Dr. Clement C. Forbes Biography

RESEARCHED AND PREPARED BY SHARON DEAN LEE

March 6, 2009

Dr. Clement C. Forbes was born in North Carolina in 1803-1804. Speculation is that he was either the son of Charles Forbes of Pitt County, North Carolina and Georgia, or that he was the son of the Wesley Forbes, Sr., that died in Troup County, Georgia in 1834. Clement C. Forbes first appears on the census in Georgia on the 1830 Troup County census. Prior to 1830, Clement C. was in medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina, where he graduated in 1827 after completing his thesis on “Cynanche Trachaelis” (sic) (Davis, Vol. 2. 245-46). Kay Carter, Associate Curator of the Waring Library at the Medical University of South Carolina, reports having the thesis on file at the library. According to Carter, Dr. Clement C. Forbes “is listed as a graduate in 1828 which is very early as the Medical College was founded in 1824. The college bulletin lists him as being from Monticello, Georgia and his preceptors were Drs. Reese and Broddrus. “

Clement C. applied for licensing to the Georgia Board of Physicians after graduation (Davis. 309-10). An interesting note is that George Washington's death was attributed to “cynanche trachealis,” the topic of Clement C.’s thesis

(http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/2005_winter_spring/washingtons_death.htm). Please also note that either Davis misspelled trachealis in his abstraction or the original archives’ document contained the misspelling (246).

Bobby L. Lindsey reports on Clement C.’s life and medical practice in Georgia and Alabama:

Prior to the year 1830, Dr. Clement Forbes removed to the small community of Franklin (now West Point), Georgia, and began the practice of medicine. When Chambers County was organized in 1832, he removed to the west bank of the Chattahoochee and became the first white physician to reside in the area of the county now known as Lanett. In later years, in conjunction with the practice of medicine, he was elected Probate Judge of the county. (112)

Lindsey reports that Clement C., along with his brothers Wesley and Charles, owned a ferry across the Chattahoochee between 1830-1831 (154). Deducing from Clement C.’s listing on the 1840 Troup County, Georgia, census, and from reparations paid to him in 1838 by the State of Georgia for damages and for his service during the Creek War, Clement C. moved back and forth between West Point, Georgia, and Chambers County, Alabama. A report of Lindsey’s on the 1833 first circuit court in Chambers County, Alabama, reveals a very unsettled area, newly formed from Indian Territory:

Both of these gentlemen [Paul and Pickett] resided in Montgomery, Alabama. They had organized courts in Macon and Russell counties and came from . . . the Georgia side of the Chattahoochee river, as there were then but few white people living on the Alabama side of the Chattahoochee above Columbus, GA. Col. C. R. Pearson, Dr. C. C. Forbes and this writer volunteered our services as an escort, and taking Chapman's trail piloted these gentlemen to the place of holding court. On our arrival at the court ground we found all the county officers present; also a very large portion of the white settlers in the county had come out to see and make acquaintance of their new Judge and solicitor, who were entire strangers to settlers in the county. The Sheriff had summoned a grand jury, who were present; and in due time court was called, Judge Paul taking a seat prepared for him under the shade of a large Oak in Capt. Taylor's yard, the Grand Jury were duly empaneled (sic), sworn and charged as required by law. They retired to the shade of another tree a short distance from the court, examined some witnesses who appeared before them and after due deliberation, returned two or three true bills into court for minor offenses, after which court adjourned for the term. (76)

Just four years later according to Lindsey, Dr. Clement C. Forbes’ assisted in surgery in Chambers County:

When Joshua Mitchell had two operations for a tumor in 1837 and 1838, Dr. Clement C. Forbes of West Point, GA, was one of three physicians that Mitchell’s surgeon Dr. Cuthbert G. Hudson called in for consultation. Dr. Hudson also consulted Dr. Samuel Thompson of Chambers and David Cooper of Harris County, GA. Joshua Mitchell, who before his death had owned a grist and saw mill west of Lafayette, had also owned a general store in Chambersville (Mitchell, Cameron, and Perkins, and had just completed a Greek Revival "masterpiece" next door to the new Chambers Courthouse in Lafayette). (87)

Dr. Clement C. Forbes served as Justice of the Peace in Georgia and as a Judge of the Probate Court in Alabama. Ultimately, Clement C. moved his family back to Georgia, where the last reference to him was on the 1860 Sumter County, Georgia, census. Clement C. had married Elizabeth D. Robertson in Troup County, Georgia, April 21, 1834, and they had ten children.

