BIO: Thomas FORSTER, Dauphin County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JAWB

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm
_______________________________________________________________ 

Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, 
Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the 
Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: 
J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, page 189.
_______________________________________________________________ 

  FORSTER, THOMAS, son of John Forster, was born May 16, 1762, in 
Paxtang township, Lancaster, now Dauphin county, Pa.; died June 29, 
1836, at Erie, Pa.  He received a good education, and was brought up as 
a surveyor.  In the Revolutionary struggle he was a private in Capt. 
John Reed's company in the summer of 1776, in active service during the 
Jersey campaign of that year.  In 1794, during the so-called Whiskey 
Insurrection, he served as colonel of one of the volunteer regiments on 
that expedition.  He was one of the associate judges of Dauphin county, 
appointed October 26, 1793, by Governor Mifflin, resigning December 3, 
1798, having been elected one of the representatives of the State 
Legislature that year.  At the close of 1799 or early in 1800, as the 
agent of the Harrisburg and Presqu' Isle Land Company, he permanently 
removed to Erie.  In the affairs incident to the early settlement of 
that town and the organization of that county, he took a prominent 
part.  He was one of the first street commissioners of the town, 
president of the Erie and Waterford Turnpike Company, one of the 
directors of the first library company and its librarian and captain of 
the first military company formed at Erie, and which in 1812 was in 
service at Buffalo, Captain Forster being promoted brigade inspector.  
In 1823 he was appointed by Governor Shulze one of the commissioners to 
explore the route for the Erie extension of the Pennsylvania canal, and 
in 1827 was chairman of the meeting organizing St. Paul's Episcopal 
church.  In 1799 he was appointed by President Adams collector of the 
port at Erie, and successively commissioned by Presidents Jefferson, 
Madison, J. Q. Adams and Jackson, filling the office until his death.  
Colonel Forster married, October 5, 1786, Sarah Pettit Montgomery, born 
July, 1766, at Georgetown, Kent county, Md.; died July 27, 1808, at 
Erie, Pa.; daughter of Rev. Joseph Montgomery and Elizabeth Reed.