Nelson Columbus Forbes was born 13 February 1832 in Pendleton, Anderson County, South Carolina, United States to William Wilson Forbes (1793-1857) and Emily Sapora Norton (1795-1837) and died 17 June 1909 Reading at home of Old age. He married Bethany Cordelia Fortenberry (1839-1896) 4 December 1860 Marion County, Mississippi in Columbia, Marion County, Mississippi, United States.
Nelson had farms in Tilton and was one of the first 7 Marion Men (civil war soldier). He was buried at Foxworth Cemetery, MS.
Nelson's father is William Wilson Forbes; mother is Emily Sapora Norton. He was born in South Carolina on 13 February 1832 but moved to Mississippi after his father got a property lawsuit in June 1835. William Wilson met a local woman named Becky J. and had an affair with her in 1837. His parents divorced and his father started to date Rebecca Irvins "Becky J." Jones (born in 1813), a half Choctaw half English woman, of Mississippi openly in 1840. Nelson was 8 years old. He had three siblings - Adolphus (1824), Elmira (1828) and William M. (1835). William and Rebecca had their first child, Jeptha, in 1842 and got married on 14 February 1843; 4 days after their second child was born. He had 9 half-siblings - Jeptha N Forbes (1842), Martha L Forbes 10 February 1843, Ellanson Forbes & John Alanson Forbes (1 January 1844), Francis M Forbes (14 February 1846), George W Forbes (1849), Alfred Forbes 1851, Eliza Forbes (2 December 1854), Matthew R "Matty" Forbes (1855).
He married Betty Fortenberry on 4 December 1860. They had 10 children together.
- 1.William Nelson"Billy"Forbes III 19 August 1861(married to Kiturah Leona Ball)
- 2.Hugh Adolphus "Hughey" Forbes 1865
- 3.James Edward "Jimmy" Forbes 22 July 1866
- 4.Jacob Benjamin "Jake" Forbes 1868
- 5.Albert Sydney "Bert" Forbes 1878
- 6.Emily Sapora "Emmy" Forbes 1872
- 7.Sarah Belle "Belle" Forbes 1874
- 8.Mary Cordelia "Mollie" Forbes 1878
- 9.John Elisha "Baby" Forbes 21 May 1881
All of Tilton, Marion County, MS
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| William Nelson Forbes (1861-1905) | 19 August 1861 Marion County | 1 February 1905 Columbia, Marion County | Kiturah Leona Ball (1866-1925) |
| Hugh Adolphus Forbes (1864-1897) | |||
| James Edward Forbes (1866-1949) | |||
| Jacob Benjamin Forbes (1868-1946) | |||
| Albert Sidney Forbes (1870-1949) | |||
| Emily Sapora Forbes (1872-1961) | |||
| Sarah Belle Forbes (1874-1964) | |||
| Hattie Forbes (1876-1878) | |||
| Mary Cordelia Forbes (1878-) | |||
| John Elisha Forbes (1880-1946) | |||
Residences
Footnotes (including sources)