1862) in Illinois [uncertain]

Husband of Margaret (McDonald) Forrester — married 12 Apr 1866 (to 18 Sep 1892) in Delavan, Walworth, Wisconsin, United States

Descendants

Died 18 Sep 1892 at age 68 in Delavan, Walworth, Wisconsin, United States

Biography

Robert Forrester migrated from Ireland to the United States in 1851.

Robert was born August 9, 1824 in Dublin, Ireland. His parents had him baptized in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland for good measure. Little is known of his life in Ireland other than that his family lived for some time in the Village of Swords (north of Dublin) on a property then known as "the Demesne of Mount Ambrose". Robert arrived in New York City, US on May 19, 1851 aboard the ship, "Coreolanus" which had departed from Liverpool, England.

We have been unable to locate documentary evidence of Robert's marriage to Bridget Murphy as of the time of this writing. They were living as a married couple in Darien, Walworth County, Wisconsin at the time of the 1860 Federal Census. In addition to other information there, the pronunciation of "Farrissell" (say it aloud yourself now in your best Irish brogue, just for fun) was obviously what the census enumerator heard and recorded, for this was definitely this Robert Forrester.

He enlisted in the Union Army, Company C (State Line Rifles) of the 13th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry on September 27, 1862. (Bridget Murphy Forrester, his wife, had died in January of 1861 or 1862). He was honorably discharged from service at Nashville, Tennessee on June 13, 1865.

His military records describe him as being: 5'7" tall, with hazel eyes and dark hair (at age 40). While on duty at Ft. Donelson in June of 1863, he was stricken with "recurrent Bilous Fever" and hospitalized for two months. (Many men were given this same diagnosis and treatment for what was a permanent and debilitating case of dysentery. Many also died from the ailment.) In February of 1864, while on picket duty near Edgefield, Tennessee his unit had no shelter and was thus forced to sleep in the open, lying in water puddles in the rain and cold, with no dry bedding nor clothing - many became chilled and contracted pneumonia and/or pleurisy - Robert among them. He was again treated in Regimental Hospital by Dr. Evans for 4 weeks and then sent to Brigade Hospital in Nashville for over two months. He was later hospitalized after being stricken with Sciatic Rheumatism from exposure received in October of 1864 near Claysville, Alabama.

After returning home from the War between the States, he re-married, this time to Margaret McDonald in 1866. They had but one child - Charles Forrester

The June 1, 1875 Wisconsin State Census has Robert and family (total 4 white males; 1 white female) living in Delavan, Walworth County, Wisconsin, USA.

In about 1891, Robert talked of killing himself due to being distraught with his family (potential heirs) arguing about their inheritances. Then, in early September of 1892, he spent several days taking care of final business matters in town before taking the final steps to ending his life.

While alone at home on that fateful Sunday, he set fire to the house and barns (full of harvest) and then pinned a note to his jacket and hanged himself with a net in a large old oak tree on the east side of his property, all while the family was at Mass at St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Delavan.

He had been receiving a disability pension (Invalid Pension) since 1879.

Sources

Internet links to Free resources of the documents establishing this person's profile:

• Baptismal record

• United States, Famine Irish Passenger Index, 1846-1851 Robert Forrester, 1851.

• United States Census, 1860 Robert Farrissell[sic], Walworth, Wisconsin. (This spelling of his surname causes us to suspect that Robert's very pronounced Irish accent and temperament gave the Census enumerator a serious challenge.)

• United States Census, 1870 Robt Forrester in household of Robt Forrester, Wisconsin, United States; citing p. 15, family 116, NARA microfilm publication M593, FHL microfilm 0553240.

• Wisconsin, State Census, 1875 Robert Forrester, Delavan Town, Walworth, Wisconsin.

• United States Census, 1880 Robert Forrister[sic], Delavan, Walworth, Wisconsin, United States; citing sheet 53A, family 0, NARA microfilm publication T9-1449.

• Wisconsin, State Census, 1885 Robert Forrister[sic], Delavan Town, Walworth, Wisconsin.

• Wisconsin, State Census, 1885 Robert Forrister[sic]. (Soldiers and Sailors Census)

• Find-A-Grave Memorial # 66341236 (Gravesite in St. Andrew's Cemetery, Delavan, Wisconsin, USA)

Acknowledgements

• Please click the Images tab at the top of this profile to see additional documents and photographs in evidence of this profile.

• Entered by GG Grandson Keith Baker, based upon historical research and documention including: obituaries, Military Records, Cemetery Records, Church Records, Federal and State Census enumerations and physical (on-site) study. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Keith and others.