Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

FORWARD, George Hinsdale,
Merchant, Estimable Citizen.
George Hinsdale Forward, a former
merchant of Springfield, Massachusetts,
was born in Belchertown, that State, October
19, 1845, the son of Francis and
Maria (Smith) Forward. He is a descendant
in the seventh generation of
Samuel Forward, who came from Devon-
shire, England, about 1666, and went first
to the West Indies, where he was the
owner of an entire Island. Through fear
of war, he left the island and came to
Windsor, where he purchased land from
i>n Indian named Thomas Hopewell,
about fifteen years before Windsor was
incorporated by the government. He died
in Windsor in 1684. Previous to coming
to America, he married in England,
Abigail Goodhall.
Samuel Forward, Jr., son of Samuel
and Abigail (Goodhall) Forward, was
born in Windsor, July 23, 1671, and when
a young man removed to Simsbury, set-
tling in what is known as the Turkey Hill
section. He died there May 3, 1738. His
first wife was Deborah (Moore) Forward,
born May 31, 1677, and died August
29, 1732, the daughter of Andrew and
Sarah (Phelps) Moore. The first mention
yet discovered of Andrew Moore,
of Poquonock, Connecticut, is the record
of his marriage to Sarah, daughter of
Samuel Phelps, February 15, 1671. He
was granted land at Salmon Brook, now
Granby, Connecticut, in 1680, and is
referred to as "Andrew Moore, the car-
penter of Windsor." He removed to
Windsor, and died there November 29,
17:9. Samuel Forward married (second)
Martha Winchel, daughter of John and
Mary (Dibble) Eno and the widow of
John Winchel, of Windsor.
Joseph Forward, son of Samuel, Jr.,
and Deborah (Moore) Forward, was
Conn—5—
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
33
born in Simsbury, November 10, 1707,
and died there May 22, 1766. In his
youth he removed to Suffield, and there
married, March 27, 1729, Marcy Laurton,
who died in Suffield, April 11, 1786.
Joseph Forward was a tanner, saddler and
farmer by occupation.
Rev. Justus Forward, eldest son of
Joseph and Marcy (Laurton) Forward,
was born in Kingsbury, May 11, 1730, and
was educated in the local schools of that
town. He finished his education at Yale
College, and was graduated with the degrees
of B. A., September, 1754, and M.
A., 1757. From the very first of his early
youth, he showed a tendency towards the
ministry and was among those who ex-
perienced religion during the great re-
vival in New England in the days of
President Edwards, a very important
period in the history of New England
churches. In 1755 he removed to Bel-
chertown, Massachusetts, and was ordain-
ed pastor of the Congregational church
there, February 25, 1756, at the age of
twenty-six years. After long and faith-
ful service in his chosen work, the Rev.
Justus Forward died March 8, 1814, at
the age of eighty-four years, fifty-nine of
which had been spent in the ministry.
He married, December 8, 1756, Violet
Dickenson, born November 15, 1738, the
daughter of Joshua and Martha Dicken-
son, of Hadley, Massachusetts. She survived
her husband twenty years, and
passed away in Belchertown, March 27,
1834.
Justus Forward, Jr., son of the Rev.
Justus and Violet (Dickenson) Forward,
was born in Belchertown, February 23,
1774, and was a lawyer and judge. He
married, June 10, 1795, Lydia A. Merrick,
born June 29, 1776, the daughter of Noah
Merrick, and granddaughter of Rev. Noah
Merrick, who was the first minister of
Wilbraham, Massachusetts.