Forster, William, 1784-1854

William Forster was a traveling minister from England who was born in Tottenham to William and Elizabeth on the 23rd of the 3rd month 1784. In 1816, he married Anna Buxton, daughter of Thomas Towell and Anna Buxton and settled at Bredpole near Bridport. The couple had a son named William Edward in 1818. In the first ten years of his ministry, Forster engaged in religious visits throughout Great Britain and Ireland. In 1820, he spent five years in service in North America and then in 1837 he removed to Norwich. In the following years, he paid religious visits to Ireland, Normandy, and Indiana. He was one of the Friends who undertook to present the Address of Y.M. 1849 on the Slave Trade to the Sovereigns and other authorities in Europe. Forster died on January 27 1854 in his 70th year. His body was buried at Friendsville. Forster’s publications include: A Christian exhortation to sailors (published in 1819) and A salutation of Gospel love to those in the islands of the Pacific Ocean (published in 1860).