The Forsythe Family of Early Baltimore

Alexander Forsyth moved his family to Baltimore, Maryland around 1786. He last appears in Hanover, Heidelberg, York county, Pennsylvania in 1785, and first appears in Baltimore in 1787. Beginning in 1796 and every couple of years thereafter, a city directory for the town of Baltimore was created and published. In the first few directories, only names and addresses or locations were included and occasionally occupations. It wasn't until about 1816 that businesses also began to be listed. When businesses were listed, there were sometimes multiple entries for an individual. The designation 'dw' stands for dwelling and was used when a single entry listed both their place of business, and their home address. The directories of most interest for tracing the family of Alexander Forsyth were those prior to 1833. In 1833, other Forsyth families begin to appear in the directories in other parts of the city. The western precincts where Alexander Forsyth lived do not appear to have been included in the 1802, 1803, 1812 and 1816 directories.

All the persons that follow are known to be part of Alexander’s family, or lived close to him, so it is assumed they are related, but the relationship is not known. The order of the individuals listed is in the order they show up in the directories. Surnames for spouses are listed to differentiate them.

Alexander's sons, Isaac and John do not appear in any of the directories, so probably did not live in Baltimore after 1796, if at all. His son-in-law Josias Thompson also does not appear. It is known that Isaac remained in Heldelberg township in York County, PA, until 1805 when he removed to Kentucky. It is unknown what happened to John. There is a John Forsyth who lived in Windsor, Hopewell, and then York townships in York County, PA, between 1779 and 1820, but this is a different person.

There are two mystery men on the list, Jacob Forsyth and yet another Alexander Forsyth both probably about the age of Alexander's sons. Neither are mentioned in his will. Jacob shows up in the directories the same time as William Forsyth, and they appear to have lived at the same location in 1807 and 1808. It is assumed they are cousins because in 1779 when Alexander Forsyth lived in Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, he lived near an Isaac Forsyth who was too old to have been his son, so was presumably a brother. There is no further record of this older Isaac, so it is likely he died leaving a son, Jacob.

Hookstown Road was renamed form Wagon Road, and then finally to Pennsylvania Ave. It ran between Hanover, York County, Pennsylvania (where Alexander Forsyth lived previously) and ends at St. Mary's College triangle as can be seen on a 1850 district map. (On the map, this triangle can be found located in the extreme South Eastern corner just above the word "OF") Pennsylvania Ave. turns into Green St. at the south end and Reistertown road at the north end. Using the various descriptions, it can be ascertained that he lived at the same location from 1800 on, and that he lived on the South East end of Pennsylvania Ave. on the triangle of St. Mary’s College fronting the street. During the period that he lived there, the only buildings on the property were the Seminary and Chapel. The Seminary was housed in what was previously One Mile Tavern. This seems to indicate that perhaps he was the proprietor of that tavern.

Alexander Forsyth Sr.
  1796  Forsyth, Alexander  Inn Keeper, 104, No. Howard st.
  1799  Forsyth, Alexander, 104, Howard st.
  1800  Forsyth, Alexander, Green st. (town)
  1802  [Enoch Library says he is missing from directory]
  1803  [missing form Ancestry.com’s index]
  1804  [Forsyth, Alexander, trader, Hooks Town Road]
  1807  [Forsyth, Alexander, Hooks Town Road]
  1808  [Forsyth, Alexander, Hooks Town Road]
  1810  Forsyth, Alexander, gent. Hooks-town Road
  1812  [missing form Ancestry.com’s index]
  1814  Forsyth, Alexander, Hookstown Road WP
  1816  [missing form directory]
  1817  Forsyth, Alexander, Reistertown Road
  1819  Forsyth, Alexander, sen. Pennsylvania av. N. of Franklin
  1822  Foresyth, Alexander, Senr. victualler, Pen. ave NE side
        SE of Morris st.
  1827  [missing, see his son]
  1829  died

Rachel Forsyth
  1829  Forsyth mrs. Rachel, Penn, av s St. Mary's st
  1831  Forsyth mrs Rachel, Penn av. near Franklin st
  1833  Forsythe mrs Rachel, Penn. av near Pearl st
  1835  Forsyth Rachel, Penn av s of St Mary st
  1837  Forsythe Rachel, Penn av opposite George st
  1840  died

Joseph Goldsmith
  1803 Goldsmith, Joseph, house carpenter, Eutua Street
  1804 Goldsmith, Joseph, carpenter, North Eutaw Street, East Side
       from Franklin Street [listed in directory before Joseph
       Goldsmith]

