Alexander Forbes

Who was Alexander Forbes?

Alexander Forbes was a 19th-century Scottish merchant, explorer, and author. His book California: A History of Upper and Lower California, published in 1839, is perhaps the first full account in English of California. He is the brother of distinguished Scottish physician Sir John Forbes.

Forbes grew up in the counties of Banffshire and Aberdeenshire. At some point, he emigrated to Tepic, Mexico, where he made his living as a merchant. He is also recorded as having been the British consul to Mexico. It was during his time here that he wrote his book. One of the remarkable aspects of the book is that Forbes wrote it without ever having visited California at the time.

At the time Forbes was writing, California was a province of Mexico. Forbes drew upon the accounts of California's Franciscan Padres to inform his work, as well as other agents, including southern California cattleman and landowner Abel Stearns. His work contains extensive descriptions of Mexican California, including accounts of California's agriculture and its landscape.