James Forrest Family
Meigs County, Ohio and Ozark County, Missouri

James Forrest of Virginia

James Forrest was born about 1782 in Virginia. The exact location is still unknown. His father was John Forrest who was born about 1762.  Location unknown.  John died 19 Dec 1829 in Meigs County, Ohio.  James's mother may have been Catherine.  Her maiden name is unknown.  John married after James' mother death to Lydia Resina Carpenter in 1805.  The first place James is found is on the 1800 Botetourt County Upper District Tax List. He owned land in Virginia, Ohio and Missouri. By 1807 in Ohio, he and his first wife Mazy along with his father, John Forrest, left Virginia and migrated to Ohio. In 1815 he bought land in Gallia County, Ohio and in 1820 had moved to Meigs County. James and Mazy were members of the Freewill Baptist Church of Christ in Rutlands, Meigs County, OH per the Record of Proceedings in Leading Creek, Gallia County. Elias Steadman is listed as an elder of the Church on 19 January, 1811. By 1830 James and his second wife, Freelove, were in Seacy County AR where their first son Samuel was born. James' first marriage ended when he and Freelove left Meigs County, possibly by the urging of the local sheriff. Mazy filed a court action on June 16 against James Forrest of Arkansas Territory and later filed another action against the estate of James' father John's estate. In the the action against John's estate tends to confirm the allegation in the divorce petetion that James did descend down the Ohio River to his ultimate destination on the Little North Fork of the White River in Ozark County, Missouri. Mazy was granted a divorce in November of 1831. In 1832 James and Freelove were on the move again. Their second son Robert was born in Saline, Illinois. (Note: There is a Hannah (Forrest) Sloan living in Saline Co. IL 1840 &1850. May be a connection. A marriage of a Hannah Forrest and James Sloan is listed in Botetourt Co VA with James Forrest as surety. Hannah may be a sister to James.) Then in 1834 Elias Stedman Forest was born in Searcy County, Arkansas. The next year their first daughter Sarah was born in Ozark County, Missouri. In 1840 James is found on the Taney County, Missouri census living in North Fork Township. Per his stepson, Philander Snow, James bought land that same year from Moses Craft. By 1846 James purchased land in Ozark County, Missouri. The 1850 census lists James as a farmer and owns real estate worth . He lived in Ozark County until his death in the 1860s. James may be buried in the Baker Cemetery in Ozark County, Missouri.

Thumb through the Family Album - under construction

Family Reunion

At the current time no reunions are scheduled. 

Forrest Family Myths

For a number of years it has been believed that the famous Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest was the brother of James' father John. After extensive research this is not the case. If we are kin to Nathan it is futher back then John's generation.

 Currently there is a theory that James' father John was a son of Shadrack Forrest.  There is NO proof of this whatsoever. 

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