Rachel was the daughter of David Lindsay of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. In an official Cumberland county court document where the heirs of David Lindsay the elder are agreeing to the auctioning of his estate and its distribution, The document states that: "Alexander Forsyth of the County of York and Common-wealth aforesaid who intermarried with Rachel Lindsay another Daughter of the said David Lindsay the Elder ..." (Cumberland Co., Pa. Deeds, 1-G- 209).

The tax records for York County, Pennsylvania between the years of 1779 and 1783 list only one Alexander Forsyth - he lived in Hanover, Heidelberg Township. The tavern license records for York County from 1779 to 1785 also list Alexander Forsyth in Hanover. It can be shown that Alexander Forsyth of Hanover moved to Baltimore around 1786 and that his son Isaac Forsyth of Hanover moved to Kentucky in the winter of 1785/86. There is no question then that Rachel Lindsay was the wife of Alexander Forsyth, the father of Isaac Forsytha and our direct ancestor.

Rachel Amelia Tompkins, a great granddaughter of Eliza Ann Goldsmith, who was the grand daughter of Alexander and Rachel Forsyth, wrote in her genealogy that Alexander Forsythe married Rachel Lindsay in Hanover, York County, PA.

In "A History of the Forsyth Family", a book published in 1920 by Jennie Jeffries, Alexander Forsyth's wife was referred to as Rachel O'Neal followed by a claim that she was a princess from the Royal House of O'Neil in Ireland. Jeffires book is full of errors at almost every level. It cites no references to support this claim.

Thomas F. Hitselberger, the great grandson of Alexander and Rachel Forsyth wrote a letter in 1923 in response to Avalena Brown, where he referred to Rachel as "nee O'Neil". In his accompanying genealogy chart, her maiden name was listed as unknown. Perhaps Avalena Brown had suggested the name to him, and just perhaps Mrs. Brown had read Jeffries account which was published three years earlier.

There is no evidence to support the claim that Rachel's maiden name was O'Neal or O'Neil. Some of their descendants who have claimed this have been unfortunately mislead by Mrs. Jeffries book, and Mr. Hitselberger's letter.

Rachel Forsyth Will Registration

The will books appear to be alphabetical throughout, making persons easy to find.

Baltimore Will Book 11

Page 95-96

Nov 30, 1841

Rachel Forsyth

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-20920-20354-84?cc=1803986&wc=12215289
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-20920-22780-23?cc=1803986&wc=12215289

Rachel Forsyth Will Registration
The will books appear to be alphabetical throughout, making persons easy to find.
Baltimore Will Book 11
Page 95-96
Nov 30, 1841
Rachel Forsyth
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-20920-20354-84?cc=1803986&wc=12215289https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-20920-22780-23?cc=1803986&wc=12215289

