Unity Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania · Kevin Borland
Scope of this article
This page assembles federal census extracts and related citations for Forbes and Johnston households enumerated in Unity Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.
Beyond these extracts and notes, no further Unity Township records have been compiled for this article as of the article date.
Background
Based on descendant naming patterns, Thomas Forbes is believed to be the son of Andrew and Sarah (Clark) Forbes; no direct evidence has been found for that relationship or parentage.
Thomas had a brother James Forbes, who married Elizabeth Johnston, daughter of Thomas and Nancy Agnes (Nelson) Johnston, also of Unity Township, on 28 May 1823 in Westmoreland County.
By 1830 James was living in New Hagerstown, Carroll County, Ohio.
In that village there was also a John Forbes (wife Susannah), who may be a third brother of Thomas and James.
Thomas married twice; both wives used the surname Johnson, and it is not known whether either family had any connection to the Johnston line treated here.
The Forbes family is placed ancestrally at Donaghmore, County Tyrone, Ireland; the Johnstons at country near Irvinestown, County Fermanagh, Ireland.
For more on the Unity Johnston network and related narrative, see Jane Johnston Letter — Johnston family of Unity Township.
Census extracts
1820 U.S. census — Thos Forbus — Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Head of household (indexed): Thos Forbus Enumeration date: 7 August 1820 Residence (1820): Unity, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA
Household composition (indexed)
Free white persons — males — under 10
1
Free white persons — males — 26 through 44
1
Free white persons — females — under 10
1
Free white persons — females — 45 and over
1
Persons employed in agriculture
1
Persons employed in commerce
1
Free white persons — under 16
2
Free white persons — over 25
2
Total free white persons
4
Total — all persons (white, slaves, colored, other)
4
Citation: 1820 United States Federal Census, online database (Ancestry.com; Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004).
Thos Forbus household, census year 1820, Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; National Archives microfilm publication M33, roll 112, page 163; Ancestry digital image 167 (indexed microfilm field “M33_112”).
Original manuscript schedules: United States Bureau of the Census, Fourth Census of the United States, 1820 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), M33, 142 rolls.
Indexed entry (subscription required): Ancestry.com record detail.
Digital repository: Ancestry.com, 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604.
1830 U.S. census — Thomas Forbes — Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Head of household: Thomas Forbes Residence (1830): Unity, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania
Household composition (free white persons)
Males — under 5
1
Males — 5 through 9
2
Males — 10 through 14
1
Males — 15 through 19
1
Males — 40 through 49
1
Females — under 5
3
Females — 5 through 9
1
Females — 15 through 19
2
Females — 30 through 39
1
Under 20 (free white persons)
11
20 through 49 (free white persons)
2
Total free white persons
13
Total — all persons (free white, slaves, free colored)
13
Citation: 1830 United States Federal Census, online database (Ancestry.com; Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004).
Thomas Forbes household, census year 1830, Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; National Archives microfilm publication M19, roll 164, page 314.
Original manuscript schedules: United States Bureau of the Census, Fifth Census of the United States, 1830 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), M19, 201 rolls.
Indexed entry (subscription required): Ancestry.com record detail.
Digital repository: Ancestry.com, 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604.
1840 U.S. census — Thomas Forbes — Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Head of household: Thomas Forbes Census year: 1840 · Census day: 1 June 1840 Residence (indexed): Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA Note: Ancestry’s index omits the census subdivision on this entry; indexed residence reads county-level only (Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA). Confirm township from the manuscript schedule when citing formally.
Household composition (free white persons)
Free white persons — males — under 5
1
Free white persons — males — 10 through 14
1
Free white persons — males — 15 through 19
2
Free white persons — males — 20 through 29
1
Free white persons — males — 50 through 59
1
Free white persons — females — 5 through 9
2
Free white persons — females — 10 through 14
2
Free white persons — females — 15 through 19
1
Free white persons — females — 20 through 29
1
Free white persons — females — 40 through 49
1
Persons employed in agriculture
2
Free white persons — under 20
9
Free white persons — 20 through 49
3
Total free white persons
13
Total — all persons (free white, free colored, slaves)
13
Citation: 1840 United States Federal Census, online database (Ancestry.com; Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004).
Thomas Forbes household, census year 1840, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; National Archives microfilm publication M704, roll 497, page 171.
Original manuscript schedules: United States Bureau of the Census, Sixth Census of the United States, 1840 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), M704, 580 rolls.
Indexed entry (subscription required): Ancestry.com record detail.
Digital repository: Ancestry.com, 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604.
1850 U.S. census — Thomas Forbus — Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Head of household (indexed): Thomas Forbus — age 65, birth about 1785, birthplace Pennsylvania Indexed gender / race: Male / White · Occupation: Farmer · Industry: Agriculture Real estate (indexed): $4,000 Residence (1850): Unity, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA Census year: 1850 · Census day: 1 June 1850 Dwelling / family: 426 / 438 · Line: 26 Note: Indexed spellings include Alax, Maryan, Margrett, and Lusenda; verify given names against the census manuscript.
