Notes:

Please note that in this particular family, the christening dates occur in groupings and are not likely to coincide with the children's birth dates. One christening occurs 9 days before the christening of his son Christopher. Thomas Forte, a negro slave, property of Doctor Samuel Forte, was christened 21 June 1789 in St. Thomas Parish. (F-221) Samuel Forte's title was Esquire of Fortevilla, Barbados.

Doctor Samuel Forte is listed as having served as a representative in the House of Assembly for St. Thomas from the years 1787 till 1803. His brothers are listed as younger brother Nathaniel who was Speaker of the House of Assembly sometime in the early 1830's, and Christopher Forte, Esq. who died in 1830 in St. James Parish. It is interesting to note that Emancipation of the slaves took place in Barbados in 1833 while Nathaniel was speaker of the house. (F-189)

In Barbados deed records show Samuel Forte, Doctor, deeded 38 acres bounded by lands of Mrs. Chick, Matthew Johnson Seale, Galniel Reeves of St Thomas to Christopher Forte, Doctor and Surgeon. (F-255) Vol. 263, p. 413. A video tape of this deed is in the custody of Linda Coate Dudick.

Dr. Samuel Forte also left a will that is in the custody of the Archives in Barbados. It is here transcribed. "Barbados: This is the last will and testament of me Samuel Forte of the Parish of Saint Michael in the island above said named this twenty-ninth day of November One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty Four. I direct that my just debts and funeral expenses may be fully paid and satisfied. I give and bequeath to my two grand daughters Mary Forte Millard and Caroline Anna Millard (children of my daughter Sarah Millard) all my right title and interest in and to my apprenticed labourers, John, Jack Duke, John Richard, Betty Dick and Rachael together with all my plate household stuff and furniture and all other my property, real and personal to be equally divided between them share and share alike, and in case of the death of either of them, I give the whole to the survivor and her heirs. It is my will and desire that my apprenticed labourer Hannah shall be discharged from her apprenticeship and set free from all kind of servitude. I do hereby nominate and appoint my brother Nathaniel Forte and my son-in-law John Millard Executors of this my Will revoking and making void any and all former will or wills by me at any time here to for made. In testimony whereof I have affixed my hand and seal the day and year above written." (Probated on Feb. 5th 1840) (F-191) (Note that his son Christopher, died shortly before the writing of this will)

Descendants of this Samuel and Jane moved to Cape Colony in South Africa. (F-462) There is a possibility that Samuel married three times, as there are two other marriage records to Samuel's that are unconnected. Samuel Forte to Susanna Carmichaell on Mar. 17, 1791 in St. Thomas Parish and to Elizabeth Williams on July 30, 1822 in St. Michaels Parish. (F-224) This would fit the Samuel's places of residence and dates. The will has no wife listed, so it doesn't discount it.

There is an interesting story that occurred to another young Samuel Forte who was living in Barbados at the time. At an election party, a young soldier, Lieutenant John Cage was, in jest, hit on the back by a Mr. Samuel Forte. A fight followed. Lieutenant Cage was not forgiving and demanded that a duel be held in lieu of an apology. Mr. Forte of "good family and high social position" accepted the duel and shot Cage dead. When the military tried to arrest him, he was taken into hiding by "Aunt Peg" of General William's family at the Welchman Hall plantation. He is said to have escaped the island after receiving "Aunt Peg's" help and lived the rest of his life abroad. This particular story coined the phrase "AS DEAD AS CAGE". (F-162)

Esq. married Jane NEBLETT on 8 Jun 1787 in St. Thomas Parish, , Barbados. Jane (daughter of Esq. Unknown NEBLETT) was born about 1770; died before 1834. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Possible great grandparents or grandparents of Jane Neblett are John and Jane Halford Neblett or William Neblett, all listed in Jane Halford's mother and William Neblett's grandmother, Mary Halford's will, proved 27 Aug. 1718 in St. Thomas Parish, Barbados. (F-163)

From early Deed index's we find a Robert Nesbitt purchasing land in 1640, a William Neblett in 1693 and a William Neblett in 1704. I did not have time to look these up when in Barbados. (F-251) These William Nebletts are probably one and the same. They are likely the William who in St. James Parish left a will in Oct. 1713 naming sons John, Thomas, Henry, Samuel and Benjamin, all of age. Any of these sons could be ancestors of our Jane Neblett.

