Biographical Sketch of

Seloftus D. Forbes

Transcribed by Joan Benner for the Marquette Co WI Pages



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin, 
published 1890 by Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, Pages 536 - 537 - 538

Seloftus D. Forbes, editor and proprietor of the Central Union, a 
weekly paper published at Westfield, Marquette County, was born in 
Litchfield, Medina Co., Ohio, May 12, 1836, and is of Scotch and Irish 
extraction. His parents were both natives of Vermont. His father was of 
Scotch descent and traced his ancestry back to the once famous Highland 
clan "For-bush" or "For-bess." His mother's name was Bell, and she was a 
descendant of "Ould Sod." The paternal great-grandfather of our subject 
was a soldier of the Revolutionary War and, tradition says, attained to 
the rank of Colonel in the Continental Army, having command of the body-
guard of George Washington. The parents of Mr. Forbes in early life 
removed to Jefferson County, N. Y., and thence to Ohio, where our subject 
was born, the seventh child in a family of eleven children, two of whom 
died in infancy, while six are yet living at this writing in 1889. The 
father was a physician by profession and a man of extensive reading and 
information. His integrity was unimpeachable yet he was an uncompromising 
opponent of the orthodox religions of that day. The mother was a woman of 
pure and noble character and religiously inclined. As a natural result, 
the children, though none of them were church members, were believers in 
the essential, practical tenets of Christianity.

In 1846, when Seloftus Forbes was a lad of ten years, the family started 
for the then almost uninhabited Territory of Wisconsin by "prairie 
schooners," and after six weeks of such ardorous travel that it can 
hardly be imagined by the emigrants of today, the party landed at a place 
called Bird's Ruin, a few miles east of Madison, where they spent their 
first winter in Wisconsin. In the spring they removed to Sun Prairie, 
and a year later settled in Mayville, Dodge County, where Mr. Forbes 
spent his early life, receiving such education as the common schools of 
that day afforded, supplemented by a few terms at a select school. At 
the age of eighteen he began teaching through the winter season and 
"boarded round" with his patrons, and in the summer months worked at the 
carpenter's trade, of which he had obtained some knowledge by a short 
apprenticeship with an older brother. On attaining his majority he went 
to Springfield, Marquette County, where he became acquainted with Miss 
Similde E. Pond, to whom he was married June 30, 1860, the wedding taking 
place in Horicon, Wis. She is a woman of exalted character, endowed with 
fine literary taste and ability, and has been a frequent contributor to 
the periodical literature of the day in both prose and poetry. A faithful 
wife, a tender and loving mother, her influence is felt as a strengthening
power for good in her family and in the community.

In the summer of 1862, though engaged in teaching school in Packwaukee, 
Mr. Forbes responded to his country's call for troops and enlisted in 
the 32nd Wisconsin Infantry, in which he served for two and a half years. 
At the formation of the company he was elected Second Lieutenant but was 
refused a commission on account of an order from the War Department, 
requiring that new regiments be supplied with that grad eof commissioned 
officers from veterans who had seen service. He was commissioned, however,
during his second year in service, but in December, 1863, was compelled 
to resign on account of impaired health. Returning home he engaged in 
farming during the summer of 1864, but re-enlisted in autumn of that year 
in the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery and was mustered in as Orderly 
Sargeant of Company I. Later he was commissioned Second Lieutenant, in 
which capacity he served until the close of the war, when he was 
honorably discharged in July, 1865. 

On his return home after being mustered out, Mr. Forbes resumed teaching 
in Marquette County, but after a short time, in 1867, removed to 
Milwaukee, where for three years he was engaged on the editorial staff 
of the Evening Wisconsin. In 1870, impaired health compelled him 
to resign his position and he returned to Packwaukee to reside. During 
the winter of 1870 - 71, he was principal of the Montello schools, and 
in the fall of the latter year was elected County Superintendent of 
Schools, on the Republican ticket in the face of an overwhelming 
Democratic majority in the county. He acceptably filled that position 
for two years and during the winter of 1773-74(sic) was legislative 
correspondent for the Evening Wisconsin, a paper published in 
Milwaukee. His connection with the various papers had made him familiar 
with the methods of conducting a paper and possessing the necessary 
ability as compositor and editor, in 1877, Mr. Forbes established the 
Central Union, at Westfield, which he has since conducted with 
marked success. At the beginning it was a five column folio. He suffered 
the loss of all his material by fire in 1880, but soon afterward resumed 
the publication of his paper as a six column folio, which in 1885 was 
enlarged to its present size as a six column quarto. Its circulation has 
rapidly increased and the paper is deserving of a liberal patronage. It 
advocates Republican principles but is devoted chiefly to matters of 
local interest.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Forbes have been born five children: Anna E., who had 
achieved a reputation as a first-class teacher, was married in January, 
1889 to Almon E. Round; Wilbur E. is associated with his father in the 
production of the Central Union, and is a first-class printer and 
compositor; Florence E. is a vocal and instrumental musician of excellent 
ability; Clarence A. and Freddie L. are still at home.
   
  





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