# Oliver Forward

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{{Short description|American politician (1781–1834)}}
{{infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [The Honorable](/source/The_Honorable)
| name         = Oliver Forward
| honorific_suffix =
| image        =
| caption      = 
| office       = Member of the [New York State Senate](/source/New_York_State_Senate) for the Western District
| term_start   = July 1, 1820
| term_end     = December 31, 1822
| predecessor  = 
| successor    = 
| office1      = Member of the [New York State Assembly](/source/New_York_State_Assembly)
| term_start1  = July 1, 1819
| term_end1    = June 30, 1820
| predecessor1 = [Philo Orton](/source/Philo_Orton_(New_York_politician))<br>[Isaac Phelps](/source/Isaac_Phelps_(politician))
| alongside1   = [Elial T. Foote](/source/Elial_T._Foote)
| successor1   = [William Hotchkiss](/source/William_Hotchkiss_(assemblyman))<br>[Jediah Prendergast](/source/Jediah_Prendergast)
| office2      = [Collector of the Port of Buffalo](/source/Collector_of_the_Port_of_Buffalo)
| term_start2  = 1812
| term_end2    = 1822
| appointer2   = [James Madison](/source/James_Madison)
| predecessor2 = [Erastus Granger](/source/Erastus_Granger)
| successor2   = [Myndert M. Dox](/source/Myndert_M._Dox)
| birth_name   = Oliver Owen Forward
| birth_date   = {{birth date|1781|12|01}}
| birth_place  = [Simsbury, Connecticut](/source/Simsbury%2C_Connecticut)
| death_date   = {{death date and age|1834|04|27|1780|12|01}}
| death_place  = [Buffalo, New York](/source/Buffalo%2C_New_York)
| party        = [Democratic-Republican](/source/Democratic-Republican_Party)
| parents      =
| spouse       = Sally Granger
| children     =
| relations    = [Walter Forward](/source/Walter_Forward) (brother)<br>[Chauncey Forward](/source/Chauncey_Forward) (brother)
}}
'''Oliver Owen Forward''' [JP](/source/Justice_of_the_Peace) (December 1, 1781 – April 27, 1834) was an early settler and government official in [Buffalo, New York](/source/Buffalo%2C_New_York).

==Early life==
Forward was born in [Simsbury, Connecticut](/source/Simsbury%2C_Connecticut) in 1781. He was a son of Judge Samuel Forward (1752–1821) and Susannah ({{nee}} Holcomb) Forward (1753–1832). Among his siblings were younger brothers [U.S. Representative](/source/U.S._Representative)s [Walter Forward](/source/Walter_Forward) and [Chauncey Forward](/source/Chauncey_Forward). During [John Tyler](/source/John_Tyler)'s administration, Walter served as the 15th [Secretary of the Treasury](/source/United_States_Secretary_of_the_Treasury) and during the administrations of [Zachary Taylor](/source/Zachary_Taylor) and [Millard Fillmore](/source/Millard_Fillmore), he served as the [Minister to Denmark](/source/United_States_Ambassador_to_Denmark). Other siblings included Julia Forward, Rensselaer Forward and Dryden Forward, who both became lawyers but died young.<ref name="Sheldon1875"/>

His grandfather was Abel Forward of [East Granby](/source/East_Granby%2C_Connecticut), a son of Samuel Forward, who emigrated from England in the 1600s and settled in [Windsor, Connecticut](/source/Windsor%2C_Connecticut).<ref name="Sheldon1875"/>

In February 1803, Oliver travelled west to [Aurora, Ohio](/source/Aurora%2C_Ohio) with his father and family arriving later in the year after his father sold his Connecticut possessions.<ref name="Sheldon1875"/> His father later became a Judge in Aurora.<ref>{{cite news |title=DIED |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117086674/died/ |access-date=23 January 2023 |work=[The Pittsburgh Gazette](/source/The_Pittsburgh_Gazette) |date=19 May 1834 |pages=2}}</ref>