William Forsyth (26y)
  1804  Forsyth, William, victualler, North Eutaw Street, East Side
        From Franklin Street [listed in directory after Joseph
        Goldsmith]
  1807  Forsyth, Wm, Eutaw, North of Franklin Street
  1808  Forsyth, Wm, Eutaw, North of Franklin Street
  1810  [missing form Ancestry.com’s index]
  1812  Forsyth, Wm, North Eutaw Street, Western Precincts
  1814  [missing form Ancestry.com’s index]
  1816  [missing form Ancestry.com’s index]
  1817  Forsyth, William, N. Eutaw near Ross
  1819  Forsyth, William, victualler, North Eutaw Near Ross
  1822  Foresyth, William, victualler, Eutaw, E side S of Ross
  1827  Forsyth Wm. cow merchant, N Eutaw, opposite Koss st
  1829  Forsyth William, 134 N. Exeter [this should be Eutaw instead
        of Exeter, see 1835]
  1831  [missing from directory]
  1833  Forsyth Wm. drover, cor Ross and Eutaw sts
  1835  Forsyth William, drover, 134 n Eutaw st
  1837  Forsythe Wm. trader, Madison w of Howard st
  1839  died

Lydia Everson
  1842  Forsythe mrs L. w side Eutaw st near Madison
  1845  Forsyth, Mrs. Lydia, 212 N. Eutaw st.
  1849  Forsythe Mrs. Lydia, seamstress, 107 Biddle
  1855  Forsyth Lydia, 73 Ross

Jacob Forsyth
  1804  Forsyth, Jacob, grocer, Hooks Town Road
  1807  Forsyth, Jacob, Eutaw, North of Franklin Street
  1808  Forsyth, Jacob, Eutaw, North of Franklin Street
  1810  [missing form Ancestry.com’s index]
  1812  Forsyth, Jacob, trader, Biddle Street, Western Precincts
  1814  [missing form Ancestry.com’s index]
  1816  [missing form Ancestry.com’s index]
  1817  Forsyth, Jacob, trader, Biddle Street
  1819  Forsyth, Jacob, dealer Biddle st. near Pennsylvania av.
  1820~ died

Sarah Cooper
  1822  Foresyth, Sarah, widow, tailoress, Biddle N side W of Ross
  1827  Forsyth mrs. Sarah, seamstress, W Biddle, E of Penn. av.
  1829  Forsyth mrs. Sarah, mantua maker, Biddle w of Ross
  1831  Forsyth mrs Sarah, Park st n of Mulberry
  1834  died

Jacob J. Forsyth
  1827  Forsyth Jacob J. baker, Pennsylvania avenue [Presumably
        Jacob and Sarah's son]

Arthur Rider (30y)
  1812  Rider, Arthur, 144 Baltimore St.
  1814  [missing form Ancestry.com’s index - I haven’t checked with
        Enoch yet]
  1816  [missing form directory]
  1817  Rider, Arthur, brass founder, Reistertown Road.
  1819  Rider, Arthur, brass founder, Pennsylvania Ave. near Franklin
        st.
  1822  Rider, Arthur, clock maker, Pen. ave. NE side SE of Morris
        street [same as Alex Sr]

John Hitselberger
  1810  Hitzelberger, Jno., house carpenter, Morris Street, Western
        Precincts
  1812  Hitselberger, John, house carpenter, Pearl Street, Western
        Precincts
  1814  Hitselberger, John, grocer, Hookstown road, Western Precincts
  1816  Hitzelberger, John, grocer, 55 N. Gay St.
  1817  Hitselberger, John, grocer, 55 North Gay
  1819  Hitselberger, John, grocer, Corner of North Gay and Fish

Elijah Forsyth(> 33y)
  1817  Forsyth, Elijah, butcher, Sarah-Ann alley near Pine
  1819  Forsyth, Elijah, victualler, Cedar st.
  1822  Foresyth, Elijah, victualler, Center alley, N side W of Ross
        st
  1827  died

Mary Ann Zell
  1829  Forsyth Mary, A. Preston near Ross
  1830~ died

Alexander Forsyth Jr. (38)
  1819  Forsyth, Alexander, proprietor of the Indian King Tavern
        and eastern shore hotel, 2 Water St.
  1822  Foresyth, Alexander, Junr. at A. Foresyth, Senr's. Pen. ave.
        NE side SE of Morris
  1827  Forsyth Alex. victualler, Penn, avenue, S of Cove it
  1829  Forsyth Alexander, Penn av
  1831  Forsyth Alex, victualler. Pen. av near Liberty road
  1833  Forsythe Alex, drover, Hookstownroad
  1835  Forsyth Alexander, jr. dealer in live stock, Penn av extended
  1837  Forsythe Alexander Jr. dealer in live stock, Penn av extended
        not found thereafter [he appears in the 1870 census for
        Baltimore]

Hetty Zell
  not found thereafter [she appears in the 1870 census for Baltimore]

Alexander Forsyth (23)
  1822  Foresyth, Alexander, blacksmith, Paca, E side N of Franklin
  1827  Forsyth Alex, blacksmith, N Paca, E side, N of Franklin
  1829  Forsyth Alex, blacksmith, George st w of Penn av
  1831  Forsyth Alex, blacksmith, Franklin st w of Green; dw George
        near Pine st
  1833  Forsythe Alex, blacksmith, Franklin st w of Green dw Geo st
        near Pine
  1835  Forsyth Alex, blacksmith, Franklin w of Paca dw George st w
        of Penn av;
  1837  Forsythe A. blacksmith, Franklin St. dw Pine n of Chatsworth
  1837  died