Household members (names and ages as enumerated)
Thomas Forbus
65
Thomas Forbus
30
John Forbus
23
Alax Forbus
12
Maryan Forbus
25
Eliza Forbus
22
Margrett Forbus
20
Susan Forbus
18
Lusenda Forbus
16
Citation: 1850 United States Federal Census, online database (Ancestry.com; Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005).
Thomas Forbus household, dwelling 426, family 438, Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; line 26; National Archives microfilm publication M432, roll 837 (indexed field “M432_837”), page 371; Ancestry digital image 406.
Original manuscript schedules: United States Bureau of the Census, Seventh Census of the United States, 1850 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), M432, 1,009 rolls.
Indexed entry (subscription required): Ancestry.com record detail.
Digital repository: Ancestry.com, 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604.
1860 U.S. census — Thomas Forbess — Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Head of household (indexed): Thomas Forbess — age 74, birth about 1786 Indexed gender / race: Male / White · Birthplace (indexed): Ireland Occupation: Farmer Real estate (indexed): $400 Residence (1860): Unity, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania · Post office: Youngstown Census year: 1860 · Census day: 1 June 1860 Dwelling / family: 610 / 607 Note: Indexed surname Forbess (double “s”); indexed given name Mainey—confirm against the census manuscript.
Household members (names and ages as enumerated)
Thomas Forbess
74
Mary Ann Forbess
30
Susanna Forbess
23
John Forbess
25
Mainey Forbess
22
Alexander Forbess
22
William Forbess
35
Citation: 1860 United States Federal Census, online database (Ancestry.com; Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004).
Thomas Forbess household, dwelling 610, family 607, Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (post office Youngstown); National Archives microfilm publication M653, roll 1196 (indexed field “M653_1196”), page 1189; Ancestry digital image 556.
Original manuscript schedules: United States Bureau of the Census, Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), M653, 1,438 rolls.
Indexed entry (subscription required): Ancestry.com record detail.
Digital repository: Ancestry.com, 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604.
Thomas Johnston household
The following extract concerns Thos Johnston in Unity Township, enumerated the same day (7 August 1820) as the Thos Forbus household above.
See Background for ties among Forbes and Johnston families discussed on this page; for narrative context on Unity Johnstons, see Jane Johnston Letter — Johnston family of Unity Township.
1820 U.S. census — Thos Johnston — Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Head of household (indexed): Thos Johnston Enumeration date: 7 August 1820 Residence (1820): Unity, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA Note: Ancestry’s index omits stamped page and digital image fields on this entry—take those particulars from the census manuscript when citing formally.
Household composition (indexed)
Free white persons — males — under 10
1
Free white persons — males — 10 through 15
1
Free white persons — males — 16 through 18
1
Free white persons — males — 16 through 25
1
Free white persons — males — 45 and over
1
Free white persons — females — under 10
2
Free white persons — females — 10 through 15
1
Free white persons — females — 16 through 25
2
Free white persons — females — 45 and over
1
Persons employed in agriculture
1
Free white persons — under 16
5
Free white persons — over 25
2
Total free white persons
10
Total — all persons (white, slaves, colored, other)
10
Citation: 1820 United States Federal Census, online database (Ancestry.com; Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004).
Thos Johnston household, census year 1820, Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; National Archives microfilm publication M33 (indexed microfilm field “M33_112”; indexed stamped page and digital image fields omitted on the Ancestry entry—cite from the census manuscript).
Original manuscript schedules: United States Bureau of the Census, Fourth Census of the United States, 1820 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), M33, 142 rolls.
Indexed entry (subscription required): Ancestry.com record detail.
Digital repository: Ancestry.com, 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604.
John Forbes household
John Forbes heads an 1870 Unity Township household below—the same township where Thomas Forbus / Forbes / Forbess appears on earlier schedules in this article.
On 1880, John E. Forbes is enumerated as brother in Alexander Forbes’s Unity household; the full census extract and Ancestry citations appear under Alexander Forbes household below.
1870 U.S. census — John Forbes — Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Head of household (indexed): John Forbes — age 45 (1870), birth about 1825, birthplace Pennsylvania Indexed gender: Male · Occupation: Farmer Indexed: Father of foreign birth — Yes · Mother of foreign birth — Yes · Male citizen of United States 21 years and upward — Yes Real estate (indexed): $5,000 · Personal estate (indexed): $1,800 Residence (1870): Unity, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania · Post office: Crabtree Census year: 1870 · Census day: 1 June 1870 Dwelling: 32 Note: Ancestry’s index detail omitted microfilm roll number, stamped page, and image fields—take citation particulars from the census manuscript.
Household members (names and ages as enumerated)
John Forbes
45
Alexander Forbes
32
Mary Lemon
18
James Sulton
7
Citation: 1870 United States Federal Census, online database (Ancestry.com; Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2003).
John Forbes household, dwelling 32, Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (post office Crabtree); National Archives microfilm publication M593, Record Group 29, 1,761 rolls (indexed microfilm roll, stamped page, and digital image fields omitted on the Ancestry index entry—cite from the census manuscript when preparing formal references).
Original manuscript schedules: United States Bureau of the Census, Ninth Census of the United States, 1870 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), M593.
