| 4. | David Forman  (1.Susan1) was born on 8 Sep 1817 in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana; died on 6 Oct 1892 in Liberty Hill, Texas. Other Events and Attributes:
- Religion: 1857, Old First Church, Orange, Orange Co, Texas; founded
- Residence: Oct 1866, Liberty Hills, Texas
- Will: Jan 1893, Liberty Co, Texas
Notes:
Opel Ct Hse Mar # 13
The following is from the "Southern Baptists of Southeast Texas", the chapter on the formative years and beyond, pages 24 & 25:
Old First, Orange, is the oldest congregation in Southeast Texas Association that can claim a definite historical peg for its birthright. It dates from October 1857, when ten members "in the presence of Brother D. D. Forman, as moderator" ctuted the church in as much as the city was then named Madison, the church bore that name through 1861. In the same month as its creation, it was " found orderly and orthodox" and received into the Bethlehem Association, meeting with Beech Creek Church in Tyler County on 12 October 1857.
A. Prewett was the only delegate listed in the first year of Old First, Orange; there were nine members and a $2.00 contribution was made. No pastor was specified in its initial year, although Forman was the minister the following year ay have served in that capacity immediately following the organization.
Forman was another remarkable minister who served God for many years. He was born in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, on 8 September, 1817. He married Mary Simmons on 17 January, 1837, (this is incorrect, actual copies of the court records she date as January 9, 1837), and " embraced Christianity" through faith in Christ in August 1841. Two years later, on 31 October 1843, Forman was ordained to the ministry in the same church where he had experienced salvation at Aimwell, Louisiana. The field in which he labored was, for the most part, in far western and southern sections of the state. He worked as moderator of the Louisiana Baptist Association for five or six years, during which time he assisted in organizing six churches and ordaining three preachers. (Texas Historical and Biographical Magazine, 2 vols.(Austin: J.B.Link, 1891-92)).
Forman must have worked in the Orange County area before moving farther west, for in October 1866 he settled in Liberty County, which was in Tryon Association, and united with Oak Shade Church in Tarkington's Prairie. He preached extensiver about a year in these environs where the ministers were commonly asked for about a year to make their donations by preaching. He contributed $50.00 to the association, which meant that he preached fifty days. Part of this time was volunteered in the vicinity where the town of Willis developed in Montgomery County. Forman was pastor of several churches including Cedar Bayou and Willis.
D.D. Forman was said "to be a man of much ability and leadership. He organized a wagon train and rescued it from Indians. D.D. Forman and Mary moved with a group Simmons families from Louisiana to East Texas, in Tarkingtons Prairie. They r moved to Central West Texas at Liberty Hill, where D.D. built a large store and lumber yard. He also built an imposing building, by the standards of the day. This was in Liberty Hill and was one of the largest buildings of several towns nearby. It was built to house the Liberty Normal and Business College. It cost about $500.
The Coleman brothers were the first teachers and managers. Later, the Hamilton brothers, David Luke and Jeptha Erastus were brought there by their Uncle D.D. Forman, to teach. Later on D.D. Forman deeded the college building to the communnd it was used as a public school until it was destroyed by fire.
D.D. Forman and Polly had no children of their own, but they acted as guardians and advisors to their nieces and nephews, children of David Simmons and wife Amelia (Millie) Forman. They had 12 children.
Here I am going to parlay information of D.D. Forman and his wife, Mary Simmons Forman, as written by J. Gordon Bryson "Pete Shady", in his book, "Culture of the Shin Oak Ridge Folk". I am going to take a family right to correct the spellif the Forman name and will note other corrections of family lineage.
Chapter 31. "Sometime long before I was born, a man named Forman came to Liberty Hill from East Texas. Apparently he was a man of considerable means, either a sawmill operator or a lumberman. He put in a lumberyard which was still doing bess when I was a medical student. He built the first unit of a big store, which was perhaps just a front for the lumber yard. It was this man Forman who financed the construction of the old LN and BC College. Believe it or not, that was the biggest structure between Georgetown and Burnet. It had cost Mr. Forman $500.00, and later he presented it to the community as public property. It was maintained by a combination of district taxes (very small) and tuition. The Coleman brothers were the first teachers and managers."
