James Ochoncar Forbes, 17th Lord Forbes (1765–1843), was a Scottish soldier and peer. He was the eldest son of James Forbes, 16th Baron Forbes, by Catherine, only daughter of Sir Robert Innes, baronet, of Orton. The lands of Forbes, Aberdeenshire, still in their possession, have been held by this family since the reign of

William the Lion William the Lion (), sometimes styled William I (; ) and also known by the nickname ; e.g. Annals of Ulster, s.a. 1214.6; Annals of Loch Cé, s.a. 1213.10. ( 1142 – 4 December 1214), reigned as King of Alba from 1165 to 1214. His almost 49 ...

(1165–1214).

Military career

Forbes was born 17 March 1765. He entered the army as an ensign in the

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, monarchy; due to this, it often ...

13 June 1781, became lieutenant and captain 21 April 1786, captain and lieutenant-colonel 23 August 1793, colonel 3 May 1796, major-general 29 April 1802, lieutenant-general 27 March 1808, and general on 12 August 1819. He served in

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

with his distinguished regiment, and was present in the battles and sieges of

Raismes Raismes () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. The flutist Gaston Blanquart (1877–1962) was born in Raismes. Raismes is known for hosting the annual rock music festival Raismes Fest. Population Notable residents * Pie ...

Famars FAMARS, or Fabbrica Armi d’Abbiatico e Salvinelli, is an Italian gunmaker that manufactures bespoke shotguns and rifles. The company is best known for its patented detachable-lock designs and handcrafted woodwork and engraving. FAMARS is consi ...

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, Lincelles, Tournay, &c. He subsequently accompanied the Helder Expedition, and was present in nearly every action which took place in that campaign. He was appointed second in command of the troops in the Mediterranean in March 1808, and in the same year sailed for Sicily. He was colonel 3rd Garrison Battalion 1807–9, 94th Foot 14 April 1809, 54th Foot 23 September 1809, and 21st Foot 1 June 1816 until his death. He was appointed Knight of the Order of Saint Januarius.

Castle Forbes

Forbes succeeded his father in the title in 1804, and was chosen a

Scottish representative peer This is a list of representative peers elected from the Peerage of Scotland to sit in the House of Lords after the Acts of Union 1707 abolished the unicameral Parliament of Scotland, where all Scottish Peers had been entit ...

in 1806. In 1815 he commissioned the building of the present

Castle Forbes Castle Forbes is a 19th-century country house in the Scots Baronial style near Alford in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The Vale of Alford estate has been home to the Lords Forbes and their ancestors for over six hundred years. An earlier house ...

, based on the previous house, to designs by architect

Archibald Simpson Archibald Simpson (4 May 1790 – 23 March 1847) was a Scottish architect, who along with his rival John Smith, is regarded as having fashioned the character of Aberdeen as "The Granite City".Simpson, William Douglas, (1947) ''The Archibald ...

Private life

Forbes was from 1825 until 1830

Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the monarch's personal representative to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (the Kirk), reflecting the Church's role as the national church of Scotla ...

. He died 4 May 1843 at

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, on

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, in his seventy-ninth year. He had married at

Crailing Crailing is a village on the A698, in Teviotdale, 4m east of Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of ...

, 2 June 1792, Elizabeth, eldest daughter and heiress of Walter Hunter, esq., of

Polmood Polmood is a small settlement in southern Scotland near Tweedsmuir in the Scottish Borders, in the valley of the River Tweed. Polmood was for many centuries the centre of the Hunter family in the lowlands and the earliest record was a charter ...

, in the county of

Peebles Peebles () is a town in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was historically a royal burgh and the county town of Peeblesshire. According to the United Kingdom census, 2011, 2011 census, the population was 8,376 and the estimated population in ...

, and Crailing, in the county of

Roxburgh Roxburgh () is a civil parish and formerly a royal burgh, in the historic county of Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was an important trading burgh in High Medieval to early modern Scotland. In the Middle Ages it had at lea ...

, by the Lady Caroline Mackenzie, fourth daughter of the

Earl of Cromartie Earl of Cromartie () is a title that has been created twice, both for members of the Mackenzie family. It was first created as Earl of Cromarty in the Peerage of Scotland in 1703 for George Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie, Sir George Mackenzie, ...

, and had ten children. His eldest son, the Hon. James Forbes, was an officer in the Coldstream Guards in the

Peninsula A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...

and at

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, but had predeceased his father in 1835. Lord Forbes was therefore succeeded by his second son, Walter Forbes, 18th Baron Forbes. His daughter Charlotte Elizabeth married Sir John Forbes, 7th Baronet of Craigevar and Fintray (1785–1846)), and was the mother of

William Forbes-Sempill, 17th Lord Sempill William Forbes-Sempill, 17th Lord Sempill (20 May 1836 – 21 July 1905), born William Forbes, was a Scottish peer, the 17th Lord Sempill and 8th Baronet of Craigievar. He was the son of Sir John Forbes, 7th Baronet, and succeeded his fathe ...

, and James Ochoncar Forbes, of

Corse Castle Corse Castle near Lumphanan in Aberdeenshire, now ruined, was a fortress and centre of a landed estate in the north-east of Scotland. The present castle dates from the 16th century and stands by the Corse Burn, around north-west of Lumphanan. ...

."FORBES, James Ochoncar, Esq., of Corse" in Edward Walford, ''The County Families of the United Kingdom'' (1869), p. 370

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Forbes, James Ochoncar 1765 births 1843 deaths Nobility from Aberdeenshire Military personnel from Aberdeenshire 18th-century Scottish nobility 19th-century Scottish military personnel Coldstream Guards officers British Army generals British Army personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars Scottish representative peers Lords Forbes 19th-century Scottish nobility