==Career==
After roughly six years in Ohio, he moved to [Buffalo, New York](/source/Buffalo%2C_New_York) through the influence of his brother-in-law, [Erastus Granger](/source/Erastus_Granger), who was the [Collector of the Port of Buffalo](/source/Collector_of_the_Port_of_Buffalo) and agent for the Indian tribes in [Western New York](/source/Western_New_York).<ref name="Sheldon1875"/> Upon his arrival, Forward became Deputy Collector and Assistant Postmaster and was appointed [Justice of the Peace](/source/Justice_of_the_Peace).<ref name="1892PostOffice">{{cite news |title=BUFFALO'S FIRST POSTOFFICE. An Interesting Explanation by a Grandson of Judge Granger |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117085336/buffalos-first-postofficean/ |access-date=23 January 2023 |work=[The Buffalo Commercial](/source/Buffalo_Commercial_Advertiser) |date=5 October 1892 |pages=10}}</ref> In 1812, Forward was appointed by President [James Madison](/source/James_Madison) to succeed Granger as Collector of the Port of Buffalo,<ref name="1812Appointment">{{cite news |title=OLIVER FORWARD |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116874906/oliver-forward/ |access-date=20 January 2023 |work=Buffalo Gazette |date=29 April 1812 |pages=3}}</ref> and the following year, the village of Buffalo was incorporated by the legislature. In 1817, Forward, as Collector of the Port, was authorized by the [Treasury Department](/source/U.S._Treasury_Department) to purchase a site for a [light house](/source/Buffalo_North_Breakwater_South_End_Light). Forward negotiated with [Joseph Ellicott](/source/Joseph_Ellicott), agent of the [Holland Land Company](/source/Holland_Land_Company), to purchase the property near the outlet of the Buffalo Creek for $350.<ref name="Sheldon1875">{{cite book |last1=Sheldon |first1=James |title=The Life and Public Services of Oliver Forward : Read Before the Buffalo Historical Society, January 25, 1875 |date=1875 |publisher=Press of Warren, Johnson & co. |location=[Buffalo, New York](/source/Buffalo%2C_New_York) |url=https://archive.org/details/lifepublicservic00shel |access-date=20 January 2023}}</ref> In 1822, President [James Monroe](/source/James_Monroe) appointed [Myndert M.](/source/Myndert_M._Dox) [Dox](/source/Gerrit_L._Dox) to replace Forward.<ref name="1822Appointment">{{cite news |title=Appointments in the Revenue |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116865319/appointments-in-the-revenue/ |access-date=20 January 2023 |work=[Alexandria Gazette](/source/Alexandria_Gazette) |date=27 June 1822 |pages=2}}</ref>

For many years, Forward served as director of the Bank of Niagara, including a few years as Cashier of the bank, "the expectation being that his name and influence might in some way retrieve the fortunes of that institution."<ref name="Sheldon1875"/>

