President Andrew Jackson was a blood relative of the McQuiston family and spent many days in his early youth at one of their homes. He figures strongly in the family treasure story where $25,000 in Colonial gold was hidden from Cornwallis, with Jackson's help, and later given to Sam Houston to pay off Texas war debts. Seems Andy Jackson had another famous fan.
President Franklin Roosevelt found himself in a position fighting the forces of aristocratic money against the common man. His righthand man and speech writer, Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson, also the Chief Prosecutor at the Nazis war tribunal, actually wrote up a list he called the "Sixty Families." These were the richest U.S. families, including many from the banking industry, that held such a stranglehold on America that it was slipping into the Great Depression.
Robert Jackson, no known relation to Andrew Jackson, was no slouch, having served as Attorney General before his post at the Supreme Court and Nuremberg. He is the only man in history to serve as U.S. Solicitor General, Attorney General and Supreme Court Justice. He also met with the Pope many times in trying to figure out how to rebuild Europe and how to deal with the Nazis during and after the war. He is generally considered the greatest jurist to ever live and wrote many opinions still referred to, today. Point is, he knew what he was talking about.
FDR was no slouch either. He was Assistant Secretary of the Navy and, later, Acting Secretary of the Navy. In addition to seeing action himself, he was charged with the Navy's "demobilization" after WWI. He was ordered to dismantle the entire U.S. Navy! He fought, almost single-handidly to prevent this from happening and he formed the United States Navy Reserve. He was a Senator and also Governor of New York State and the only president ever elected to office for four consecutive terms.
FDR wrote a letter in which he states, "The real truth of the matter is, as you know, that a financial element has owned the government ever since the days of Andrew Jackson. The country is going through a repetition of Jackson's fight with the Bank of the United States – only on a far bigger and broader basis."
Later, FDR writes, "The trip through the Tennessee Valley was a great success – especially the visit to the Hermitage. The more I learn about old Andy Jackson, the more I love him."
Me too.
Mr. McQuiston,
ReplyDeleteHello, My name is Ben Taylor. I just discovered, while researching my lineage, that I am a direct descendant of Col. Arthur Forbis. My mother is Penny Forbis. I was completely unaware of my relationship to Col. Forbis and of his actions at Guilford Courthouse. I was shocked when I came across information about this battle; especially considering that I have grown up within miles of were Arthur Forbis lived and that I attend college at UNC Greensboro, minutes from the battle site.
As soon as I found out about Col. Forbis I went to the memorial that is erected in his honor at the Guilford Courthouse. I was writing to you because I found an article you wrote for Mountain Echo Online in 2008. This article was very helpful to me and I was wondering if you could give me more information about Col. Forbis or Cap. John Forbis (who I believe to be his brother?) Thank you so much for helping preserving this history through your study and writing. There are at least a hundred members of the Forbis family who are still residents of the Alamance area, none of us knew about Col. Forbis.
Thank you for your help. I also sent this message to an email address I found in your name, but I was unsure if the address was still active. I apologize if this is a redundant message. please feel free to contact me cbtaylo3@uncg.edu