Alexander Forsyth is said to have been born in one of the counties of Antrim or Tyrone in Ireland. According to his obituary, "Alexander Forsyth, Sr., for 40 years of Baltimore, died at his residence in Pennsylvania Avenue 23 April, 1829 in his 83rd year" (Baltimore American). He would therefore have been born in 1746 or 1747. He was buried in Lot 71 of Glendy Cemetery, Second (Old Faith) Presbyterian Church. The graveyard was vandalized in the 1970-1980s, and the city moved all the graves to an unmarked burial ground in an unnamed cemetery. He was referred to as Alexander Louis Forsyth in the Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin query in the 1960s by a descendant's wife. It is not known how accurate this is. His had a grandson named Alexander Louis Hitzelberger. He is listed as an inmate (married) in the 1769 tax lists for Charlestown, Chester County Pennsylvania. He is not listed in the 1768 tax list. This indicates that he was not yet married, had not yet reached the age of 21 or was not living in the area. Since his oldest son seems to have been before 1766 if we can believe the early census records, he was therefore probably already married and living there, but not old enough to be listed in the tax lists. His wife was Rachel Lindsay, the daughter of David Lindsay of Carlisle. She also has been said to be born in one of the counties of Antrim or Tyrone in Ireland. Her obituary states she "died on the 2nd [May, 1840] inst, Rachel Forsyth, in the 90th year of her age" (Baltimore Sun, 5 May, 1840). She must have therefore been born in 1750 or 1751 and married arounf age 15. She died at her home on Pennsylvania Ave., in Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, and was buried alongside her husband.
    Alexander first appears in the 1769 tax list for Charles Town, Chester County, Pennsylvania as 'Alexander Forsight'. He is found along with David Lindsey, his father-in-law, and James Spotswood undoubtedly the father of his brother-in-law, William Spotswood. In 1770 they are all still found in the tax lists, Alexander is listed then as Forsythe. Alexander next appears on October 23, 1777, as Pvt. Alexander Forsythe of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and is fined for being delinquent from Capt. Andrew McKee's 2nd Battalion, 4th Company. We know this is the same Alexander Forsyth, because Capt. Andrew Mckee's company was taken from Carlisle where Alexander Forsyth was taxed in 1778 along with Isaac Forsyth. His father-in-law first purchased land in Carlisle in 1771. The Isaac Forsyth found in Carlisle is not the son of Alexander who would have been 8 to 12 years old at the time. More than likely he is either Alexander's father, or perhaps his brother. An Isaac Forsyth took the Oath of Allegience in Cumberland County on October 20, 1777 [See "Pennsylvania in the War of the Revolution, Volume II, p 460, http://www.archive.org/details/pennsylvaniaarch05penn/ ] and is not seen thereafter. The Isaac Forsyth found in Carlisle in 1778 is not the Isaac Forsyth from Philadelphia who fought in the Revolution as that Isaac appears to have lived in Philadelphia from 1769 to 1786 [See "Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, Vol. VIII.371; Third Series, Vols. XIV.173,236,480,756; XV.258,778,788; XVI.333,396,751; Sixth Series Vols. I.323,325,326,328,467; III.1183] and possibly as late as 1816 [See ibid. Ninth Series, Vol. V.3369,3732]. Another Isaac Forsyth was granted land in Luzerne County in 1792 [See ibid. Third Series, Vol. XXIV.217], but it is not known who this is. There is also a John Forsyth who is found in the 1779, 1780, 1782, and 1785 tax lists for the nearby township of West Pennsbro'. It is not known if he is related. In 1777, 1778 and 1780, there are also a Thomas, James and William Forsythe serving in the 4th battalion. An Isabel Forsyth married in Carlisle on August 6, 1788 at the First Presbyterian Church, but it is unknown her relationship to any of the aforementioned Forsythes. By 1788, Alexander had already lived in York County for 10 years, and moved to Baltimore where he had been for about 2 years.
    Alexander next appears in the tax lists for Heidelberg Township, York County, Pennsylvania from 1779 through 1785. In 1783 he was taxed for 9 inhabitants and 2 slaves. He also applied for tavern licenses in Hanover, Heidelberg Township, York County, Pennsylvania every year from July 1779 thorugh July 1785. During this period he leased The Sign of the Horse Tavern from Casper Reinecker. He was drafted into military service on January 30, 1781. No record of him serving at this time has been found. On October 26, 1783, Thomas Jefferson stayed overnight at his tavern and in the morning paid him 29 shillings for food and lodging. Casper Reinecker returned in 1787 to his tavern. Alexander is found in Baltimore, Maryland in 1787 running a tavern in Old Congress Hall. He appears in the records being taxed for a tavern license in 1789. In the 1790 census for Baltimore he appears to be living on N. Howard St. in the vicinity of the 30 to 70 blocks. On March 23, 1792, he filed for relief from a fine imposed on him for not renewing his tavern license in October of 1791. His claim was that he intended to leave the county that winter, but was unable, do to severe weather. On August 16, 1794 he leased land for a home at 104 N. Howard St. (between Mulberry and Franklin on the east side of Howard st. This is now the 400 block) from John E. Howard. In 1795 he was granted a tavern license, and by 1796 was proprietor of the Golden Horse tavern on the Norrthwest corner of Franklin and Howard streets (91 Franklin). I presume he began running this tavern in 1794 when he moved nearby. On February 7, 1797 he subleased his land at 104. N. Howard st. to Caleb Hewitt, but apparently sublet it back from him because he is found still living there in 1799. In 1798, he paid $256.67 (half of the yearly total) for 1/2 acre. He is missing from the 1800 Census as is everyone in the Western Precincts near where he lived. The census taker was prosecuted for being drunk and skipping districts. In 1800 he moved to a home on Pennsylvania Ave where he remained until his death. His wife remained there after until her death in 1840. He appears in the 1810 census. In 1816 he is no longer the proprietor of the Golden Horse Tavern as it is now in the hands of Jacob Merkle. He appears in the 1819 tax list and in the Baltimore Directory as proprietor of the the Indian King Tavern (presumably on Pennsylvania Ave.) and the Eastern Shore Hotel at 2 Water St. This last address in 1816 was the location of the Cheapside Hotel and in 1822 is no longer in the hands of Alexander, and its orginal name had been restored. Again I assume when he moved to Penn. Ave. he left the Golden Horse Tavern and took up propriety of the Indian King Tavern.
    Alexander wrote his will on December 20, 1828. He died April 23, 1829. His will was probated on May 18, 1829 in Baltimore. On December 19, 1829, Rachel renounces her position as executor. It is not clear why. On January 12, 1830, his estate was inventoried, and the account of sales was drawn up on November 25, 1830.
    Rachel wrote her will on August 23, 1836, but did not die for almost 4 years. During that time, on November 16, 1837 their was an administrative inventory of Alexander's property, 3 days after, the 1st administrative account was issued. The 2nd administrative account was issued on March 31, 1838. Rachel died on March 2, 1840, and her will was probated on June 14, 1840. A third administrative account of Alexander's property was not filed until January 15, 1841. On December 10 of the same year, there was an account of sales for Rachel's property filed.

