William Henry Forbes (1815 – July 20, 1875) was an American fur trader and territorial legislator. Born in

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

, Quebec, Canada, Forbes settled in

Wisconsin Territory The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin. Belmont was ...

in 1837. In 1847 he moved to what is now

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississip ...

, where he became postmaster. Forbes worked for the American Fur Company, St. Paul Outfit. Forbes then served on the Minnesota Territorial Council 1849–1853. During the

Dakota War of 1862 The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota Uprising, the Sioux Outbreak of 1862, the Dakota Conflict, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, or Little Crow's War, was an armed conflict between the United States and several ban ...

, Forbes served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

as a quartermaster and commissary. He served as county auditor for

Ramsey County, Minnesota Ramsey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 552,352, making it the second-most populous county in Minnesota. Its county seat and largest city is Saint Paul, the state capital and ...

. In 1871, he served as Indian agent for the Devil's Lake Agency, now the

Spirit Lake Tribe The Spirit Lake Tribe (in Santee Dakota: ''Mniwakaƞ Oyate'', also spelt as ''Mni Wakan Oyate'', formerly known as Devils Lake Sioux Tribe) is a federally recognized tribe based on the Spirit Lake Dakota Reservation located in east-central Nort ...

. He died in Devil's Lake Agency in 1875 and was buried in St. Paul, Minnesota. His father-in-law was

Alexander Faribault Alexander "Alex" Faribault (June 22, 1806 – November 28, 1882) was an American trading post operator and territorial legislator who helped to found Faribault, Minnesota and was its first postmaster. Born in Prairie du Chien, Michigan Terr ...

, who also served in the Minnesota Territorial Legislature.Minnesota Legislators Past and Present-William Henry Forbes
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Notes

1815 births 1875 deaths Pre-Confederation Canadian emigrants to the United States Politicians from Saint Paul, Minnesota People of Minnesota in the American Civil War Dakota War of 1862 United States Indian agents Businesspeople from Saint Paul, Minnesota County officials in Minnesota Members of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American businesspeople {{Minnesota-politician-stub