Indications are that their two older sons died during the Civil War, and no record after the 1860 census has been located for the youngest son. His oldest daughter Mariah Louisa married first Benjamin F. Hodnett of Chambers County, Alabama, and second George Arnold Jarrell, Jr., of Russell County, Alabama. His second daughter Clementine J. married Milton A. Brown of Sumter County, Georgia.

Works Cited

Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, Vol. 1, Passed in Milledgeville at an Annual Session, in November and December, 1837. Georgia Legislative Documents Sequential Number: 016 <http://neptune3.galib.uga.edu>.

A Researcher’s Library of Georgia History, Genealogy, and Records Sources. Compiled and abstracted by, Robert Scott Davis, Jr. 1987: Greenville, S.C., Southern Historical Press. NSDAR Library Washington, D.C. Copy on file Sharon Dean Lee.

Carter, Kay. Associate Curator of the Waring Historical Library at the Medical University of South Carolina. “Clement Forbes/Waring Library.” Email to Ann Vernelson. Tuesday, March 03, 2009 10:58 AM.

Lindsey, Bobby L, "The Reason for the Tears": A History of Chambers County, Alabama 1832-1900, West Point, GA.: Hester Printing, 1971. NSDAR Library, Washington, D.C. Copy on file Sharon Dean Lee.

Sources with Full Notes

A Researcher’s Library of Georgia History, Genealogy, and Records Sources Vol. 2. Compiled and abstracted by Robert Scott Davis, Jr. 1991: Greenville, S.C., Southern Historical Press. NSDAR Library, Washington, D.C. Copy on file Sharon Dean Lee.

"pp. 245-246

XXIV. A List of Some Georgia Doctors before 1830

The following list and information on some early Georgia physicians was compiled by Cecilia C. Mettler and was discovered in the Victor H. Bassett Collection, William R. Perkins Library, Duke University. For more information on persons included here, contact the libraries and alumni offices of the medical schools where they graduated. Also, see “Applicants Before the Georgia Board of Physicians. 1826-1881,” Vol. 17 (1981): 126-131 and “Registers of Medican Professionals on Microfilm at the Georgia Archives,” Vol. 21 (1985): 39-43, both in Georgia Genealogical Society Quarterlies.

NAME DATE UNIVERSITY THESIS

Forbes, Clement 1827 U. of SC Cynanche Trachaelis [sic] (36)"

NOTE: George Washington's death was attributed to cynanche trachealis. See

<http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/2005_winter_spring/washingtons_death.htm>

Please also note that either Davis misspelled trachealis in his abstraction or the original archives’ document contained the misspelling.

From: "Carter, Kay" <carterka@musc.edu>

To: <avernelson5@embarqmail.com>

Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 10:58 AM

Subject: RE: Clement Forbes/Waring Library

Your research question has been referred to me. I have the 1828 thesis of

our ancestor, Clement Forbes. He is listed as a graduate in 1828 which is

very early as the Medical College was founded in 1824. The college bulletin

lists him as being from Monticello, Georgia and his preceptors were Drs.

Reese and Broddrus. His thesis is on "Cynanche Trachealis" (ulcers or upset

of the stomach). The thesis is 15 pages and we charge .20 per page plus

shipping. If you would like a copy please send me you mailing address and I

will put it in the mail. I'm sorry that we don't have additional

information.

Sincerely,

Kay Carter

Associate Curator

Waring Library

843-792-2289

"p.p. 309-310

XXVIII. Applicants before Georgia’s Board of Physicians, 1826-1881

Beginning in 1826, individuals applying for licenses in medical fields in Georgia had to appear before a state board of physicians. For most of the applicants, the board recorded their name, residence, medical degree received, thesis, remarks on licensing (whether accepted, rejected, or postponed), and the year of the application. The original of this register is at the Georgia Department of Archives and History in Record Group 6-10-10. A bound, indexed photo static copy of this manuscript is also in the Georgia Department of Archives and History, Central Research Library (Oversize G610 G35r). The following is the list of names found in the index to that volume; however, you will need to consult the index in the book for the page number if you wish to look up the record.

After 1881 . . . most of the registrations . . . were recorded at the county level.

Forbes, Clement

Forbes, Joes. Jr."

Lindsey, Bobby L, "The Reason for the Tears": A History of Chambers County, Alabama 1832-1900, West Point, GA.: Hester Printing, 1971. NSDAR Library, Washington, D.C. Copy on file Sharon Dean Lee.

