Boswell Forehand (ca. 1740 – ca. 1785)

Boswell Forehand is yet another of the “forgotten” members of the Forehand family tree.  Sadly, Boswell exists only in a few documents during the middle of the 18th century though I believe him to be the “key” for my particular branch of the Forehand tree.  For many years, Boswell Forehand’s true identity was not known […]

Cornelius Forehand – ca.1680 d. July 26, 1728

Cornelius Forehand is probably the most discussed “Forehand” among genealogy students and is generally regarded as the “father” of most American Forehand families.  Though there are certainly other Forehand families from other “lines” present in at least Pennsylvania and the northeast, it appears a large portion of current Forehand families can trace their roots back […]

Early Northeastern North Carolina Settlers

Before we discuss the “first generation” Forehands, we must discuss some notable settlers of the region of Northeastern North Carolina, Cornelius Forehand’s ultimate location. This region now includes the modern counties of Pasquotank and Camden. However, during the early part of the 18th century, the region that now consists of these counties was simply Pasquotank […]

Early English Forehand Families

Though apparently an Irish name, some of the earliest known records of a Forehand come from England.  It is very possible the Forehand families present in England were simply immigrants from Ireland.  However, we can not know this for certain.  Oddly enough, though the records are early, they still do not pre-date the presence of […]

James Forehand Pension Application

R3633 – James Forehand State of North Carolina County of Wayne On this the 6th Day of October 1835 personally appeared before the Honorable John R. Donnell one of the Judges of the Superior Court of Law now sitting — James Forehand of the County of Wayne and State of North Carolina — aged 89 […]

Richard, Elizabeth, and Mary Forehand

Why is such a small section of this blog devoted to three of Cornelius and Elizabeth Forehand’s children?  The short and simple truth is very little information still exists concerning these children.  While it is probable the two female children, Elizabeth and Mary, were married thus being impossible to locate in early census or tax […]

John Forehand (ca. 1704 to ca.1781)

Of Cornelius Forehand’s sons, beyond the early disappearance of Richard and with the possible exception of Cornelius Forehand (junior), John Forehand remains one of the more mysterious of the lot.  I have long thought John and Cornelius Jr. held the “keys” to a vast, undiscovered lineage of Forehand ancestors.  I have always cast a bit […]