Find A Record
  Cemetery Layout
  Directions
  Contact Information
  History
  Photographs
  Sources
  Resource Links
  Home
   

Start a new search by LAST NAME:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Mt. Hope Pioneer Cemetery ~ Blair Forward
Print Friendly Version
Forward, Blair
LAST: Forward FIRST: Blair MID: 
GENDER: M MAIDEN NAME:  TITLE: 
BORN: Oct 1833 DIED: 6 Feb 1896 BURIED: 13 Feb 1896
OCCUPATION:  Farmer
BIRTH PLACE:  Pennsylvania
DEATH PLACE: Marion Co., Oregon
NOTES: 
1860 OR CENSUS - B. Forward, age 36, b. Pennsylvania, is enumerated in the home of E. F. Colby, age 49, farmer, b. New Hampshire, and M. M. Colby, age 53, b. New Hampshire, along with their daughter F. A., age 18, b. Ohio;
MARRIAGE - "Blair Forward & Miss Frances Colby, m 3 Apr 1862, Milton Shannon, Judge. Wit: Calvin Gerr & Warren Cransten #565 pg 176"
1880 OR CENSUS - Blair Forward, age 46, farmer, b. Pennsylvania, is enumerated with wife F. A., age 38, b. Ohio, along with Allen, E., age 13, Chancy, age 10, Frank B., age 5, Amy C., age 1, all born in Oregon. Also enumerated with the family is Lizzie Borgli, identified as servant, age 16, b. Switzerland.
BIOGRAPHICAL:
"Blair Forward states that his Waldo Hills coal mine improves as the workmen progress. He is confident that the mine will prove practicably inexaustable and the coal of a fine quality. Seff. Stormer and other neighbors are confident that they too, have coal fields on their places and next spring many shafts will be sunk in the countyr around the Forward place".
Woodburn Independent 20 Jan 1892
"Monday the Salem Gaslight Co., made a test of a Marion county coal im making gas. In one retort was placed 290 pounds of coal from the Blair Forward mine. This was hardly a fair sample of the coal, however, being dirty and not selected with care. In spite of this it made 900 feet of gas. The gas was of fine quality, even though no shale was mixed with the coal to enrich the gas. The flame was a trifle blue, that was the worst objection. The same number of pounds of Sydney coal would make 1200 feet of gas. Mr. McClane considered this a satisfactory test, inasmuch as the coal tried was surface coal. It cooked fairly well and is free from sulfur. He thinks that when the mine is developed the coal will be good for gas purposes. That triad was only forty-five feet under ground when mined, and if there are good veins lower down it is likely good gas coal".
Woodburn Independent 30 Jan 1892
"The Forward coal mine is undoubtedly a success. Mr. Forward has bonded his farm for 90 days at $100 an acre, with a royalty of ten cents on each ton of coal mined. The road bed of the swich which was laid from East Side Juntion past McCallister's mill, is in good condition and goes to within a short distance of the mines. It will not cost much to lay the ties and rails and put the switch in good working order clear to the mines. Salem men talk about a motor line to the mines in only real estate booms, for Salem could consume only a small portion of the coal. All of the coal will pass through Woodburn. In other words, Woodburn will have a direct line to the mines and Woodburn merchants will supply the miners".
Woodburn Independent 30 Jan 1892
OBITUARY: 
Tribute to the Dead – Blair Forward, A Pioneer, Passes Away – Word came to the city yesterday that Blair Forward, who has been ill several weeks at his home twelve miles east of Salem, had died the previous afternoon and there was general sorrow among the many who have known him during all the years of his residence in Oregon, as well as among the later arrivals in the state who had the pleasure of his acquaintance.
Blair Forward was born in Pennsylvania in October 1833 and was a member of a prominent family of the Keystone state. His sister became the wife of Jeremiah Black, the famous lawyer and politician; one of his brothers is a noted physician in Pennsylvania and another brother, who was a graduate of West Point, is an influential citizen of California.
The subject of this sketch came to Oregon by way of the Isthmus of Panama in 1852 and has been a resident of Oregon since that time. Later, he married a daughter of E.F. Colby, an honored pioneer, and their five children are still living, all single except the wife of John Dinsmore, near Silverton. Mr. Forward was elected sheriff of this county in 1882 as a Democrat, his general disposition and his many amiable personal qualities overcoming political opposition.
A prominent citizen who has been a close neighbor and intimate friend of the deceased for several years said to a Statesman reporter yesterday that Blair Forward was one of the brightest brained, quickest witted men he ever knew, that he was a square, honest man and a most generous neighbor and friend, his generosity being perhaps at all times on the unsafe side of the cautiously selfish line.
Statesman [uncited newspaper clipping]
Obituary – Blair Forward, died at his home twelve miles east of Salem Wednesday afternoon February 5. There was a general sorrow among the many who have known him during all the years of his residence in Oregon.
Blair Forward was born in Pennsylvania in October 1833 and was a member of a prominent family of the Keystone state. His sister became the wife of Jeremiah Black, the famous lawyer and politician; one of his brothers is a noted physician in Pennsylvania and another brother, who was a graduate of West Point, is an influential citizen of California.
The subject of this sketch came to Oregon by way of the Isthmus of Panama in 1852 and has been a resident of Oregon since that time. Later, he married a daughter of E.F. Colby, an honored pioneer, and their five children are still living, all single except the wife of John Dinsmore, near Silverton. Mr. Forward was elected sheriff of this county in 1882 as a Democrat, his general disposition and his many amiable personal qualities overcoming political opposition.
The funeral took place this afternoon at 1 o’clock from the homestead, and the remains were interred in the Henry Warren Cemetery.
Weekly Capital Journal 13 Feb 1896 10:5
INSCRIPTION: 
No marker as of Sept. 2004
SOURCES: 
Hellie, Mader & Rickey
1860 OR CENSUS (Marion Co., Sublimity, FA #2805)
Marion Co., Oregon Marriage Records 1849-1871, VOL. I, pg 33
1880 OR CENSUS (Marion Co., Silver Creek, ED 85, pg 117B
WI 20 Jan 1892
WI 30 Jan 1892
WI 13 Feb 1892
WCJ 13 Feb 1896 10:5
SECTION: A LOT:   
 
 

Home |  Find a Record |  Cemetery Layout |  Directions |  Contact Information
History |  Photographs |  Sources |  Resource Links
Marion County Cemeteries Home Page |  Polk County Cemeteries Home Page |  Copyright/Terms of Use