William FORREST (c1690-c1760)

The earliest that the FORREST line can currently be traced back to is the late 17th Century with WILLIAM FORREST of Grange, or Overgrange, in West Calder, Midlothian, who was likely to be born circa 1690.

West Calder was described in the early 19th Century as “a Parish of Scotland, in Midlothian, 10 miles long, and 5½ broad; bounded on the south by the Cairn hills, and on the north by the Briech, a river which runs into the Almond, at the north east point of the parish. The south part, adjacent to the parishes of Carnwath and Dunsyre, consists of high moorish grounds, interspersed with large marines, and divided into 15 sheep farms which feed about 6000 sheep annually, besides horses. The soil of the arable parts is a black molly earth, or a wet clay on a till bottom. The height is from 450 to 700 feet above the sea level. From this and its vicinity to the Cairn hills, the climate is cold and moist. Agriculture is but little improved. Oats, potatoes, barley, flax, rye-grass, peas, and turnips are the usual crops. The population, in 1798, was 1289 a decrease of 5 since 1755. In the south part of the parish, there are relics of an ancient castle fortified by Oliver Cromwell. Coals and limestone abound, but the former are not wrought, though the proprietor is intending to work them. The inhabitants are very decent, sober, and industrious, quite free from the vices of the metropolis, though so near it.”

The West Calder Old Parochial Records do not give the mother’s name for any of William’s children, and no wills can be found for him that would have provided further information. The records do however show that he had two sons and two daughters as follows,

i. Elizabeth, born at Grange, West Calder, Midlothian and baptised on the 24th May 1713.

ii. James, born at Grange, West Calder, Midlothian and baptised on the 8th May 1715.

James was a farmer in Wester Hairburnhead (or Harburnhead), West Calder, Midlothian. The Kirk Session minutes record a petition from the Elders and several others in the Parish of West Calder to the Presbytery “That your petitioners were greatly concerned to hear the issue of a late process referred by the Session of this Parish in your Presbytery about James Forrest in Westerhairburnhead, who had given great offence to this Congregation and to several others in the neighbourhood thereof by bleeding six or seven horses on the Lords day without any evident necessity which example was followed by another the very next Sabbath giving them phiseck [medicine] ” .

Official records for James’ wife and children cannot be found, however family stories tell that James had a son who was brought up by his uncle Rev David Forrest. James had a bad temper and used to beat his son with a Malacca cane but his wife, on her deathbed, told him to strike him no more; however he threw the stick at his son instead. The son,

1. Captain James, was a sailor who, according to the family stories, was taken prisoner by the French on the Gold Coast. He married on the 6th Jan 1787 at The Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, Liverpool, Lancashire, Margaret Peggy HUTTON, born 1761.

iii. Jean, born at Overgrange, West Calder, Midlothian and baptised on the 12th October 1722 .

iv. DAVID, whom we follow