Help Transcribing a letter from 1897

+2 votes
404 views

Hello,

I'm after some help transcribing a handwritten letter sent to a family member (Henry Helden Forster, Forster-3538) that dates to 1897.  I have done my best with it but still have a few gaps and question marks over some of the words.  A copy of the letter can be downloaded from my DropBox​​​​​​.

What I have been able to make out is below:

Bermuda 13 Jan ’97 (I think this means 1897)

I reply to your statement of the Forster families which came to me only on the 8th January of this year all that I can say of my grandfather——Forster that he came to Bermuda at the time of the revolutionary war in America that he was a gentleman descended from a high and influential family in England that he married in Bermuda to Frances ——Bold that he died early in one of the west Indian Islands suddenly while at dinner leaving a widow and three young children all girls in Bermuda. The oldest Susan Forster, Ann ——Forster, Mary Frances Forster, Susan Forster married Captain (??) Alan Andis (??) Thompson of the army Hin (??) station and in Bermuda they had one daughter only Laurina Thompson who married ——Rose (??) Dametra (??) Frances a gentleman from Scotland who was for many years collector of customs in the island of Barbados West Indies. Ann —— Forster married Theo B. Cooper about the year 1824, they had eight living children, six boys and two girls, Orville Cooper the eldest son was born 1st June 1828, second son Thomas Forster, Nathaniel Elfronzo, the fourth Ann Susan, fifth John Henry, six Alexander Thompson, seventh Mary Frances, eighth William Edward Cooper, all living, but two Thomas Forster and John Henry, Mary Frances Forster married Benjamin Stuobold (??) a sea Captain, they had four children, Camilla Elinor, Theophilus Daniel, Susan Thompson and Elizabeth Stuobold (??). My grandfather Thomas Forster corresponded with his family in England, he had a sister married who had no children. My mother Ann Norson (??) was the one he proposed to send to England for his sister to adopt, but of course his death put ——to that and all the communication with his family. My grandmother Frances Forster sent a power of attorney to the West Indies by one Captain John Burns to discover any property he might have left but she never got a penny, consequently the family became very poor. I have no doubt about my grandfather Thomas Forster bring cultivatio (??) when he was a lad, I heard many of the old people speak of him as such patient lovely, my fathers father who had —— gun in his employ some years ago (I forget how long). Someone came to Bermuda enquiring if any of the Forster family were hiring —— otherwise no Forster in Bermuda he bring in one end of the island, Saint Georges, we the descendants of Thomas Forster in Southampton parish in the other end he did not —— make proper enquires, but went away in a very short time all that he new of my grandfather Thomas Forster. I was told by my mother Ann —— Cooper I shall be glad to secure any further information from you on the subject and will communicate with you and inform you on any prints I may gather in the future. I never heard of any other Thomas Forster in Bermuda, but my grandfathers only brother who was named (??) . I have the honour to be yours faithfully Orville Cooper 

H H Forster
FinnicHill House
Libuton
Midlothian
Scotland

Thanks for the help in advance

Simon

WikiTree profile: Harry Forster
in The Tree House by Simon Forster G2G2 (2.8k points)
I hope these are your ancestors and you find a lot of wealth that they were trying to give to your family when they looked on the wrong end of Bermuda! Maybe they have an unclaimed property site in England! In Florida, unclaimed property is called "Florida's Treasure Hunt!"
Yes, they are ancestors, but where they actually fit into my family tree I have no idea at the moment.  This letter was given to me by my great uncle who had it handed down from his father, Harry Helden Forster.  It's definitely an interesting read and I hope something comes from it. As for any unclaimed property, who knows?

2 Answers

+4 votes

Here's my attempt:

  • Grandfather Thomas (Thos)
  • Frances Newbold
  • It looks like Ann Norson Forster
  • I can't get the bit about the captain
  • Lavinia Thompson
  • ? Damster Fraser
  • Thos (Thomas) B Cooper
  • Benjamin Newbold
  • Thomas Forster being a cultivated gentleman when I was a lad
  • as such patient lovely, - edit: Lorraine has it below.
  • who had been in his employ
  • any of the Forster family were living of course there were no Forsters in Bermuda he being in one end of the island
  • but my grandfather & my brother who was named for him
by Gill Whitehouse G2G6 Pilot (199k points)
edited by Gill Whitehouse
*"Rose" Damster Fraser
not patient lovely but "particularly"

many of the old people speak of him as such, particularly my father's Father
Except I think that "lovely" is "lastly" - no I can't make any sense of that sentence.

