The brothers Forrest

[larry_cockerham]

We (the SCV) continue to work on restoration efforts for the Forrest family home located just west of Chapel Hill, Tennessee in Marshall County. While most folks associated this home with the more famous General, it was obviously occupied by a very large family including brothers who became Confederate colonels, captain and warriors in their own right.

Nathan Bedford and Frances Forrest born 13 Jul 1821 are believed to have entered this world somewhere near Holt’s Corner on the north side of present–day Chapel Hill, Tennessee in Bedford County, now Marshall County.

In 1824 when the twins were about 3 years old, William and Meriam Forrest moved their family to a small cabin and farm west of Chapel Hill on present-day Pyles Road. They remained at this location, now being restored as the Forrest Boyhood Home by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. It was home to probably seven of the Forrest children. Brothers Isaac and Bedford who both died young were born about the time of departure 1834 for a little community known as Salem in western Tippah County (now Benton) Mississippi. Ashland, Mississippi is very close to the location of the form community of Salem and became the county seat of Benton County when it was formed in 1837 three years after the arrival of the Forrest family. Sadly William Forrest passed away that year and sixteen year-old Nathan Bedford became the breadwinner and leader of his small army of siblings. In 1842, still supporting the family to a large extent, Nathan moved to Hernando, Mississippi and married Mary Montgomery in 1845.

The residency by the Forrest Family on Pyles Road extended roughly between 1824 and 1834, a ten year period filled with the patter or many little and larger feet! The simple chart below with ages of the children will give an idea of the occupants at a given year.

1824 - Nathan 3, Frances 3, John 2
1830 - Nathan 9, Frances 9, John 8, William 5, Mary 4, Aaron 2

1835 – Nathan 14, Frances 14, John 13, William 10, Mary 9, Aaron 7, Milly 4, Bedford 1, Isaac 1

(Not sure where Bedford and Issac were born, but probably Mississippi). Col. Jeffrey Forrest was born in Tippah County, Mississippi in 1837.

[samgrant]

Larry, You know so much about Forrest it's unbelievable. Are you going to write a book?

Also, as you seem to know alot about North Carolina in the war, I'd like to know what you might know about this Henry Berry Lowry (Lowrie) and the "Lowry Wars" of which I have just recently become aware of.

[larry_cockerham]

As for the 'book', TWO ARMIES ON THE SAME ROAD, some of which you've been reading in my chronology notes. I'm about three years into it, tracking a Confederate and Union ancestor through north Alabama and Tennessee with the 63rd VA / AOT and the 4th US Cav. Forrest vs Hatch for the most part. Still a bit of a work in progress, though I've picked up a Grandson's ancestor who was with the 41st TN in Cheatham's Corps. They (the 41st) received some less than desirable battle assignments at Franklin and Nashville, so this story may expand a bit. I've been away from North Carolina since 1978 so my memory is a bit fuzzy. Without doing some googling, seems like old Henry was a renegade of some sort? The Lowrey name suggest he might have been a Lumbee from the Fayetteville area? I guess my immediate answer to your question would be no, but I'll check? My own NC ancestors were 5th NC Cav CSA, captured and sent north to prison, 37th NC deserted soon as possible (very large family) and 10th US Cav who is in the book. Couple of my TN and VA ancestors were in the ANV along with two of wife's AL and GA boys, but no memory of Lowrey in the northern Virginia campaigns. I'm thinking he stayed in NC? I would have heard of him from Raleigh, probably from a Lumbee friend who now lives in Henderson, NC? The Lumbees have been trying to attain native American status for years on the story that they were the folks who captured/saved the Walter Raleigh led colony in the late 1500s.

[larry_cockerham]

Folks, please bring your yankee dollars and your good cheer to the annual fundraiser for the Forrest Boyhood home on Pyles Road just west of Chapel Hill, Tennessee this Saturday, June 23 all day. Great food, mounted re-enactors, prizes and opportunities to purchase keepsakes of untold value! Renovation of this museum and showplace takes continuing funding. The barn is next! I hope to see you there!!!

Where else can you visit a home that witnessed a lieutenant general, captain and two colonels playing in the front yard?

[richard]

I sure hope that you southern boys know how to post signs to the site and state the hours that you will be there. I would hate to drive the 300 miles and miss a turn in the road.

[larry_cockerham]

Any corrections to this draft will be greatly appreciated!


The Forrest Boyhood Home should be renamed? Perhaps the Forrest Girlhood Home or simply the Forrest Home? Many of us jump to the conclusion that this place in Marshall County, Tennessee was just the home of Lt. General Nathan Bedford Forrest. That it was, but only until he was a lad of about 13. This small farm was also the home of probably seven Forrest siblings, all the children of William Forrest and Miriam Beck Forrest.

William was a blacksmith, one of the first to enter middle Tennessee. Born in Orange County, North Carolina 6 Jul 1801 he moved with his parents to the Cumberland River valley near Gallatin, Tennessee in 1809 where they remained for about two years before moving to the Duck River area of what was then Bedford County. William married Miriam Beck about 1820 in Bedford County. She was the daughter of Scotish parents who had moved to Caney Springs in 1796 from South Carolina. The young couple made their home briefly in the little community of Chapel Hill near Holts Crossing on the north side of present-day Chapel Hill. It was in this little town that their first children, twins Nathan Bedford and Frances were born on 13 July 1821.

