Alonzo Forbes Biography, Genesee County, Michigan

This Biography extracted from “Portrait and Biographical Record of 
Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan…”, published be Chapman 
Bros., Chicago (1892), p. 961


This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives.


************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************




ALONZO FORBES. Born at a time and in a class of life to which the 
luxuries of existence were unknown, and where there seemed but -small 
prospect of accumulating any large amount of wealth, our subject early 
made a determination that he would land as near the top rung of the 
ladder of success as push, perseverance and pluck would take him, and 
to-day after years of effort and enterprise he can confidently say that 
he has fulfilled his youthful intention and that he has been the 
architect of his own fortunes. Mr. Forbes was born in Penfield N. Y., 
April 30, 1829. He is a son of Jefferson and Mary (Roseobough) Forbes. 
The former was a carpenter. He emigrated: to Michigan in 1824 and 
located in Shelby, Macomb County, and worked at his trade; he died in 
1840, his wife having preceded him by five years.

   Our subject is the elder of two children, both of whom are living. 
He received a liberal education and began working out at the age of 
twelve years receiving a shilling a day for his labor and later rising 
in the value of his services to $4 per month. He worked in this way for 
about five years and then began buying cattle and butchering in 
Sterling, Macomb County and continued in this business for fifteen 
years. In the meantime he purchased a farm which he improved and bought 
and sold land to quite a considerable extent.

   Mr. Forbes came to Fenton about 1876 and engaged in pork-packing for 
about two years. He then launched into the clothing business, in which 
he has since continued. He occupies in his business a two and half 
story brick building of which he is the owner and carries a complete 
line of ready-made clothing, which finds a ready sale.

   Our subject was married in 1856, his bride being Miss Mary J. 
Aldrich, of Sterling, Macomb County. They have become the parents of 
one child, Mariam G. He of whom we write is a Republican in politics. 
For many years he has dealt, extensively in wool, his experience in 
this direction embracing twenty-seven years and during the past year he 
has handled one hundred and thirty thousand pounds of wool. As his 
mother's de-cease occurred when the lad was but five years of age and 
his father's when he was but eleven, the boy was thrown at a very early 
age upon his own resources. Doubtless the responsibility that was 
forced upon him was not without its good effect, for he has proved to 
be a man who is equal to any emergency.




j