John A. Forbes

John A. Forbes (January 7, 1803 - May, 1881)

• Born in Inverness, Decolloden, Scotland.
• Sir Edward John Forbes, his father, was the personal physician to Queen Victoria.
• Well educated, Professor Forbes taught both music and languages in an Inverness college.
• In the war between Spain and the Moors Forbes was severely injured.  Although left for dead aboard a Spanish ship, he recovered.
• Sometime in the 1830's Forbes served as an officer aboard a Spanish man-o-war and traveled to California.
• Forbes, a Protestant, converted to Catholicism during the voyage after becoming friends with a Franciscan monk.
• On his second trip back to California, Forbes came to author a history of California in the interests of the Hudson Bay Company for the English government
• The completed manuscript was published in England.
• Forbes was appointed the second consul for England in California, and for years lived in what was then Yerba Buena, and later became known as San Francisco.
• Forbes married married Anita Marie Galindo (1818 - ?) in San Francisco on July 29, 1833.
• He moved to the Santa Clara County mission in the position as consul for England during the American invasion.
• Forbes introduced many improvements to California.  [What were they?]
• As owner of the Almaden mines, Forbes became extremely wealthy.
• Forbes sold his home to Santa Clara College.
• He built a modern residence (at the time) in Santa Clara, complete with modern conveniences.
• Forbes imported from England machinery for a flour mill that he built in Los Gatos.
• A legal battle over Forbes' mining properties that lasted 22 years decimated his early fortune.
• In later years Forbes had to return to work; he owned and operate a drug store.
• His linguistic skills enabled him to carry out business transactions for the Spanish families.
• Forbes signed his name to the last will and testament of Luis Maria Peralta, which disposed of the vast domain which included the area that is now Oakland.
• During his lifetime, Forbes was married at least once and had twelve children.  [Was Anita Marie Galindo the mother of all Forbes' children?]
• Forbes lived out the rest of his life in Oakland, and died at the age of 78 or 79?

 Forbes is buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery, in dormitory L, grave 510-7, along with a number of family members. Apparently there was some question over the ownership of the grave plot.