By 1823 a move was made westward a couple of miles to the existing home on Pyles Road. There has been speculation that the small cabin in which the twins were born may have also made the trek west and become the one-story room that is the western portion of the present building. Further analysis of the logs in the old barn on the property may prove that this barn was built or at least used by William Forrest to operate his blacksmith business or at least shelter some horses. It’s obvious from the very firm soil around the Forrest Home that farming would have been a secondary occupation at best. The large stream a couple of miles south was completely dry during the weekend of the recent June fundraiser. Crops or large herds of animals would have suffered in this climate.

As William and Miriam Forrest and twins Nathan Bedford and Frances moved into their new home, William quickly went to work building his business and his family. Many famous Forrests were born at the Pyles Road residence and spent most of their childhood there.

Son John Forrest arrived in 1822. He was to serve has nation in the Mexican war where he was paralyzed in his legs. He became a gambler in Memphis and worked as a jailer and clerked for his brother Bedford. John Forrest died in 1876 near Dresden, Tennessee? He claimed the Pyles Road residence as his boyhood home for about twelve years.

Son William Hezekiah Forrest arrived in this world in 1825. His claim to the residence as his boyhood home covered nine years. William as an adult ran slave businesses in St. Louis and Vicksburg, buying slaves from brother Aaron before resale. Their company was called Forrest and Maples. William had a home in Memphis and joined the Confederate Army 13 Jul 1861, rising to the rank of Captain. He was wounded 30 Apr 1863 in a charge against Col. Abel D. Streight at the battle of Sand Mountain in Days Gap, Alabama. William died in 1871.

Daughter Mary Forrest was born in 1826. She died at a relatively young age sometime after 1837. Her stay at the Pyles Road residence would have covered about eight years, making her claim to a Girlhood Home!

Son Aaron Forrest was born in 1828. He claimed the boyhood home for six years! He owned A.H. Forrest and Company in Vicksburg, Mississippi by 1858, having worked with his brothers in the slave trade. The business closed about 1860. He served the CSA as Captain of the 6th Mississippi Battalion of State Troops. He became ill with pneumonia while commanding an expedition near Paducah, Kentucky in the spring of 1864 and died near Dresden, Tennessee.

Son Jesse Anderson Forrest came into the world 8 Apr 1829. His claim to the boyhood home lasted for about five years! Before the war, he was in the slave trade with his brothers in Memphis. Jesse was Lt. Colonel of the 20th Tennessee Regiment. He served vallantly in Mississippi before joining the AOT in the Tennessee campaign and helping to fight the rear guard action on the retreat. After the war, he ran a livery stable in Memphis for several years. He died 14 Dec 1890 leaving a daughter Sally.

Daughter Milly Forrest was born about 1831 and died young after 1837. Another claim to a girlhood home, she would have lived there about three years!

Twin Sons Isaac Forrest and Bedford Forrest were born about 1834. This is near the time of the family’s move to Mississippi. The twins died at a young age. It may be these two boys who are buried at the Pyles Road residence. More research is needed.

From their porch on Pyles Road, William and Miriam Forrest could have seen a Mexican War soldier, two future Captains, a future Lt. Colonel, and a future Lt. General at play in the rocky yard. In 1834, the family pulled up stakes and moved westward to better land in west Tippah County, Mississippi in a little community, now extinct, that was incorporated as the town of Salem on 11 May 1837.

A son Jeffrey E. Forrest, who was to die in his brother Nathan’s arms after being wounded at the battle of Okalona, Mississippi 22 Feb 1864, was born in Salem in 1837, just four months after the untimely death of his father, William. He managed a livery stable in Memphis prior to the war. Jeffrey was a Captain of the 7th Tennessee at Ft. Donalson. and was Colonel of the 8th Tennessee Cavalry. He was shot through both thighs at Bears Creek, Mississippi Oct 1863.

The Forrest family was a remarkable, tough part of the history of Tennessee and Mississippi who gave far more than their share of blood and effort in the American Civil War.

[custersluck13]

Larry

TY so much for that info...next to my boy Custer, NBF is my 2nd most researched personality. I knew some of the things of his brothers, but you definitly enlightened me to more! Well done! Leigh aka Custersluck13

[larry_cockerham]

From Michael Bradley's FORREST'S ESCORT AND STAFF

Charles Anderson wrote this account of a visit to the general in 1877:

"When the stage arrived, I found the General waiting for me. As I waited for ladies to alight, Gen. Forrest went to the opposite side of the coach, gave me a heartly handshake, and expressed his pleasure at my visit. There was a mildness in his manner, a softness of expression, and a gentleness in his words that appeared to me strange and unnatural. At first I thought his bad health had brought about this change, but when I remembered that when sick or wounded he was the most restless and impatient man I ever saw.

Soon I told him that there was something about him that I couldn't understand, the he didn't appear to me to be the same man I used to know so well. He was silent for a moment, then seemed to divine my trouble, and halting suddenly, he took hold of the lapel of my coat and turned me squarely in front of him, and raising his right hand with that long index finger (his emphasizer) extended, he said, "Major, I am not the man you were with so long and knew so well - I hope I am a better man. I've joined the Church and am trying to live a Christian life." Said I, "General, that's it, and you are indebted to 'Old Mistess' (as we called Mrs. Forrest), and to no one else, for this great change." "Yes, you are right." he replied, "Mary had prayed for me night and day for many years, and I feel now that through her prayers my life has been spared, and to them am I indebted for passing safely through so many dangers." (CV 5:387).

The power of prayer?

[custersluck13]

Larry C.....Naw, the man was still a *** kicker from the start! Great story! Really! Makes him all the more real......custersluck13

[Susan Sweet]

Sam there is a book called Between Two Fires: American Indians in the Civil War . It has a chapter on the Lowry Wars Author is Hauptman .

Susan