Alexander and Rachel had the following children:

Isaac (bef 1766 - bet 20 Dec 1828 and 2 Oct 1831) m1. 22 Dec 1792, Francis Brown, m2. 19 Jun 1803, Nancy Anne Letton
Rachel (1771/84 - bef 1840) m. 17 May 1800, Joseph Goldsmith
Jane (abt 1772 - bu. 26 May 1834, age 62) m. 19 Nov 1795, Josiah Erastus Thompson
John (est 1774 - ) m. 22 Jun 1796, Catherine Swyman/Suyman
William (abt 1779 - 14 Apr 1839, age 60) m. 10 Jun 1802, Lydia Everson/Emmerson ( - aft 1855)
Alexander (abt 1780 - bet 1870 and 1880) m. 3 Jun 1809, Hetty Zell (abt 1791 - 22 Nov 1874, age 83)
Elijah John (bef 1784 - bet 20 Dec 1828 and 1829) m. 5 Apr 1810, Mary Ann Zell ( - bet 1829 and 1831)
Elizabeth "Eliza" (est 1784 - bet 1860 and 1870) m. 23 Sep 1809, Arthur Rider (abt 1782 - 15 Apr 1839, age 57)
Mary Magdalene (17 Nov 1785 - 2 Apr 1853) m. abt 1804, John Joseph Hitzelberger (7 Feb 1783 - Apr 1865)

    Descendant accounts say that Rachel's hatred of Catholics was so bad that she disinherited her sons Elijah and Alexander because they married the Catholic Zell cousins, whom she treated with contempt. When Elijah drowned and his wife died a few years later of a cholera epidemic, there was a fight between the Zell's and Rachel Forsyth over the orphans. It is said that Rachel ended up with the sons, and because she was a strong and domineering woman they hated her, and as soon as the they were old enough, they left and never saw her again. It is difficult to say how true accurate these stories are. Alexander and Rachel lived on the Pennsylvania Ave. in Baltimore backing up to St. Mary's a Catholic Church. Some of Rachel's daughters, and grandchildren became Catholics, including several nuns and a priest.
    Alexander’s grandson Elijah is said to have remembered him as "a disabled old man as he went about his home". He also remembered his grandmother as having "a real Irish wit, alert, and quick in thought and action". Alexander appears to have been an active tavern keeper up to about 10 years before he died and did not write his will until just a few months prior to his death at age 75, so it is difficult to say how disabled he may have been.
    The descendants of Rachel (Forsyth) Goldsmith have a photograph of an elderly woman which they had claimed was that of Rachel (Lindsay) Forsyth. The photograph was not labelled until many generations after. In the photograph the woman looks to be about 60 years old, which means the photograph would have to have been taken around 1810, which is almost certainly not possible. Photography was not available to less than well-to-do citizens until many years later. Rachel (Forsyth) Goldsmith had additional descendants that were named Rachel as well. I suspect that the photograph is of one of these ladies, and somewhere through the passing of time, its identity was misapplied. I have informed three members of the family who were kind enough for me forwarded me the photograph. They were also kind enough to forward me Rachel Tompkins notes which helped in tracking down a positive identification of Rachel Lindsay as Alexander Forsyth's wife. It is unfortunate when the identity of old photographs become suspect to the degree that they can no longer be relied upon. Everyone should consider labelling their photographs, but ONLY when certain beyond any doubt who the persons in the photographs are.