William Innes Forrester

Additional Information for William Innes (Innis) /Forrester/ Notes (2) ~BIRTH:Born 4 Feb 1824 Nanas Bible Parish of Kilmadock (Doune,Perthshire Scotland).

~MARRIAGE:  MARRIAGEDECLARATION; Declared his intention to marry1st wife Mary Blair 19 Jun1831, ~NOTES: Issue ones on, William, left Scotland and sailed from the Port of liverpool on 27 Aug1833 , leaving the infant son and an indignant father, who had paid his debts and gave him 250 pound in his pocket. He arrived as free settler on the "Othello"18 Feb1834 at Van Diemen's Land. ~MARRIAGE:Although the marriage between William Forrester and Mary Blair is documented, details given at the time of the 2nd marriage give his marital status as a bachelor, he married 2nd wife Jane Herbert 28/8/1834 at Trinity church ,in Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Married Deborah Bowman 3 Feb 1841Trinity, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.  Farm called"Emma Grove" ~NOTES: Then first daughter called Emma.  A ship sailing from Tasmania to Port Adelaide called Lady Emma. ~DEATH:DEATH CERTIFICATE; John Forrester Witnessed death certificate at Riverton, STABBED BY MICHAEL ODONNELL NEAR TARLEE INN KEEPER AT 10 PM AT" BOW AND ARROW" ;FIRST LISCENCED IN 1852 BY WILLIAM INNIS FORRESTER, 1866 DEBORAH LISCENCEE"FORESTARMS", NOTES TAKEN FROM FAMILY BIBLE, SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES OF DEBORAH BOWMAN; ORIGINALLY BOTH WILLIAM AND DEBORAH WERE BURIED IN RIVERTON HOWEVER LATER DEBORAH WAS MOVED TO MAIN NORTH RD, CEMETARY, ADELAIDE. ~BIRTH:BIRTH DATE INDICATES 4 FEB1808/and 2 June1805, Information from Val Watts.