There is another William Neblett alive in 1714 that is married to Mary Wattkins and is young enough to take over the care of Mary's brother's children at his early death. (F-163) Previous research has suggested that Jane died before 1834. However, Claude James Forte's lineage which is quite accurate gives her death date as 1839. I personally believe that to be her husband's death date instead at this point in time. (F-604)

Notes:

The origins of this family in England might be Clifton, Bristol, Gloucester, England. I theorize this because Christopher's great-grandson, Nathaniel, son of Nathaniel and Arabella Millard, returned to live in Clifton along with multiple siblings. It was known as Clifstone in the Doomsday Book which needs checked for Forte ancestors. The surname has been suggested to have been Fortesque or Fortibus previous to their departure to Barbados for political necessities.

Christopher, (b.1712) did have a son named Christopher. This Christopher's birthday or christening have not been able to be located. He was the 3rd son of Christopher. (F-194, F-205) Notice that the names Christopher and Samuel are in all 7 generations in Barbados if this line is the correct one. In fact, it supports the truth of this lineage.

Both Christopher and Elizabeth died in a hurricane in Barbados in 1780. At least 79 persons died in that hurricane. However, he is not amongst the listing of burials in that year. (F-604)

An article in the Advocate Magazine dated Jan. 21, 1979 in Barbados implies that the Forte family was one related branch that was in Barbados from early times. It mentions several plantation houses that the Forte Family owned. The Forte Family owned Haynes Hill Plantation, St. John's Parish in 1700 on which a tomb still exists inscribed "Within this wall are interred the remains of Samuel Forte 1711 and his wife Ursula 1700 and many members of the Forte family." (When Jim and I visited the Haynes Hill House in 1990, we saw the tomb, and learned that the house now standing had been built in 1831 after the original house the Forte's had lived in was destroyed in a hurricane.) The "Fort" family is listed as possessing land in the area of Haynes Hill House on maps in 1729 and 1794. The Forte family (A Mr. T. or J. Forte) purchased the Bennett mansion about 1831 (possibly due to the hurricane??) in St. Thomas Parish.

This early Forte family was also highly involved in the government. Lt. Col. Samuel Forte was a representative in St. John's Parish House of Assembly from 1715-1719, 1721 and 1723-1727. (This is probably Samuel Forte Jr., son of the original Samuel Forte, Sr. who is buried on Haynes Hill). From 1787 to 1803, Dr. Samuel Forte of St. Thomas represented St. Thomas in the House of Assembly. His brother Nathaniel represented it from 1831 to 1836, as Speaker of the Assembly. Two William Forte's represented it between those times. (F-193)

Christopher married Elizabeth WEEKES on 27 Oct 1764 in , St. Phillip Parish, , Barbados. Elizabeth (daughter of President Ralph WEEKES) was born about 1744; died in 1780. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Burke's Landed Gentry gives her father as Ralph Weekes. That means he was probably the grandson of the Rev. Ralph Weekes who had sons Ralph, Nathaniel, John, Thomas, and Roger listed in his will in St. Philips Parish, dated 6 Aug 1700. (F-160) At least one of these Weeke's was of Quaker persuasion. A Ralph Weekes is buried in a Quaker burial Ground in St. Phillips Parish on Robert Taylor's Plantation. (F-161)

Notes:

This Christopher Forte is the son of Samuel Forte, Jr. as verified in the 1715 Census of St. Johns Parish in Barbados. All of Samuel Jr.'s children had been born by 1715 except for son Enoch. We know 4 of Christopher's children for sure, to be Samuel, William, Christopher and Ann from Christopher's brother, Samuel (III)'s will. (F-458)

Christopher married Thomasin LESLIE after 1732. Thomasin (daughter of Colonel William LESLIE and Thomasine FORTE) was born in 1711 in , St. Johns Parish, , Barbados; died in 1759. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

He was President of the Council of the Island of Barbados. (C-548) His title is listed as President of the Island of Barbados in Claude James Forte's Ancestry. He is listed as the father of Elizabeth Weekes in Burkes Colonial Gentry. Ralph is probably the Ralph who was age 5 in the 1715 Barbados census and the son of Doctor and Esquire Ralph and Madam Jane Weekes. His family and ancestry are listed here connected to Elizabeth Weekes. (F-309,310) Additional evidence that this is the correct line, is that Samuel Forte deeded land to this Ralph Weekes in Vol. 30, p.140, and p. 179.