James FORREST (c1740-Unknown)

James FORREST (called James The Mariner here to distinguish him from his father) was born sometime between 1740 and 1760, the son of James FORREST "The Farmer". Much of what is known about him is contained in the following family story told by his great granddaughter Margaret Forrest (1882-1961)in the early 1900s: "My great, great grandfather James Forrest was a farmer near Bathgate. My great grandfather was brought up by his uncle the minister of Inverkeithing (Dr. Johnstone's great grandfather). As his father had such a bad temper his mother on her death bed told him he was not to strike him, so he used to throw his stick at him. The stick is a very fine Malacca cane, we have it, but there is no James Forrest to get it. Then my great grandfather became a sailor and was taken prisoner by the French on the Gold Coast. He came home with gold which was made into a watch which my aunts have. It does not go very well, the works being done. He was married twice, the first family have all disappeared. He married a Liverpool lady, a Miss Hutton who was a great beauty and who came to live in Stirling. They went to Alloa to get a ship for James his eldest son who was a sailor. He fell from the mast and hurt himself and died young. They then went to Stirling and bought Whinfield."

James appears to have settled on a career as a mariner early in life. He sailed out of Liverpool, Lanarkshire and also Alloa, Clackmannanshire

On 6 Jan 1787, at Our Lady and St. Nicholas Church, Liverpool, James Forrest, mariner of Liverpool, married Margaret Hutton, spinster of Liverpool (microfilm of parish record). For the preceding and following entries, the groom is also described as a mariner. Known as the sailors' church, Our Lady and St Nicholas has been a presence in the city since its establishment as a chapel in the 14th century. Following a plague in the town, it was consecrated in 1362.

(Under construction by Robert Forrest 18 Mar 20009)