   the forbes family is a wealthy extended american family long prominent in boston, massachusetts. the family's fortune originates from trading between north america and china in the 19th century plus other investments in the same period. the name descends from scottish immigrants, and can be traced back to sir john de forbes in scotland in the 12th century. notable family members are businessman john murray forbes (1813&ndash;1898), part of the first generation who accumulated wealth, and politician john forbes kerry (born 1943). ==family origins==  the forbes family descends from the scottish clan forbes which was seated in aberdeenshire, scotland. the first member of the forbes family to live in the united states was john forbes (1740&ndash;1783), a clergyman, who was married to dorothy murray on february 2, 1769 in milton, massachusetts, where one of his three sons was born. the family is considered part of the boston brahmin although reverent john forbes' first post on the north american continent was in british east florida, where he was the first anglican clergyman licensed to officiate during the english period. there is also a link to the dudley-winthrop family directly from thomas dudley, father of anne bradstreet, the first female poet from america. ==accumulation of wealth==  ===trade with china===  the boston trading firm perkins & co. sent many young men of their extended family to participate in their business activities abroad. ralph forbes being married to margaret perkins, their children were encouraged in the business. following the death overseas of his older brother, thomas tunno forbes, the perkinses encouraged john murray forbes to travel to china, too. there john was mentored by the chinese merchant houqua who treated him like a son. [[file:howqua, 1830.jpg|thumb|200px|portrait of howqua, by george chinnery, 1
American_families_of_Scottish_ancestry Families_from_Massachusetts Family_trees Forbes_family History_of_Hong_Kong