Chapter 32-Bringing Up A Child In The Way He Should Go- "Perhaps the most often misquoted short sentence of the Scripture is "Bring up a child in the way he should go, and he will not depart therefrom when he is old." Omitting that last e has become the practice of the mind that is always willing to underate the value of a good man. He may be a layman, a lawyer, a doctor, or a minister. However, the bad boys of the preacher area favorite quotation of the cynics. Mr. Webster says that a cynic is an atheist.
The following two personalities, their origins, and their resultant ends are just two Shin Oak Ridge men which we have been able to follow through. They are presented to prove our contention that cultural advancement does have its genesn a good home.
Let's first take the man D.D. Forman, born in Louisiana or East Texas on September 8, 1817. (I will intercede, he was born in Opelousas, La.). He died in Liberty Hill, October 6, 1892. His wife Mary (Cole) Forman, (again I will intercedey was a Simmons, the sister of David Simmons, D.D. Forman's mother's maiden name was Sue Anna Cole)., was born in 1818, in Opelousas, La. and died at Liberty Hill in 1897. They had no children. They were very devout members of the Baptist church. (I will a add that he was an ordained Baptist minister). We will soon see that it was very fortunate that his nephew, David L. Simmons, fell in love with and married Mary's niece, Polly Cole. Apparently the Formans became the guardian angels of the young David Simmons.
The David L. Simmonses became the parents of three sons and three daughters. It is evident that the Forman-Cole genes flowed unhampered right into the Simmons bloodstream, as we will see in a very incomplete report upon the second and thirerations."
Rev. D.D. Forman pastored at the "Liberty Hill Missionary Baptist Church of Christ" after 1876. Pg. 287 "Shin Oak Ridge".
________________
from Steve Forman's FTW page:
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/f/o/r/Stephen-D-Forman/GENE8-0005.html#CHILD13
David was a baptist minister who established the oldest congregation in the Southeast Texas Baptist Association. It is the Old First, Orange congregation, and dates from October 1857.
David and Mary "Polly" had no children.The following is from the "Southern Baptists of Southeast Texas", the chapter on the formative years and beyond, pages 24 & 25:
Old First, Orange, is the oldest congregation in Southeast Texas Association that can claim a definite historical peg for its birthright. It dates from October 1857, when ten members "in the presence of Brother D. D. Forman, as moderator" constituted the church in as much as the city was then named Madison, the church bore that name through 1861. In the same month as its creation, it was " found orderly and orthodox" and received into the Bethlehem Association, meeting with Beech Creek Church in Tyler County on 12 October 1857.
A. Prewett was the only delegate listed in the first year of Old First, Orange; there were nine members and a $2.00 contribution was made. No pastor was specified in its initial year, although Forman was the minister the following year and may have served in that capacity immediately following the organization.
Forman was another remarkable minister who served God for many years. He was born in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, on 8 September, 1817. He married Mary Simmons on 17 January, 1837, (this is incorrect, actual copies of the court records show the date as January 9, 1837), and " embraced Christianity" through
faith in Christ in August 1841. Two years later, on 31 October 1843, Forman was ordained to the ministry in the same church where he had experienced salvation at Aimwell, Louisiana. The field in which he labored was, for the most part, in far western and southern sections of the state. He worked as moderator of the Louisiana Baptist Association for five or six years, during which time he assisted in organizing six churches and ordaining three preachers. (Texas Historical and Biographical Magazine, 2 vols.(Austin: J.B.Link, 1891-92)).
Forman must have worked in the Orange County area before moving farther west, for in October 1866 he settled in Liberty County, which was in Tryon Association, and united with Oak Shade Church in Tarkington's Prairie. He preached extensively for about a year in these environs where the ministers were commonly asked for about a year to make their donations by preaching. He contributed $50.00 to the association, which meant that he preached fifty days. Part of this time was volunteered in the vicinity where the town of Willis developed in Montgomery County. Forman was pastor of several churches including Cedar Bayou and Willis.
