Sacred to the memory of Alexander FORBES, formerly of Cuttlebrae in the parish of Rathven, late of Dytach and Bogton in this parish, who departed this life on the 11 April 1842 aged 92 years, and of Cecilia WILKIE his wife who died on the 20 July 1831 in the 80th year of her age. Their bodies are here deposited and this stone is erected by their surviving children Alexander, Merchant of Tepic in Mexico; John, Physician in London, Elspet and Anne, in commemoration of their worth and virtues of most loving parents and as a lasting token of filial reverence, affection and gratitude. AD MDCCCXLVIII; and
Sacred to the memory of James FORBES, late Farmer, Bogtown, who died 20 January 1822 aged 42 years much and justly regretted. This as a tribute of respect erected by Alexander FORBES and Cecilia WILKIE, his parents.
The above was provide me by Alan Davidson of Fordyce. Hopefully I will have some photos to post which he is sending.
For researchers and descendants who are working this line there seems to be some confusion over the relationship of James Alonzo Forbes and his son James Alexander Forbes to Cecilia and Alexander. Several researchers (and descendants) claim a link suggesting that James Alonzo Forbes is the brother of Alexander Forbes.
This a complete myth according to all my research and information and flows from a letter written by James' Alonzo Forbes son, James Alexander Forbes, (1805-1881) ( a notorious embellisher of the truth and con man) who was trying to improve his standing by claiming to be the cousin of Sir John Forbes (1787-1861) (physician to Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's husband). J A Forbes was ex Inverness (according to info I have sighted and was allegedly a professor of Glasgow University-unproven) and there is no information which shows he was born in Banffshire or related to Sir Jame's father, Alexander or mother Cecilia Wilkie.
I have seen forum posts from descendants of James Alexander Forbes who claim kinship with Alexander and Cecilia claerly based on the falsehood of a letter.
I would refer researchers to :
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/30403519/James-Alexander-Forbes-The-Mischief-Making-Renaissance-Manfor info on J A Forbes and detail regarding his exploits.
Also, for researchers of James Alexander Forbes I came across this whilst doing some online research:
I [William Heath Davis] am indebted to Mr. James Alexander Forbes, Jr., for the following list of arrivals and vessels of California ports from 1774 to 1847. Mr. Forbes for years occupied the post of official government translator and keeper of the Spanish and Mexican archives in the United States surveyor-general's office for the district of California; without his aid I could not have obtained any data concerning the earlier shipping.
He was the son of the well-known pioneer James A. Forbes, who during his lifetime was esteemed and respected by all who had social and business relations with him. J. A. Forbes, Jr., was educated in Santa Clara College and, being a master of several languages, obtained the position of official translator of the laws of California in the years 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870; he had the reputation of being the most accurate translator and fluent interpreter in the state.
His father came to California in the year 1829; he was British vice-consul for many years. He married a native California lady of Castilian descent. He was a highly educated gentleman speaking the English, Spanish, and French languages with great accuracy and fluency; it was very entertaining and instructive to listen to his conversation. During his consulate his official acts gave satisfaction to his government, and his private life was irreproachable. His death occurred in 1881, at the ripe age of 79 years; he left a family of ten children.
Source:http://www.sfgenealogy.com/sf/history/hb75yap6.htm
I am unsure of the original source which requires verification obviously...
Source: Davis, William Heath. Seventy-five Years in San Francisco. 1929: San Francisco.
