NELSON FORCUM was born on 24 Nov 1809, a Friday, in that portion of Rowan Co., which would become Davie Co., NC in 1836. He is one of two children born to Thomas and Mary Ann Forcum. His father died in 1813, and Nelson’s mother Mary Ann raised him, along with many of his half-brothers and half-sisters, from his father’s first marriage.

In about 1829 Nelson Forcum married Mary Elizabeth "Polly" Gaither in Iredell Co., NC. Nelson and “Polly” Forcum settled in Turnersburg Township, Iredell Co, where they would spend the rest of their lives. They soon started a family and eventually, Nelson and Polly Forcum would have 11 known children.

Turnersburg Township is located in the northeast portion of the county, just south of Eagle Mills Township. The township’s major hamlets were Harmony, Tabor, MT. Bethel, and River Hill. The southern boundary of the township is Rocky Creek, and it runs north to the southernmost tributary of Hunting Creek. It is also known that Nelson’s farm was east of the old “Rockford Road.”

In the 1850’s Nelson Forcum became a prosperous farmer, and acquired numerous parcels of land. It is said he donated land to build the Clarksbury Methodist Church.

It wasn’t until the North invaded the South in the War Between the States in 1861, that Nelson and his family cast their lot with the “old North State.” All 4 of his living sons, Thomas Alfonso Forcum, Basil W. Forcum, John Burgess Forcum, and William Wright Forcum enlisted in Co H, 4th Regiment of North Carolina Troops, which was then assigned to General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. The Regiment participated in all the major battles in the Eastern Theater. Pvt. Thomas Alfonso died of wounds in Richmond, VA he received in battle on 26 Nov 1862. Pvt. Basil W. Forcum was killed in the Battle of Seven Pines which took place between 30 Jun and 16 Jul 1862. Pvt. William Wright Forcum was wounded in the Battle of Chancellorsville, and was incorrectly listed killed at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, but he actually rejoined his regiment and survived the war. Capt. John Burgess Forcum, was in command of Co. H for most of the war. He was wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville and received a skull fracture from an exploding shell at the Battle of Gettysburg. By the time the 4th Regiment of North Carolina Troops got to Appomattox, all the Colonels, and Majors had been killed, leaving Capt. Forcum in command of the entire Regiment. He was the one to march the Regiment into town to stack arms at the surrender.

Nelson’s two sons who survived the War, Capt. John Forcum and Pvt. William Forcum, soon married and both moved to Montezuma, Poweshiek Co., IA, to start new lives there, which turned out to be quite prosperous. But both sons kept in contact with, and visited their parents in Iredell Co., over the next three decades.

Throughout the 1870’s and 1880’s Nelson continued to be a well-off farmer. Albert Forcum was their grandson, the son of John Burgess Forcum who had moved to Iowa. On 14 Oct 1886 “The Statesville Landmark” carried the following article, "Albert Forcum drowned in the Canadian River in Indian Territory while engaged in a cattle drive from Mobeetre, TX to Dodge City, KS. He was the son of J. B. Forcum of Montezuma, Iowa who went west from Iredell County shortly after the war. J. B. Forcum is the son of Nelson Forcum of Turnersburg township."

On Wed, 7 Jan 1882 the Statesville “Landmark” reported: "Mr. Nelson Forcum aged about 82, of Turnersburg Township, fell about a week ago and broke his thighbone...said to be resting well."

Then on 29 Sep 1887, “The Landmark” carried the following article, "Mr. and Mrs W.C. Blaylock of Cool Springs township, who have been on a three month visit to relatives in Iowa, returned a few days ago and are glad to be home. Their kinswoman, Mrs. J. B. Forcum, Montezuma, Iowa, came back with them to visit her relatives in Iredell County." Mrs. John Burgess Forcum was Martha E. Gaither, and Nelson’s daughter-in-law.

