Biography.guide
Home › People › Botanist › Francis Blackwell Forbes
Portrait of Francis Blackwell Forbes

Francis Blackwell Forbes

1839 – 1908

China merchant, opium trader and botanist

Botanist Botanical collector
Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Francis Blackwell Forbes

Lived 1839 – 1908 (aged 68). Francis Blackwell Forbes was an American botanist and botanical collector.

Francis Blackwell Forbes (August 11, 1839 – May 21, 1908) was an American botanist with expertise in Chinese seed-producing plants who also worked as a merchant and opium trader in Asia.

Early life Francis Blackwell Forbes was born in New York on August 11, 1839, one of three children of the Reverend John Murray Forbes, rector of St. Luke's, New York, and his wife Anne Howell.

Francis Blackwell Forbes

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
11 August 1839, New York City
Birth century
19th century
Died
2 May 1908, Boston
Occupation
Botanist, botanical collector
Nationality
United States
Education
Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School
Also known as
F.B.Forbes, F. B. Forbes, Francis B. Forbes

Family & relationships

Parent
John Murray Forbes

People in Francis Blackwell Forbes's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Portrait of John
John
1881 – 1963
Latin Catholic priest
 Portrait of John Murray
John Murray
1808 – 1892
Publisher

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Francis Blackwell Forbes's

Portrait of Christian Friedrich Schönbein
Christian Friedrich Schönbein
1799 – 1868
Chemist
 Portrait of Humphrey Lloyd
Humphrey Lloyd
1800 – 1881
Physicist
 Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Dumas
Jean-Baptiste Dumas
1800 – 1884
Chemist
 Portrait of John Edward Gray
John Edward Gray
1800 – 1875
Zoologist
 Portrait of Antoine Augustin Cournot
Antoine Augustin Cournot
1801 – 1877
Mathematician
 Portrait of George Biddell Airy
George Biddell Airy
1801 – 1892
Mathematician

Frequently asked questions

Who was Francis Blackwell Forbes?

China merchant, opium trader and botanist (1839-1908)

When was Francis Blackwell Forbes born?

Francis Blackwell Forbes was born on 11 August 1839 in New York City.

When did Francis Blackwell Forbes die?

Francis Blackwell Forbes died on 2 May 1908 in Boston.

What was Francis Blackwell Forbes's occupation?

Francis Blackwell Forbes was a botanist and botanical collector.

What nationality was Francis Blackwell Forbes?

Francis Blackwell Forbes was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Francis Blackwell Forbes

· Wikidata: Q4491809

· DBpedia: Francis Blackwell Forbes

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Francis Blackwell Forbes. https://biography.guide/francis-blackwell-forbes/

MLA: "Francis Blackwell Forbes." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/francis-blackwell-forbes/.

Chicago: "Francis Blackwell Forbes." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/francis-blackwell-forbes/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:22 UTC