In 1817, he was appointed of the Judges of [Niagara County](/source/Niagara_County%2C_New_York) of which he also served as treasurer for many years (before [Erie County](/source/Erie_County%2C_New_York) was organized).  In 1819, he was elected as a Clintonian [Democratic-Republican](/source/Democratic-Republican_Party) (which was split into two factions: Clintonians, supporters of Gov. [DeWitt Clinton](/source/DeWitt_Clinton) and the [Bucktails](/source/Bucktails) led by [Martin Van Buren](/source/Martin_Van_Buren)) to the [New York State Assembly](/source/New_York_State_Assembly) as a delegate from the district containing [Chautauqua](/source/Chautauqua_County%2C_New_York), [Cattaraugus](/source/Cattaraugus_County%2C_New_York) and Niagara Counties (in which Erie was then created). In the Assembly, he was a leading voice towards the creation of the [Erie Canal](/source/Erie_Canal). In the spring of 1820, he was elected to the [State Senate](/source/New_York_State_Senate) to represent one of nine seats in the Western District (which consisted of [Allegany](/source/Allegany_County%2C_New_York), [Broome](/source/Broome_County%2C_New_York), [Cattaraugus](/source/Cattaraugus_County%2C_New_York), [Cayuga](/source/Cayuga_County%2C_New_York), [Chautauqua](/source/Chautauqua_County%2C_New_York), [Cortland](/source/Cortland_County%2C_New_York), [Genesee](/source/Genesee_County%2C_New_York), [Madison](/source/Madison_County%2C_New_York),  [Niagara](/source/Niagara_County%2C_New_York), [Oneida](/source/Oneida_County%2C_New_York), [Onondaga](/source/Onondaga_County%2C_New_York), [Ontario](/source/Ontario_County%2C_New_York), [Oswego](/source/Oswego_County%2C_New_York), [Seneca](/source/Seneca_County%2C_New_York), [Steuben](/source/Steuben_County%2C_New_York), [Tioga](/source/Tioga_County%2C_New_York) and [Tompkins](/source/Tompkins_County%2C_New_York) counties). At the close of the session of 1822, on his return to Buffalo, Forward was again elected chairman of the board of trustees of the village of Buffalo and was again reelected in 1823 and 1824. The city of Buffalo was officially organized in spring 1832, and a committee on the charter was created, on which Forward served "as a representative from the first ward" and was elected chairman.<ref name="Sheldon1875"/>

When the [Marquis de Lafayette](/source/Gilbert_du_Motier%2C_Marquis_de_Lafayette) visited the [U.S. in 1825](/source/Visit_of_the_Marquis_de_Lafayette_to_the_United_States), he arrived in Buffalo aboard the steamboat ''Superior'' on June 4, 1825 and Forward addressed and welcomed him on behalf of Buffalo's citizens.<ref name="Sheldon1875"/>

==Personal life==
In the Spring of 1803, he married Sally Granger of [Suffield, Connecticut](/source/Suffield%2C_Connecticut), a daughter of Abner Granger and Experiance ({{nee}} King) Granger. Before 1811, he built a small one-story house on Pearl Street in Buffalo with an addition on the side to carry on the business of the post office and collectorship. He lived there until December 1813 when the British burned the city during the [War of 1812](/source/War_of_1812). The villagers returned in Spring 1814 and Forward constructed a two-story brick house, again on Pearl Street, that was "considered the most elegant residence" in Buffalo. Together, they were the parents of several children, including:<ref name="Sheldon1875"/>

* Julia Forward (1814–1888), who married Henry R. Williams. After his death in 1853, she married merchant Ambrose Spencer Sterling, son of [Ansel Sterling](/source/Ansel_Sterling), in 1858.<ref name="Sterling1909">{{cite book |title=The Sterling Genealogy |date=1909 |publisher=Grafton Press |page=512 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REJVAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA512 |access-date=23 January 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

His wife died in December 1831. In the summer of 1832, he suffered from an attack of [cholera](/source/cholera), never fully regaining his strength. Forward died in Buffalo on April 27, 1834. He was buried in his brother-in-law's family burial lot, which eventually became [Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo](/source/Forest_Lawn_Cemetery%2C_Buffalo) after Granger's widow sold it to [Charles E. Clarke](/source/Charles_E._Clarke) in 1849.<ref name="Sterling1909"/>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-gov}}
{{succession box | before = [Erastus Granger](/source/Erastus_Granger) | title = [Collector of the Port of Buffalo](/source/Collector_of_the_Port_of_Buffalo) | years = 1812–1822 | after = [Myndert M. Dox](/source/Myndert_M._Dox)}}
{{s-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forward, Oliver}}
Category:1781 births
Category:1834 deaths
Category:Erie Canal
Category:People from Simsbury, Connecticut
Category:People from Buffalo, New York
Category:Politicians from Buffalo, New York
Category:New York (state) state senators
Category:Members of the New York State Assembly
Category:Collectors of the Port of Buffalo
Category:19th-century members of the New York State Legislature

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Oliver Forward](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Forward) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Forward?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.