Indexed entry (subscription required): Ancestry.com record detail.
Digital repository: Ancestry.com, 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604.
Alexander Forbes household
Alexander Forbes, Thomas’s son who stayed in Westmoreland County, appears below on census extracts keyed to him in Ancestry.
His 1870 indexed hit attaches to dwelling 32, where John Forbes is household head—the roster matches that enumeration exactly (repeated below so Alexander’s record-detail URL stands alone).
On 1880 he is indexed as head at dwelling 67 in Unity Township with spouse Amanda Forbes; John E. Forbes appears in that household as brother (cross-reference under John Forbes household above).
By 1900 he heads a household enumerated at West Latrobe, Westmoreland County (indexed street Loydisville).
1870 U.S. census — Alexander Forbes — Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Focal person (indexed): Alexander Forbes — age 32 (1870), birth about 1838, birthplace Pennsylvania Household head (indexed): John Forbes — see parallel extract under John Forbes household above Indexed gender / race: Male / White · Occupation: Farm laborer Indexed: Father of foreign birth — Yes · Mother of foreign birth — Yes · Male citizen of United States 21 years and upward — Yes Residence (1870): Unity, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania · Post office: Crabtree Census year: 1870 · Census day: 1 June 1870 Dwelling: 32 Note: Ancestry’s index detail omitted microfilm roll number, stamped page, and image fields—take citation particulars from the census manuscript (same schedule page as John Forbes 1870 extract).
Household members (names and ages as enumerated)
John Forbes
45
Alexander Forbes
32
Mary Lemon
18
James Sulton
7
Citation: 1870 United States Federal Census, online database (Ancestry.com; Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2003).
Enumeration indexed against Alexander Forbes; dwelling 32, Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (post office Crabtree)—same manuscript household as John Forbes household cited above; National Archives microfilm publication M593, Record Group 29, 1,761 rolls (indexed microfilm roll, stamped page, and digital image fields omitted on the Ancestry index entry—cite from the census manuscript when preparing formal references).
Original manuscript schedules: United States Bureau of the Census, Ninth Census of the United States, 1870 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), M593.
Indexed entry for Alexander Forbes (subscription required): Ancestry.com record detail.
Digital repository: Ancestry.com, 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604.
1880 U.S. census — Alexander Forbes — Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Focal person (indexed): Alex’r. Forbes — age 43 (1880), birth about 1837, birthplace Pennsylvania · Relation: Self (head) Marital status / spouse (indexed): Married · Amanda Forbes Occupation: Farmer Race / gender: White / Male · Parents’ birthplaces (indexed): Father — Pennsylvania · Mother — Pennsylvania Household member (indexed): John E. Forbes — age 56, birth about 1824, birthplace Pennsylvania · Relation to head: Brother · Marital status: Single Race / gender (indexed, John E.): White / Male · Parents’ birthplaces (indexed, John E.): Father — Pennsylvania · Mother — Pennsylvania Residence (1880): Unity, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA Census year: 1880 · Census day: 1 June 1880 Dwelling: 67 · Enumeration district: 123 · Page (indexed): 368.3000 NARA roll (indexed): 1205 · Family History Library film: 1255205 Note: Ancestry’s indexed digital image field is blank—take the image number from the census viewer when citing formally.
1900 U.S. census — Alex Forbes — West Latrobe, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Focal person (indexed): Alex Forbes — age 62 (1900), birth August 1837 (indexed month/year), birthplace Pennsylvania, USA · Relation: Head Marital status / spouse (indexed): Married · Amanda Forbes · Marriage year (indexed): 1863 · Years married (indexed): 37 Race / gender: White / Male · Parents’ birthplaces (indexed): Father — Ireland · Mother — Ireland Literacy (indexed): Can read — Yes · Can write — Yes · Can speak English — Yes Housing (indexed): Owned · Owned free or mortgaged — Free (“F”) · Farm or house — Farm (“F”) Residence (1900): West Latrobe, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania · Street (indexed): Loydisville · House number: 8 Census year: 1900 · Census day: 1 June 1900 Dwelling / family: 369 / 371 · Sheet number: 20 · Enumeration district: 141 NARA publication / roll (indexed): T623 / 1499 · Page (indexed): 20B Note: Ancestry’s transcript summary line may show birth about 1838; indexed detailed fields show August 1837. Indexed given names appear as spelled (“Elizebeth,” “Edwarg J”)—confirm against the census manuscript.
Household members (names and ages as enumerated)
Alex Forbes
62
Amanda Forbes
54
Elizebeth Forbes
21
Edwarg J Forbes
19
Janie A Forbes
16
Thomas C Forbes
14
Oscar A Forbes
7
Citation: 1900 United States Federal Census, online database (Ancestry.com; Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004).
Alex Forbes household, dwelling 369, family 371, West Latrobe, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; Enumeration District 141; sheet 20; indexed National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 1499; indexed page 20B.
Original manuscript schedules: United States Bureau of the Census, Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), T623, 1,854 rolls.
Indexed entry for Alex Forbes (subscription required): Ancestry.com record detail.
Digital repository: Ancestry.com, 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604.