D.D. Forman was said "to be a man of much ability and leadership. He organized a wagon train and rescued Indians, Alabama Coushata from fever and starvation by moving them from the Sabine to Tarkington Prairie . D.D. Forman and Mary moved with a group Simmons families from Louisiana to East Texas, in Tarkingtons Prairie. They later moved to Central West Texas at Liberty Hill, where D.D. built a large store and lumber yard. He also built an imposing building, by the standards of the day. This was in Liberty Hill and was one of the largest buildings of several towns nearby. It was built to house the Liberty Normal and Business College. It cost about $500.
The Coleman brothers were the first teachers and managers. Later, the Hamilton brothers, David Luke and Jeptha Erastus were brought there by their Uncle D.D. Forman, to teach. Later on D.D. Forman deeded the college building to the community and it was used as a public school until it was destroyed by fire.
D.D. Forman and Polly had no children of their own, but they acted as guardians and advisors to their nieces and nephews, children of David Simmons and wife Amelia (Millie) Forman. They had 12 children.
Here I am going to parlay information of D.D. Forman and his wife, Mary Simmons Forman, as written by J. Gordon Bryson "Pete Shady", in his book, "Culture of the Shin Oak Ridge Folk". I am going to take a family right to correct the spelling of the Forman name and will note other corrections of family lineage.
Chapter 31. "Sometime long before I was born, a man named Forman came to Liberty Hill from East Texas. Apparently he was a man of considerable means, either a sawmill operator or a lumberman. He put in a lumberyard which was still doing business when I was a medical student. He built the first unit of a big store, which was perhaps just a front for the lumber yard. It was this man Forman who financed the construction of the old LN and BC College. Believe it or not, that was the biggest structure between Georgetown and Burnet. It had cost Mr. Forman $500.00, and later he presented it to the community as public property. It was maintained by a combination of district taxes (very small) and tuition. The Coleman brothers were the first teachers and managers."
Chapter 32-Bringing Up A Child In The Way He Should Go- "Perhaps the most often misquoted short sentence of the Scripture is "Bring up a child in the way he should go, and he will not depart therefrom when he is old." Omitting that last phrase has become the practice of the mind that is always willing to underate the value of a good man. He may be a layman, a lawyer, a doctor, or a minister. However, the bad boys of the preacher are a favorite quotation of the cynics. Mr. Webster says that a cynic is an atheist.
The following two personalities, their origins, and their resultant ends are just two Shin Oak Ridge men which we have been able to follow through. They are presented to prove our contention that cultural advancement does have its genesis in a good home.
Let's first take the man D.D. Forman, born in Louisiana or East Texas on September 8, 1817. (I will intercede, he was born in Opelousas, La.). He died in Liberty Hill, October 6, 1892. His wife Mary (Cole) Forman, (again I will intercede, Mary was a Simmons, the sister of David Simmons, D.D. Forman's mother's maiden name was Sue Anna Cole)., was born in 1818, in Opelousas, La. and died at Liberty Hill in 1897. They had no children. They were very devout members of the Baptist church. (I will a add that he was an ordained Baptist minister). We will soon see that it was very fortunate that his nephew, David L. Simmons, fell in love with and married Mary's niece, Polly Cole. Apparently the Formans became the guardian angels of the young David Simmons.
The David L. Simmonses became the parents of three sons and three daughters. It is evident that the Forman-Cole genes flowed unhampered right into the Simmons bloodstream, as we will see in a very incomplete report upon the second and third generations."
Rev. D.D. Forman pastored at the "Liberty Hill Missionary Baptist Church of Christ" after 1876. Pg. 287 "Shin Oak Ridge"
David D. Forman is also credited with rescuing the Alabama-Coushatta Indians by organizing a wagon train and bringing them from East Texas to Tarkingon Prairie. They were starving to death because of a severe drought and they were dying of fever. They remained in Tarkington Prairie until the US Gov't. put them on the Reservation in East Texas some years later.
Here is additional information about the type of person D.D. Forman was:
At Liberty Hill, Texas, he built a large store and lumber yard by the railroad tracks and across from the depot. It remained in use for a long time and was operated by Julius Landrum and Jake Simmons.
D.D. Forman built an imposing building, by their standards of yesterday. It was built in Liberty Hill and was the largest building of several towns nearby. It was built to house the Liberty Normal and Business College. It cost about $500. If you could see the picture, you would be amazed that such a large attractive building could be built for that sum of money.