Edit, ah got you! You're right :)
I'd never thought it could be Rose but:
Baptism year    1810
First name(s)    Rose Dempster
Last name    Fraser
Gender    Male
Birth year    1809
Birth place    -
Baptism date    16 Jan 1810
Baptism place    DORNOCH,SUTHERLAND,SCOTLAND
Father's first name(s)    Angus
Father's last name    Fraser
Mother's first name(s)    Elizabeth
Mother's last name    Sutherland
Place    Dornoch
County    Sutherland
Country    Scotland
Record set    Scotland, Parish Births & Baptisms 1564-1929
Category    Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory    Parish Baptisms
Collections from    Great Britain, Scotland
Susan Forster married ? Alexander Thompson of the army then stationed in Bermuda
Awesome! If you look for the name Rose in Scotland its more commonly a females name but it also is a Clan name.
This is great, thank you so much for all your help.  I'm surprised too about the name Rose.
You're welcome, as Lorraine says, it was fun!
+4 votes
I reply to your statement of the Forster families which came to me only on 8th January of this year all that I can say of my Grandfather Thos. Forster that he came to Bermuda at the time of the Revolutionary War in America. That he was a Gentleman descended from a high and influential family in England. That he married in Bermuda to Frances Newbold. That he died early in one of the West India Islands suddenly while at dinner leaving a Widow and three young children all girls in Bermuda. The oldest Susan Forster. Ann Norson forster, Mary Frances Forster, Susan Forster married Capt. or Lieut. Alexander Thompson of the army then stationed in Bermuda. They had one daughter only Lavinia Thompson who married Rose Damster Fraser a Gentleman from Scotland who was for many years Collector of customs in the Island of Barbadoes, West Indies. Ann Norson Forster married Thos. B. Cooper about the year [of] 1824 they had eight living children six boys & two girls. Orville Cooper the eldest son was born 1st June 1828 2nd son Thomas Forster 3rd Nathaniel Elfins 4th Ann Susan 5 John Henry 6 Alexander Thompson 7th Mary Frances 8th William Edwin Cooper all living but two Thomas Forster & John Henry, Mary Frances Forster married Benjamin Newbold a sea Capt they had four children. Camilla Elenor Theophilus Daniel Susan Thompson & Elizabeth Newbold. My Grandfather Thomas Forster corresponded with his family in England he had a sister married who had no child my mother Ann Norson was the one he proposed to send to England for his sister to adopt but of course his death prevented that & all other communication with his family. My Grandmother Frances Forster sent a power of Atorney to the West Indies by one Cap. John Burns to recover any property that he might have left but she never got a penny. Consequently the family became very poor. I have no doubt about my Grandfather Thomas Forster being a cultivated Gentleman when I was a Lad. I heard many of the old people speak of him as such particularly my fathers Father who had been in his employ some years ago ( I forget how long) someone came to Bermuda inquiring if any of the Forster family were living of course there were no Forsters in Bermuda he being in one end of the Island St. Georges we the descendants of Thomas Forster in Southhampton parrish in the other end he did not make a proper inquiry but went away in a very short time all that I know of my Grandfather Thoms Forster I was told by my Mother Ann Norson Cooper.  I shall be glad to receive any further information from you on the subject and will communicate with you and inform you on any points I may gather in the future. I never heard of any other Thomas Forster in Bermuda but my Grandfather & my brother who was named for him.

I have the honour to be yours faithfully

Orville Cooper Snr.
by Lorraine Nagle G2G6 Pilot (222k points)
edited by Lorraine Nagle
I think Susan Forster married a Caplor Le?? a Ct, under Thompson - army that was posted in Bermuda at the time. Look for a Thompson and see the men under him, look for a Caplor
I'm pretty sure that's alex-ander Thompson I can't work out the other bit at all.
Ah, lightbulb....yes your right !!

It reads. "married Capt or Lieut. Alexander Thompson"
That sounds highly likely!
Wow this is so helpful, thanks so much for all your help.

Your welcome! laughyes

I  concur with the transcription except for line 6 - I believe it should be "leaving a widow" not "having a widow." 

Also, last line should be "but my Grandfather & my brother who was named for him." 

It was a fun challenge!

That makes more sense, thank you! It was fun, I love puzzles :)
I'll second that. What a team!

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