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Arthur Forbis Monument
 
Arthur Forbis Grave
Guilford Courthouse
View complete article and references at Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina at: https://docsouth.unc.edu/commland/monument/64
 
Description: This monument in the shape of a traditional tombstone marks the grave of Colonel Arthur Forbis, who was mortally wounded during the battle at Guilford Courthouse. The monument is 2 feet high and 6 inches thick, set in a base of the same stone.
 
Inscription:
Tombstone: IN HONOR OF / COL. ARTHUR FORBIS / OF THE N.C. TROOPS / WHO FELL AT HIS POST IN THE DIS / CHARGE OF DUTY / ON THIS MEMORABLE / FIELD OF BATTLE / MARCH 15 1781
Base: PRESENTED BY MCGALLIARD & HUSKE / JULY 4, 1887
 
Dedication date: July 4, 1887
 
Materials & Techniques: Granite.
 
Sponsor: McGalliard and Huske Stoneworks of Kernersville, NC
 
Cost: $Valued at 200 dollars, but dedicated by the quarry that cut it.
 
Subject notes: Arthur Forbis was a Captain in the Guilford County militia under Colonel James Martin. He acted as commander of the Guilford militia in Martin's absence, while Martin rode to the courthouse to rally fugitives.
 
Former Locations: Immediately after his death, Forbis was buried at Alamance Presbyterian Church. His remains were moved to the park in 1887.
 
Landscape: The monument to Forbis was the first monument erected on the battlefield.
 
City: Greensboro
 
County: Guilford
 
Subjects: Revolutionary War
 

Latitude: 
36.13004
Longitude: 
-79.84807
Update from N.C. Government & Heritage Library staff: 

This record indicates that David Schenck had Arthur Forbis' body moved from his original burial place in Alamance County to the Guilford Battleground site.  While Schenck and the Battleground Company did have several bodies relocated from their original resting places to the battleground park, it is unclear the source of this information about Forbis.  NCpedia is researching this question and will add an update as needed.

Subjects: 
Monuments
Places
Authors: 
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Origin - location: 
Guilford County
Greensboro
From: 
Commemorative Landscapes of NC, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

11 July 2014 | Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina

Comments

Submitted by Alice Holtin (not verified) on Fri, 03/13/2015 - 23:51

I am a descendant of Col. Arthur Forbis. He is NOT buried here. He was wounded here, and taken home, where he died 3 weeks later. He is buried in the Alamance Presbyterian Church Cemetery. See http://s3.amazonaws.com/storage.nm-storage.com/alamancechurch/downloads/...

Submitted by kagan on Tue, 03/17/2015 - 14:59

Hi Alice,

Thanks for visiting this entry and contributing this correction.

According to the Commemorative Landscapes database at the University of North Carolina, Forbis' remains were moved to Guilford Battleground in 1887 from the churchyard when his momument was installed.  We will look into this question!

Thanks and best wishes,

Kelly Agan, Government & Heritage Library

Submitted by Scott Culclasure (not verified) on Thu, 06/02/2016 - 08:47

As the author of the newly-published "Guide to the Monuments Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Greensboro, North Carolina," I can confirm Alice's comment about where Forbis is buried. In his diary, David Schenck makes no claim to having Forbis' remains reinterred on the battlefield. And there is no mention of such a thing in the park's files. Having worked as a volunteer at the park for many years, we have never interpreted the monument as marking Forbis' grave, which is, in fact, plainly marked in the cemetery at Alamance Presbyterian Church where he was buried in 1781. Unfortunately, UNC's Commemorative Landscapes database, while an excellent resource, makes several such errors.

Submitted by kagan on Tue, 06/07/2016 - 17:14

Dear Scott,

Thank you for visiting NCpedia and taking time to share this correction.

I will pass this on to the Commemorative Landscapes folks at UNC and add an update to the NCpedia version of the record.  I know you mentioned other errors in the database, and if you do happen to find items, please send them to me and I can pursue updates.  And if you have citations, that will help greatly.

Thank you again and best wishes,

Kelly Agan, NC Government & Heritage Library

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