Toby Forester (b. circa 1798 - d. ?)
MSA SC 5496-050829
War of 1812 Refugee, Prince George's County, Maryland, 1814
Biography:
Toby Forester was an enslaved man who belonged to Charles and Ursula Bowie of Prince George's County. During the War of 1812 Toby and two fellow slaves, Osbourne Wheeler and Sam Beans, escaped from the Bowie's plantation and fled to the British Ships. Toby left the town of Upper Marlboro and made stops in Nottingham in Prince George's County and Benedict in Calvert County. While in Marlboro he saw his brother Sandy. From Benedict Toby went to Baltimore where he boarded a British ship headed to Northumberland County, Virginia. After leaving Northumberland the ship sailed for six weeks to Jamaica. While in Jamaica Toby's health wained due to the warm temperature. The ship eventually left Jamaica and sailed to New Orleans where Toby stayed for one month in New Orleans. Toby then went to Havannah and from there to Portsmouth, England. While in Portsmouth Toby made his journey to London where he stayed with a gentleman named William Walker at his hotel. Walker's Hotel was located at Dean Street in the Soho District of London. Toby would take on the occupation of a dentist while in England.
On August 5, 1819, Toby wrote a letter to his parents, who were still enslaved by the Bowie's. Forester let his parents know that he was in England and that he was still alive and well. In his letter Forester informed his parents about the Bowie's other escaped slaves Osbourne and Sam and of all the places he went with the British before he settled in England. Toby's letter was intercepted by his owners Charles and Ursula Bowie, who used the letter as a part of claim they submitted to the Department of State following the War of 1812. Charles and Ursula Bowie were awarded $280 for each of their slaves that they lost to the British.
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