**Hampshire County was originally in Virginia when Benjamin was born.
(Contributor: Pam Witherow
There is an obituary of Benjamin F Foreman on the memorial of his son John Foreman.
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John Forman was born in Ralls county, Missouri, on March 16, 1832, and is a son of Benjamin F. Forman, who was born in beautiful Shenandoah county, Virginia, on March 18, 1794, being a scion of a family founded in the Old Dominion in the colonial era of our national history. The lineage is traced back to staunch English origin. Benjamin F. Forman was reared to manhood in his native state, and in 1814, when twenty years of age, he came to the wilds of Missouri, which was then considered to be on the very frontier of civilization. He first located in Boone county, where he remained about eight years, at the expiration of which he removed to Ralls county, where he secured a tract of wild land and initiated the reclamation of a farm. In that county he continued his residence until 1842, when he removed with his family to Shelby county, where he purchased 120 acres of land, in Taylor township. Here he developed a productive farm, to which he continued to give his supervision until his death, which occurred in 1874. He was a millwright by trade, but after coming to this state his principal vocation was that of farming. He endured the full tension of the pioneer epoch and his name merits a place on the roll of the sterling early settlers of Missouri. On his farm he erected a mill, the motive power for which was provided by horses, and in the operation of this primitive mill he was enabled to provide the pioneer settlers with wheat and buckwheat flour, this being one of the first mills erected in the county and supplying settlers over a wide area of country. Mr. Forman was a man of strong individuality, staunch integrity of character and of much energy and enterprise, so that he naturally wielded beneficent influence in the community. His political allegiance was given to the Democratic party, and both he and his wife were zealous and consistent members of the Missionary Baptist church.
Benjamin was mentioned in a county history and in a census record, as an engineer who built bridges in the area. This information was also in a county history, that this contributor obtained from the Smithsonian Institute, and he is a great great great uncle to me.
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1830 United States Federal Census
Name: Benja Forman
Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Marion, Missouri
(Contributor: Pam Witherow)

1840 United States Federal Census
Name: Benjamin Forman
Home in 1840 (City, County, State): Union, Marion, Missouri
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49: 1
Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23: 1
Slaves - Males - 24 thru 35: 1
Slaves - Females - 24 thru 35: 1
Persons Employed in Agriculture: 2
Persons Employed in Manufacture and Trade: 3
Persons Employed in Learned Professional Engineers: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 6
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 2
Total Free White Persons: 8
Total Slaves: 3
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 11
(Contributor: Pam Witherow)

1850 United States Federal Census
Name: Benjamin Forman
Age: 56
Birth Year: abt 1794
Birthplace: Virginia
Home in 1850: District 94, Shelby, Missouri, USA
Household Members: Name Age
Benjamin Forman 56
Mary Forman 45
James F Forman 25
Stephen Forman 23
Jane Forman 20
John Forman 18
Daniel Forman 16
Benjamin F Forman 14
Elizabeth Forman 12
Aaron B Forman 10
Alexander F Forman 8
Thomas E Forman 6
(Contributor: Pam Witherow)