"p. 112

p. 87

p. 83

Clement C. Forbes served as Circuit Clerk of Chambers County 1845-1848."

Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, Vol. 1, Passed in Milledgeville at an Annual Session, in November and December, 1837. Georgia Legislative Documents Sequential Number: 016

<http://neptune3.galib.uga.edu>.

"APPROPRIATIONS.

p. 27

Full Title: AN ACT to appropriate money for the support of Government for the political year eighteen hundred and thirty-eight.

Page: 33

Sec. 25. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, be, and the same is, hereby appropriated to Doctor Clement Forbes, of Troup county, for damage done his shop of Medicines, and for Medical services rendered the 701st District, G. M., and Captain Sledge's Company of Cavalry, and other Companies rendezvoused at West Point, during the Creek War.”

Lindsey, Bobby L, "Ferries" from "The Reason for the Tears": A History of Chambers County, Alabama 1832-1900, West Point, GA.: Hester Printing, 1971. Transcription by Sharon Dean Lee.

p. 154

“Crossing the Chattahoochee, at the Village of Franklin (now West Point), at file location of the present city highway bridge, was a ferry predating the formation of the town or county. Operated in the early years by the Creeks, in 1830 and 1831 the ferry was operated by Dr. Clement Forbes and brothers, Charles and Westley. The West Point Land Company, headed by Major John Webb, purchased the ferry in 1835.”

Lindsey, Bobby L, "The Reason for the Tears": A History of Chambers County, Alabama 1832-1900, West Point, GA.: Hester Printing, 1971, pp 76-77. NSDAR Library, Washington, D.C. Copy on file Sharon Dean Lee.

“Capt. Baxter Taylor's house, which was about 3 ½ miles to the west of what is now LaFayette in Chambers County, was the setting for the first Commissioner's Court as well as for the first Circuit Court in the county. The Hon. John W. Paul and the Hon. W. D. Pickett, Judge and Solicitor for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, rode from Columbus, GA, to West Point, GA, and across the Chattahoochee on 8 April 1833 for first Circuit Court.”

Bobby Lindsey reports that Judge Evans G. Richards left a detailed account of the proceedings. From Richards' "reminiscences":

"Both of these gentlemen [Paul and Pickett] resided in Montgomery, Alabama. They had organized courts in Macon and Russell counties and came from . . . the Georgia side of the Chattahoochee river, as there were then but few white people living on the Alabama side of the Chattahoochee above Columbus, GA. Col. C. R. Pearson, Dr. C. C. Forbes and this writer volunteered our services as an escort, and taking Chapman's trail piloted these gentlemen to the place of holding court. On our arrival at the court ground we found all the county officers present; also a very large portion of the white settlers in the county had come out to see and make acquaintance of their new Judge and solicitor, who were entire strangers to settlers in the county. The Sheriff had summoned a grand jury, who were present; and in due time court was called, Judge Paul taking a seat prepared for him under the shade of a large Oak in Capt. Taylor's yard, the Grand Jury were duly empaneled (sic), sworn and charged as required by law. They retired to the shade of another tree a short distance from the court, examined some witnesses who appeared before them and after due deliberation, returned two or three true bills into court for minor offenses, after which court adjourned for the term. As that was the first court held in the county there were no cases for trial and no use for a petit jury. There were no hotels at which a stranger could get accommodations, but Capt. Taylor had anticipated the wants of visitors and had prepared plenty of the best the country could then afford, so that every one of us who so desired, got a square meal at a moderate price. It was indeed a pleasant time to the most of us, and especially to the writer."

Including a list of members of the first Grand Jury, Lindsey reports that the first court was mostly uneventful; however, Lindsey continues by listing the following case that livened the 1834 court session the next year:

John Howard, one of the first Grand Jurors, was convicted of arson and banded from the Indian nation "for inciting the Indians." The Grand Jury foreman went to jail for being drunk; the Court Clerk went to jail for "participating in a 'Faro Bank.'" Major John Brodnax, who provided bond and security for Indians on trial that day, was himself charged a $10 fine for contempt of court, for "talking aloud in court." Peter Read, a state witness, paid a $25 fine for "intoxication . . . and [was] remanded to the custody of the sheriff." Several citizens of the new county were prosecuted for giving "spirituous liquors to Indians," including a local minister and the County Treasurer. Finally, Lindsey reveals that according to the 1834 federal Marshall "400 white liquor dealers [operated] in the Creek territory."