The Forsters of Warenford and Berwick
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The Forsters of Warenford and Berwick First Generation 1. Mark Forster The borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed from the sixteenth century down to the Reform Acts seems to have been ruled by an oligarchy, which shared its fat things, and, through the mediation of their two members of Parliament, procured for their son's appointments and commissions in Church and State, especially in the Army. In that oligarchy, during the late seventeenth and into the eighteenth century, a branch of the prolific family of Forster was prominent. Owing to circumstances to be mentioned later, nearly every member of that family can be accounted for until its representative, in the middle of the nineteenth century, abandoned the Old for the New World. The first of the family, so far as is known, was Mark Forster, who is stated to have taken a conveyance, 26 April, 1551, of lands in Warenford. He was dead before 1567, when his widow's second husband, Thomas Franche was in possession of the property during the "nonage of Cuthbert Forster his wiefe's sonne". (Hodgson)* *Where you read a reference by Hodgson you will note it has been extracted from a paper “Berwick Burgal Families: Forster of Berwick and of Warenford”, by J.C. Hodgson. M.A that was written at the instigation of a fellow-member, Mr T.B. Short, who supplied much of the material on which it is based from the law papers, in his possession, in the suit in which Captain Matthew Forster R.N., of Berwick, circa 1821, succeeded in establishing his claim to be the heir-at-law of the real Estate of Thomas Forster of Alnwick and Warenford as the third cousin once removed. Mark had the following children: 2. M i. Cuthbert Forster was born in 1550 and died in 1621 Second Generation 2. Cuthbert Forster (Mark) was born in 1550 and died in 1621 There can be little doubt that this Cuthbert Forster was he who, in 1592, purchased property at Beadnell which, by deed of gift dated 28 May, 1615, under the description of Cuthbert Forster, late of North Charlton but then of Warenford, granted to his Matthew Forster (1) of Charlton, eldest son of the grantors eldest son Thomas Forster of Charlton, "for his better maintenance, alimentation, education in learning, and preferment in marriage. (Hodgson) Cuthbert had the following children: 3. M i. Thomas Forster was born in 1575 and died in 1623 Third Generation Tuesday, 25 June 2013 Page 1 of 65 3. Thomas Forster (Cuthbert, Mark) was born in 1575 and died in 1623 Thomas Forster, by deed dated 3 May, 1623, gave property in Warenford and Charlton to his son Matthew and grandson Cuthbert. The Christian name of Matthew's wife was Isabella. (Hodgson) In 1665, Thomas Forster built a house there (Warenford). His initials and those of his wife, Eleanor, are caved on the door head along "with a shield bearing the Forster Arms, a Chevron between three Bugles," the motto "Redde Diem" and the date, 1665. When the house was pulled down this door head was built into the wall of the old-fashioned garden. (Joe Forster) Thomas married Eleanor Muschamp, daughter of Eleanor Heron (daughter of Margaret Forster [who, in turn, was the daughter of Sir Thomas Forster IV of Etherstone] and Sir George Heron of Chipchase Castle) and Oswald Muschamp. NOTE: See 'The Forsters of Adderstone and Bamburgh', #74 in the Seventh Generation of that line. Thomas and Eleanor had the following children: 4. M i. Matthew Forster died in 1640 Fourth Generation 4. Matthew Forster (Thomas, Cuthbert, Mark) died in 1640 Matthew and Isabella Forster were the parents of Cuthbert Forster, ancestor of the Forsters of Warenford and of Alnwick, and of Ralph Forster the Berwick Apprentice. (Hodgson) They had the following children: 5. M i. Cuthbert Forster was born before 1623 6. M ii. Ralph Forster was born in 1624 and was buried on 6 March, 1667 Fifth Generation 5. Cuthbert Forster (Matthew, Thomas, Cuthbert, Mark) was born before 1623 He had the following children: 7. M i. Thomas Forster 6. Ralph Forster (Matthew, Thomas, Cuthbert, Mark) was born in 1624 in Warenford, Northumberland, England and was buried on 6 March 1667 in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England Tuesday, 25 June 2013 Page 2 of 65 On the 4 Sep 1640 there came to Berwick, as an apprentice to Thomas Watson, burgess and merchant, a boy named Ralph Forster, described as the son of Matthew Forster (1) of Warenford, gentleman, deceased. He was apprenticed for seven years, and the indenture was enrolled in the books of the Guild on the 7 Sep 1640. On the expiration of his apprenticeship, he was admitted, 19 Jan 1648/49, to the freedom of the borough. The sunny hamlet whence the boy issued is situated in the same parish as, and only a short distance from Adderstone, from which