After approximately 63 years of marriage Nelson’s wife, Mary Elizabeth "Polly" Gaither Forcum passed away on 21 May 1892 and was laid to rest in the Clarksbury Methodist Church Cemetery, near Harmony, Iredell Co., NC

The "Statesville Landmark" reported on Fri, 8 Nov 1895, "Capt. Burgess Forcum of Montezuma Iowa, arrived here Friday night on a visit. This is his first visit here in 15 years." Of course, this is Nelson’s son John Burgess, and it indicates he took the train from Iowa to visit his father in both 1880 and 1895.

The "Statesville Landmark" shows that John Burgess visited his daughter Mamie on 4 Feb 1899 in Turnersburg, Iredell Co., NC, and he would planned to have visited father at the same time. He could have come in response to his father’s ill health.

Nelson Forcum had been born early in the 19th century, before canals, railroads, the telegraph and the telephone. On 02 Feb 1899 he passed away at his home in Turnersburg Township, Iredell Co. He was laid to rest next to his wife at Clarksbury Methodist Church cemetery.

“The Landmark, “of Statesville, NC, reported on 7 Feb 1899, “Two Funerals at Clarksbury - Mr. Forcum and Mrs. Campbell On Saturday, February 4th, there assembled at Clarksbury church one of the largest crowds - perhaps the largest one - that ever met there to witness the funeral rites of two people, Mr. Nelson Forcum, an aged and well known citizen of this vicinity, and Mrs. Rebecca Campbell. Both deaths occurred within an hour of each other. One funeral service was held for both, and the interments were almost simultaneous. Mr. Forcum was 89 years old. He lived all the latter part of his life within a mile of Clarksbury, where he reared a large family of children, most of whom still live in Iredell, though some have removed to the West. He had been a member of the Clarksbury church for 60 years, and had been a class leader for nearly that long. His death was not a surprise, as he had been in declining health for some time. A large part of the enormous congregation was composed of relatives and friends of the deceased persons but a great many were there owing to the natural magnetism of so remarkable and occurrence. P. L. G. Harmony, NC, Feb 6, 1899.”

Regarding his estate, a petition to sell lands or assets was submitted to the Superior Court of Iredell Co. by D.H. Stimpson, Administrator, dated 13 Dec 1899. This document names the heirs as follows: Joe Mise & wife S. Emeline (Forcum) Mise 60 yrs, William Gaither & wife A. Lucretia (Forcum) Gaither 45 yrs, J.B. Stroud & wife D. Clementine (Forcum) Stroud 50 yrs, Mrs. Mary R. (Forcum) Wright 58 yrs , Luther Heath 22, Wood Heath 20, Leroy Heath 18, Moody Heath 16, children of Laura (Forcum) Heath, deceased. J. Burgess Forcum age 56 of Iowa. W. Wright Forcum 54 of Iowa.

Known children of Nelson Forcum and Mary Elizabeth "Polly" Gaither:
1. Thomas Alfonso Forcum (circa 1830 – 26 Nov 1862)
2. Basil W. Forcum (circa 1813 – between 30 Jun–16 Jul 1862, Battle of Seven Pines
3. A. A. Forcum (female) (circa 1832 - ?)
4. John Burgess Forcum (19 Dec 1835 - 20 Sep 1920), m. Martha E. Gaither.
5. William Wright Forcum (4 Feb 1838 - 06 Jan 1922), m. Jane Rebecca Ward.
6. Serena Emmaline Forcum (25 Jan 1841 - 10 May 1921), m. Joseph Winfield Mise.
7. Mary Rebecca Forcum (10 Apr 1843 - 20 Sep 1920), m. Joseph Wright.
8. Dorcas Clementine Forcum (28 Sep 1845 - 30 Oct 1912), m. John Burgess Stroud.
9. Lucretia Amelia Forcum (May 1847 - 21 Feb 1902), m. William Levi Gaither.
10. Evaline L Forcum (circa 1848 – 20 Feb 1900), m. William Anderson Horn.
11. Laura Jane D. Forcum (04 Nov 1850 - 23 Jun 1885), m. Rev. James Madison Heath.


By Jim Forcum