I have before me a picture of the Liberty Normal and Business College. It is a reprint of an ad published in the Williamson County Sun on Thursday, Aug. 12, 1886. The ad presents "Reasons Why You Should Attend This School" and another write-up describing the "Character of Work Done Here" was written by the President, E. M. Coleman, and Secretary P.T. Coleman. A catalogue could be had by addressing the above. The write-ups were on each side of a large picture of the college.
This reprint was published in Georgetown, Texas by the "Williamson County Sun" on March 20, 1969 page 13.
Beginning with reason #14 as to why you should attend the Liberty Normal and Business College we find:
"14. This school is better adapted to the wants of the masses than any other school in the State.
#15. Its success is unparalleled in the West.
#16. It is the largest and most progressive Normal in the State.
#17. Board is only $10.00 per month.
I have known some of the graduates and they really did excel in their chosen professions. The Coleman brothers were the first teachers and managers. Later the Hamilton brothers, David Luke and Jeptha Erastus, were brought to Liberty Hill to teach in the Normal and Business College by their Uncle D.D. Forman. Two of their sisters came also. They taught and helped in managing the school for some years. These two brothers were Baptist Ministers, who went to South America as Missionaries. They were sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Georgetown, Texas, and the Baptist Church of Liberty Hill, Texas.
D.D. Forman later deeded the College Building to the Community and it was used as a public school until its destruction by fire. The College building was destroyed by fire around 1901. That same night the Baptist Church was burned to the ground as a result of burning flying debris. The wind was very strong and nor fire fighting equipment was to be had. The story of the fire incidents was told to me by David Reid Simmons, who lived at Liberty Hill at the time and was present when it happened. He had attended school in the building.
Rev. D.D. Forman and his wife, Mary (called Polly), had no children but they acted as guardians and advisors to their neices and nephews, children of David and Amelia Simmons. This is evident by the many experiences they shared together. It is also evident that he had much concern for them by his sharing his worldly possessions with them through his will.
Fact 1: August 1841, "Embraced Christianity" throught fatih in Christ
Fact 2: October 31, 1843, Ordained as Baptist Minister, Aimwell, Louisiana.
Fact 3: October 1857, Old First, Orange, is the oldest congregation in Southeast Texas, started by Dav
Fact 4: October 1866, Settled in Liberty County.
Fact 5: 1886, Built Liberty Normal and Business College, Liberty Hill Texas
Residence:
D.D. Forman built Liberty Normal and Business College
Will:
Will
Deeds-22page 228-Jan. 1892 Liberty, Texas Courthouse
Will of D. D. Forman who died Oct. 6, 1892 (whose wife was Mary, called Polly).
1. To brother, E. M. Forman of Llano Co. $2,000
2. To sister Eliza Jane Cole of Williamson Co. $1,500
3. To Martha A. Denman of Houston $1,500
4. To Colbert J. Simmons of Williamson Co. $1,000
5. To D.L. Simmons of Williamson Co. $1,000
6. " Nancy A. Wright of Liberty Co. $ 500
7. " Elizabeth Morgan of Calcasieu Parish La. $ 500
8. " Susan Welch of Calcasieu Parish, La $1,000
9. " Lydia Hamilton $ 500
10. " H. S. Day, MD $ 500
11. " J. M. Archard of Indian Territory $ 500
12. " Peneo Archard of Indian Territory $ 500
13. " Malessie Simmons of Williamson Co. $ 500
14. " Buckner Orphans Home of Dallas $ 500
15. " Cuban Missions $ 500
16. " Calvin Simmons of Liberty County $ 400
17. " William Simmons of Liberty County $ 400
Executors E. M. Forman, D.S. Cole, D. L. Simmons. Will progated Dec. 1892, Liberty County Judge D. S. Chesher.[SDForman Family.FTW]
David married Mary Simmons on 9 Jan 1837 in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. Mary (daughter of James Simmons, Jr and Nancy Sullivan) was born on 12 Dec 1818 in Hickory Flats, Allen, Louisiana; died on 27 Dec 1897 in Liberty Hill, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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1791 - 1865 (74 years)