Clan Forbes Society Newsletter JUNE 2020 |
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The Legacy of New Pitsligo To honor his family estate forfeited after the failed 1745 Jacobite Uprising, successful banker Sir William Forbes, 6th Baronet, Monymusk and Pitsligo, (1739–1806), developed New Pitsligo, the largest planned village in northeast Scotland. He offered plots for a fixed annual rent of 5 shillings for a period of 999 years. Built during the Highland Clearances, the village grew to over 2,000 people and relied on cutting peat, quarrying granite, and making the famous New Pitsligo lace. Learn more here. |
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Dame Katherine Jane Trefusis Forbes Dame Katherine Jane Trefusis Forbes, Lady Watson-Watt, DBE (1899 –1971) became the first director of the British Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in 1939. She was the great-grand-daughter of Sir William Forbes, 7th Baronet, of Monymusk and Pitsligo (1773–1828). In 1916, she left school and volunteered for the Women’s Volunteer Reserve. In 1936, Forbes assisted in launching the Emergency Service and was appointed Chief Instructor of the Auxiliary Territorial Service School of Instruction in 1938. In 1939, she was appointed as Director of the WAAF. In January 1944, Forbes was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). Learn more here. |
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The Forbes Purchase in Florida The Forbes Purchase of over 1.4 million acres was an important addition to the American state of Florida finessed by John Forbes (1767 – 1823) through John Forbes and Company. He negotiated with Spain, Great Britain, the young United States, and the Native Nations of Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Cherokee. Today, the Forbes Purchase is memorialized with Forbes Island in the Apalachicola River and with Forbes Street in downtown Apalachicola, Florida. Learn more here. |
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House of Forbes Family Tree on Ancestry.com is Blooming The House of Forbes Family Tree on Ancestry.com has been blooming, thanks to Society Member Catherine Forbes McCausland. She has done an amazing job in filling in the births, marriages, children and deaths of the Lords and their wives, using the 1937 book House of Forbes as her main source. In the future, her approach will be to research occupations on census records of the Forbeses listed in the section of the book "Descendants of the Younger Sons of the Lords Forbes." If you are interested in becoming an Ancestry.com Editor to work on different sections of the tree, please let us know! Learn more here. |
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Scottish Gournmet USA The COVID-19 pandemic is causing the cancellation of many highland games. We’ll be missing our clan members, our great male and female athletes, and the wonderful Scottish vendors. One of the favorite merchants is Scottish Gourmet USA, managed by Anne Robinson and Andrew Hamilton. They have a wide variety of food and special gifts, such as the Clan Forbes tea towel (“clan cloot.”) Who is your favorite vendor? Until we gather once again, please help our Scottish merchants by ordering online. Learn more here. |
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Welcome Members! Please welcome our new Active Members for April 2020: - Lisa Holly Elizabeth Thomson, Alberta, Canada
- Michael J. Gettings (Fobes), New York, USA
- Deborah Faye Friend, Virginia, USA
- Heather J. Forbes, Ontario, Canada
- Karen Elaine Hunter, Idaho, USA
We also welcome back our renewing Active Members: - Christopher D. Forbes, Alabama, USA
- Donald E. Clark, Arizona, USA
- Jim L.W. Faulkinbury, California, USA
In addition, we welcome a new House of Forbes Member who has provided his lineage that connects him to ancestors listed in the genealogy of the House of Forbes: - William C. Forbes III, California, USA
The Society’s membership growth has slowed tremendously during the COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders. If you’re spending time at home reading the Society’s website and Facebook posts, please let the Society know that you care – and that you want our efforts continued! If you haven’t already supported the Society financially, please consider becoming a paid member! Active Membership is $25 annually will help the Society research the history and heritage of the House of Forbes; develop resources for tracing your genealogy with your cousins around the world; connect with other members in the Clan Forbes Community; and encourage more members to join us in events, tours and gatherings. Thanks to all our 2019 members – and now it’s time to renew your support for 2020! Renew your membership here. If you don’t want the bother of renewing your membership every year, consider becoming a Patron Member for lifetime membership at the level of $600. Highland Games & Festivals Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, many highland games and Scottish festivals have been cancelled or postponed. Here’s the current list compiled by Leslie Furbish Ingram, Vice President for Conveners. Please see the complete list of Games & Festivals. If you are interested in hosting a Clan Forbes tent at your local gathering, games, or festival, please download the Clan Forbes Convener Guide and let us know how we can assist you! Here are a few of the upcoming events: |
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