He migrated to Australiain 1833 SA Death Ref.Book 22, page 485. HewasmarriedfirstlytoJaneHERBERTborn1812inArening,Gloucestershire,Englandandwhodiedin25thJuly1839inAdelaide,SA.TherewasachildWilliamHerbertFORRESTERbornin1839andwhodiedininfancyalongwiththemother.AtthetimeofhisweddingtoDeborahBowman,heresidedatEmmaGrove,Adelaide,SA. SourcefromGennyKang WilliamInnesForresterborn4.2.1804inFrew.HemarriedMaryBlairin1831,shediedin1832.AshopkeeperinGlasgow,heleftforAustraliaon27.8.1833forVanDiemansLand.HemarriedJaneHerberton28.8.1838inAdelaide,shealsodiedafterchildbirth.HemarriednextDeborahBowman,whosefamilybecamesuccessfulgraziers.TheyhelpedWilliamsethimselfupasapublican.In1866,hewasmurderedbyahotelguest. WILLIAMINNESFORRESTER1804or1808?-1866 WilliamInnesForresterwasbornon4.2.1808inKilmadock,Perthshire,thesonofJohnForresterandMargaretInnesofBridgeofFrewfarm.HeleftfarmingandbecameavictuallerinGlasgow..However,itisunlikelythathisbusinesswassuccessful,ashisindignantfatherpaidhisdebtsandgavehim£250whenheleftScotland Williamfirstmarriedin1831,theparishregistersofKilmadockdeclaringin"WilliamForresterandMaryBlairoftheparishofBalfrondeclaredtheirpurposeofmarriageandhavingbeenproclaimedPro1mo2nd3rdweremarried20thJune."MarydiedandwhenWilliammigratedtoAustralia,helefthis13-month-oldsonwithhisparents. WilliamwasavictuallerinGlasgow.. In1833,WilliamleftScotlandforAustraliaontheOthello,arrivinginVanDieman'sLandon18.2.1834.HelatermovedtoSouthAustralia,whereheon28.8.1838,hemarriedagain.Hiswife,JaneHerberthadarrivedinSouthAustraliaon4.12.1837ontheLadyEmmafromGravesend,fromNailsworth,Gloucestershirewithhermother TheRegisterof1.9.1838recordedthemarriageattheHolyTrinityChurchinAdelaideof"WilliamInnesForrestertoJaneHerbert.”.Althoughwidowed,Williamwaslistedasabachelor.ThewitnesseswereMargarettaWilloublyandThomasHockby Janeherselfdiedon25.7.1839aged27,18daysafterthebirthofherchildTheirson,WilliamHerbertForrester,bornon7.7.1839,diedaged14days. BymidOctober1838WilliamhadtakenoutthelicenceoftheFleeceInn,onthenortheastcornerofRundleStreetandStephensPlace,Adelaide.Thiswasgazettedon31.12.1838.WilliamnextestablishedhimselfasafarmeratEmmaGrove,betweenthepresentdayKooyongagolflinksandtheRiverTorrens.However,wheatsowninAugust1840wasdestroyedbycattleanddisease. On20.10.1838,William’snameappearsonaletterofappreciationsenttoLieutenantColonelGawler,GovernorofSouthAustralia.ItalsoappearsinApril1840inaGovernmentGazettenoticelistingunclaimedletters. WilliamForrestermetDeborahBowman,histhirdwife,throughafriendshipwithherbrothers.Deborahenjoyedwritingpoetryandaspartofhiscourtship,hesentherthefollowingpoem,writtenatIslingtonon4.1.1841 ToMissDeborahBowman Howpoorhisheart,howvainhisart, Hisdearestcharmstotruce Herspeakingeyesherfeelingheart Suchsincerityandgrace Hermind'smorepurerthanvirgin'ssnow Thanonthemountain'snorth Asfineasthelambentthatglows WithinthefaithfulBreast NowthesefewlinesIhavesentforth Bearingthesewordsofloveandtruth Andhasteningtothehappytime Whenyoushallbeforevermine Theymarriedamonthlater.TheRegisterrecordedon13.2.1841"AtTrinityChurch,onthe3rdFebruary,bytheRev.C.B.Howard,byspeciallicence,MrW.InnesForrester,ofEmmaGrove,toDeborah,eldestdaughterofMrJohnBowman,ofBartonVale.TheyweremarriedbytheRevCharlesBeaumontwhorecorded"IcertifythatWilliamInnesForrester,widower,ofEmmaGrove,nearAdelaide,lateoftheparishofDown,Perthshire,Scotland,andDeborahBowman,SpinsterofBartonVale,lateoftheparishofAskham,Westmoreland,England,weremarriedbymeaccordingtotheritesoftheUnitedChurchofEnglandandIreland,thisthirddayofFebruaryintheyearofourLordOneThousandEightHundredandfortyone."ChasBHoward,M.A.ColonialChaplainofSouthAustralia." Notlongaftertheirmarriage,WilliamtookupfarmingatWillunga,atthefootoftheMountLoftyranges,29milessouthofAdelaide.Henamedhisfarm"Corstophine"afterthechurchinScotlandassociatedwiththeForresterclan.WillungawasoneoftheearliestsettlementsinSouthAustraliaandWilliamForresterwasoneofthefirsttorunsheepinthedistrict.In1844,Williamisrecordedashaving800ewes,600wethersand200cattle,aswellasanother200sheepintheMcLarenvalley,mostprobablybelongingtotheBowmanfamily.WhentheBowmansmovedtheirsheeptothemid-north,Williamtookupinnkeepingagain. TravelintheearlydaysofSouthAustraliawasslowanddifficult,whetheronhorseback,bullockdrayorhorseandcoach.Inns,wheretravellerscouldrestontheirjourney,playedanimportantroleintheearlysettlementofSouthAustralia,withroadsoftenstillveryroughandwithconsiderablemovementofthepopulationastheinitialsettlementsexpandedout. WilliamheldthelicenceoftheGilbertArms,aninnonthelowerGilbertRiver,onthecrossroadsofthetownofStockport,from20.6.1850to21.9.1853.AvisitortotheinnwrotefortheSouthAustralianRegister Afterarideof23miles,webaitedattheGilbertArms,aneatlittleroadsidehouseofwhichwehadnotreceivedsogoodareportaswethinkitdeserves.Itwasfarsuperiortomanyofgreaterpretensionswehaveputupontheroad;andthelandladywasbothfairandobliging.Wesawhereagreatmanysheepstationsandlargeflocksofsheep,someofwhichbelongedtoMrBowman,ourlandlady'sfatherwhoalsohaslandattheBlackSpringsplannedforatownship AswellasrunningtheGilbertArms,WilliamisalsorecordedasthePostmasterinGilbertonfrom1851-2. WilliamhadnocontactwithhisfamilyinScotlanduntil1858,whenhisnephewAlexanderMacfarlanmanagedtoobtainhisaddress.Alexanderwrote"Somanyyearshaveelapsedsincethewriterhadthepleasureofhearingyou,letaloneseeingyou,thatIfeelsomedifficultyinyourcallingtomindthepersonofyourcorrespondent...Iknownotifyouareawareofmanycircumstancesconnectedwithourfamily...shouldyoufavourtheletterwithareply,mynextwillbelonger,andsofarasIcanmanage,giveyouallintelligenceofdoingsamongourfriends." Despiteestablishingcontactagainwithhisfamily,itwasafewyearsbeforeWilliamwrotetoScotland.In1862,hissisterIsabelwrote"DearWilliam,howhaveyouallowed30summerstopasswithoutinquiringabouthome.Wedidnotknowwheretofindyoubutyoualwaysknewwheretofindus.IamsuremanyascenehascometomindsincethemorningyoulefttheBridgeofFrewwhenyourfatherandmotherwerecryingandcarryingmanyasadthoughtitcostthemyourleavingandalwayssayingsomeofusmightmeettheebuttheywouldneverseeyouintheworldagain." WilliammovednexttobecomethelicenseeataninncalledtheBowandArrow,builtbytheBowmanbrothers,fivemilesfurtherupstreamontheGilbertRiver,wherethemainlineofroadsconvergedonaconvenientford.Section210,wheretheybuilttheinnandstockyards,wasnearagovernmentreservecalledtheGreenWaterHole.ItisnowabovethemainroadasitleavesTarlee. WilliamwasthefistlicenseeoftheBowandArrow,whichopenedon22.9.1853.Theinnwasameetingplaceformid-northtravellersandstock-dealers.TheSouthAustralianRegisteron2.7.1857,forexample,announced"SaleofSteersatForresters...ontheGilbert...80steersforworkers...achoicelot...teamstersandfarmersetc-Beearlyattheyards."TheinnwasalsoaconvenientclearingpointformessagesandameetingplaceforthesizeablestaffemployedbytheBowmans. In1862,theBowmansdeededtherentsandprofitsfromSection210toDeborahForrester.AccordingtorecordsintheLandTitlesOffice,inMarch1862,theBowmanbrotherstransferredtoWilliamForrester71acresofSection210"withthemessuageandbuildingsonitusedasanInnorPublicHouseknownastheBowandArrow£1,200."Themoneywasneverpaid. Deposit 109 of 1871 records the declaration of trust of this property,profits of which were made over to the benefit of Deborah Forrester. The name of Forrester became attached to the locality around the inn.

