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Below is a family biography included in The History of Wright County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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James Forrest, proprietor of the Forrest Hotel at Hartville, 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, 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 Carolina to Tennessee, and was a farmer by occupation. He died in Tennessee 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 1864, and on September 29 of that year he was united in marriage to Miss Martha Ritchey, who was born in Indiana in 1840, 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 circuit 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 retired, 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 interest. In his political views Mr. Forrest has always 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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This family biography is one of 90 biographies included in The History of Wright County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Wright County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Wright County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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