James Alexander Forbes

Brief Life History of James Alexander

When James Alexander Forbes was born on 25 September 1876, in Eureka, Humboldt, California, United States, his father, John Daniel Forbes, was 32 and his mother, Mary Jane McCall, was 31. He married Ada May Butler on 23 February 1901, in Salt Lake, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 daughter. He lived in Salt Lake, Utah, United States in 1910 and Bingham Canyon, Salt Lake, Utah, United States in 1920. He died on 4 February 1932, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States, at the age of 55, and was buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States.

Photos and Memories (2)

Do you know James Alexander? Do you have a story about him that you would like to share? Sign In or Create a FREE Account

Family Time Line

James Alexander Forbes
1876–1932
Ada May Butler
1877–1961
Marriage: 23 February 1901
Mary Jane Forbes
1916–

Sources (19)

  • James A Forbs in household of John D Forbs, "United States Census, 1880"
  • Legacy NFS Source: James A. Forbes - Published information: birth-name: James Alexander Forbes
  • James A. Forbes, "Utah, County Marriages, 1887-1940"

Spouse and Children

World Events (8)

1881 · The Assassination of James Garfield

Garfield was shot twice by Charles J. Guitea at Railroad Station in Washington, D.C. on July 2, 1881. After eleven weeks of intensive and other care Garfield died in Elberon, New Jersey, the second of four presidents to be assassinated, following Abraham Lincoln.

1882 · The Chinese Exclusion Act

A federal law prohibiting all immigration of Chinese laborers. The Act was the first law to prevent all members of a national group from immigrating to the United States.

1891 · Angel Island Serves as Quarantine Station

Angel Island served as a quarantine station for those diagnosed with bubonic plague beginning in 1891. A quarantine station was built on the island which was funded by the federal government at the cost of $98,000. The disease spread to port cities around the world, including the San Francisco Bay Area, during the third bubonic plague pandemic, which lasted through 1909.

Name Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from Forbes in Tullynessle, Aberdeenshire, so named from Gaelic forba ‘field, district’ + the locative suffix -ais. The placename is pronounced in two syllables, with the stress on the second, and the surname until recently reflected this. Today, however, it is generally a monosyllable.

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Firbhisigh ‘son of Fearbhisigh’, a personal name composed of elements meaning ‘man’ + ‘prosperity’.

History: A family of this name (see 2 above) in Connacht was famous for its traditional historians, compilers of the Book of Lecan.

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

Possible Related Names

Discover Even More

As a nonprofit, we offer free help to those looking to learn the details of their family story.

Create a FREE Account

Search for Another Deceased Ancestor

Share this with your family and friends.