Biographical Sketch of James Forrest, Wright County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, 
Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing
Company, 1889.
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James Forrest, proprietor of the Forrest Hotel at Harville, Mo., and a
genial, pleasant gentleman, was born in Greene County, Ark., February
3, 1835, being the son of John and Catherine (Sanders) Forrest, both
natives of Tennessee.  The father was born in 1811, and was one of the
pioneers of Wright County, Mo.  He was married in Greene County, Ark.,
and lived there for about thirteen years, when he came to Wright County
on October 15, 1847.  He was a farmer by occupation, and died in the 
year 1861.  To his marriage were born eleven children, four now living,
James being the eldest.  Catherine Forrest was born in 1813 and died in
1882.  The paternal grandfather, James Forrest, moved from North Caro-
lina to Tennessee, and was a farmer by occupation.  He died in Tenn.,
in 1861.  The maternal grandfather and grandmother came to Missouri 
from Tennessee, and died in Wright County, the latter at the age of 
over one hundred years.  James Forrest (subject) was educated in the
common schools and at Mountain Grove.  He spent the years 1859 and 1860
in Texas, after which he returned to Missouri, and in 1863 went to
Illinois, where he spent over a year.  He returned to Wright County,
Mo., in 1864and on September 29 of that year he was united in marriage
to Miss Martha Ritchey, who was born in Indiana in 18409, and who bore
him six children: Mary, wife of Edward Templeton; John W., Norah,
Manda and Thula.  William B. died when an infant.  Previous to his
marriage Mr. Forrest received the appointment of deputy county circcit
clerk, and held this position until January, 1867.  In the fall of 1866
he was elected judge of the probate court and ex-officio presiding
judge of county court, holding the position four years, when he was
appointed and served nine months more.  In 1874 he was elected clerk of 
the county court, and was re-elected in 1878.  After this he was again
appointed judge of probate court and served his time out.  He then re-
tired, after sixteen years and five months of public service.  After
serving out his long period of clerkship he retired to his farm, and
devoted five years to agricultural pursuits.  He has 300 acres of land,
and besides this he has town property.  He has for the last three years
been keeping hotel in connection with his farming interests.  In his
political views Mr. Forrest has alwasy been an uncompromising Democrat;
has stumped the county for the Democracy, and, notwithstanding the vast
Republican majority, has held his share of public trusts.  He is a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a prominent citizen.

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