          The Rose worthy and Forrester Rail way Bill of 1866 referred to a 24 mile horse tram way proposed to link the two districts. For miles around, people spoke of "Forresters"or passing by Forresters.

        William was murdered by a hotel guest on 16.2.1866.The Kapunda Herald reported"An inquestwas held by JSBrowne,Esq.,S.M., at the Bow and Arrow, Gilberton, on the body of W.I.Forrester,who had been murdered on the previous day."The jury viewed the body before taking evidence.Witnesseswerethencalled. The murderer, Michael O'Donnell, 24,had been in Australia for three years.He arrived at the hotel at 2 in theafternoon and asked for a room and supper. He left his swag behind the bar and spent the afternoon reading,drinking a few pots of porter and eating bread and cheese, for which he paid William Forrester a shilling.When he was shown a room, he took offence and demanded a better one.The bar was full that evening of farmers, shepherds, teamsters and several workmen. JohnMcFall, a labourer and James Fern, a shepherd reported to the court that they saw Mrs Forrester slap down a shilling in front of O'Donnell and say that if the bed was not good enough for him he could go and find one else where. After an angry exchange with William Forrester and seeming rebuff from Fern,who refused to drink with him, O'Donnell paced up and down the verandah working himself into a fury. At ten o'clock, William Forrester moved to clear the bar. He either shoved or was shoved by O'Donnell.They struggled briefly and Forrester ran back through the bar-room. In a few minutes, the girls came screaming that their father was stabbed. The doctor appeared at the inquest. The Kapunda Herald reported that he"was a duly qualified medical practitioner; came out to Forrester's that morning with Corporal O'Brien,when a white handled knife was shown him,which he said could not have been the one the wounds had beeninflicted; had examined the wound,which he had found descended, penetrating to the left side of the breast bone about the centre of the cartilage of the fourth rib, and penetrated the upper portion of the right ventricleof the heart which must have caused immediate death; the knife produced was such a weapon as would inflict such a wound; the right hand was cut in such a way as he thought must have been caused by deceased putting up his hand when he felt the wound inflicted, and the knife being drawn out through the hand." Although one member of the jury held out against a verdict of wilful murder, as there were13  jurors, the Coroner decided he had the right numberof  votes andcommitted   the prisoner for trial in theS upreme Court. The sentence was death by hanging, commuted to life imprisonment. Thirty-two years later, after three short spells in a Lunatic Asylum during his forties,  O'Donell was freed,said to be the first life prisoner to be dis charged in Australia William was buried in Riverton. His head stone reads Erected to the memory of William Innes Forrester. 

Died February 9th,1866.Aged 58 years .

Also Edmund Bowman Died October 23rd1850, aged 8 years and 5 months, and was buried at Gawler Town Also of Alfred Harold, died January 25th 1862,aged 10 months the eldest and the youngest of the above. His wife diedon14.11.1887and isburied in North Rd Cemetery in Adelaide. ~NOTES: Family records in the possession of JeffreySmith; Book called Martindale Hall 16jul 1970 sealed in temple

Sources (1) 1. Forrester Record,Family Bible Of Alice Virginia Roberts

Citing This Record "Pedigree Resource File", database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/ST9C-9TX : accessed 2013-01-07), entry for William Innes (Innis) /Forrester/.

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