house all pedigree-loving Forsters claim to spring. The place takes its name from the Waren burn, rising in the township of Warenton on the confines of Chatton parish, and crossed at Warenford, by the Great North Road. If Ralph Forster was sixteen years of age when he was apprenticed to Thomas Watson, he must have been born circa 1624. After establishing himself in business at Berwick, he married 26 June 1651, Anna, daughter of William Temple of Berwick. He never attained mayorality, and was buried 6 Mar 1667. (Hodgson) Ralph married Anna Temple on 26 June, 1651 They had the following children: 8. M i. Matthew Forster was born in 1654 and died on 26 February, 1728 9. M ii. Ralph Forster was christened on 12 October, 1658 in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England 10. M iii. Charles Forster was christened on 16 March 1660/1661 in Berwick-upon- Tweed, England Charles was living 1674. (Hodgson) 11. M iv. William Forster was christened on 16 February, 1663/1664 in Berwick-upon- Tweed, England William was apprenticed 6 November, 1680 to his brother Matthew, and admitted a burgess 21 July, 1699. (Hodgson) 12. F v. Isabel Forster was christened on 23 July, 1652 in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England and was buried on 10 May, 1654 in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England 13. F vi. Anna Forster was christened on 6 November, 1656 in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England 14. F vii. Eleanor Forster was christened in July, 1666 in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England Sixth Generation 7. Thomas Forster (Cuthbert, Matthew, Thomas, Cuthbert, Mark) Thomas married Jane Forster in 1705 Jane Forster was the daughter of Ralph Forster and also sister of Matthew Forster (baptised 1654 and buried 1729). Jane's grandfather, also named Ralph Forster, was the younger brother of Cuthbert Forster whose son Thomas Forster she married in 1705. Tuesday, 25 June 2013 Page 3 of 65 Thomas and Jane had the following children: 15. M i. Thomas Forster was christened in July 1709 and was buried in 1769 8. Matthew Forster (Ralph, Matthew, Thomas, Cuthbert, Mark) was christened on 16 September, 1654 in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England and died on 26 February, 1728 in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England. He was buried on 2 March, 1728 in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England. Matthew Forster (2) was baptised, 16 September, 1654, as son of "Ralph Forster, burgis," and was admitted to the freedom of the borough, 22 October, 1680, as eldest son of the Ralph Forster, burgess. Under the will (dated 17 Jul 1674) of his maternal grandmother, Anna, widow of William Temple, who had married secondly, 6 August, 1642, Henry Ord, he took on his mothers death one-fourth part of "the fishery on Tweed called New Water," in tail male. He was Mayor in 1712 and 1714, being popularly called Justice Forster, and was buried 1728/9. "24 Feb 1728. Will of Matthew Forster of Berwick, alderman. I give to my wife Stg30 per annum out of my lands in Humbleton and Wooler. My brother in law William Pratt. I give to my daughter, Ann wife of Mr. William Forster Stg100. My daughter Mary, wife of William Shell. My daughter Elizabeth. Their legacies to be paid out of my corn tithes of Spittle and Tweedmouth, my farms of Aymerside-law (sic), the Lee-closes, and the Intake in the parish of Chatton. I give to my only son Matthew Forster my fisheries of New Water or Annoside, Abstell, and the Boat-holes, my copyhold land in Tweedmouth, etc. My Mother-in-law, Mary Colles, widow. My wife Anne, and my said son executors. Seal armorial, a chevron between three bugles. Proved 4 April, 1730. The record of his marriage has not been found. It may have taken place in Scotland. His wife's name was Anne, and both she and her mother Mary Colles are named in his will. (Hodgson) Owner of a tannery business (Matthew Forster) Matthew married Anne Colles They had the following children: 16. F i. Hannah Forster was christened on 1 October, 1699 17 M ii. Matthew Forster was christened on 15 December, 1700 and died on 4 July, 1748 18. F iii. Mary Forster was christened on 24 November 1702. Mary married William Shell on 21 April, 1725 in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England. William was born in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England 19. F iv. Elizabeth Forster was christened on 8 December, 1706 20. F v. Anne Forster. Anne married William Forster 21. M vi. John Forster was christened on 20 January, 1712 and was buried on 20 July, 1712 Seventh Generation Tuesday, 25 June 2013 Page 4 of 65 15. Thomas Forster (Thomas, Cuthbert, Matthew, Thomas, Cuthbert, Mark) was christened in July, 1709 and was buried in 1769 Thomas married Catherine Whitehead on 20 August, 1741.