John Forbes

John Forbes, 4th of Culloden ( – 1734), was a Scottish politician who sat in the Parliament of Scotland from 1704 to 1707 and in the British House of Commons from 1713 to 1727. He was known as 'Bumper John' from his enduring belief that 'another bumper' (of drink) would cure all ills.

Forbes was the eldest son of Duncan Forbes, Shire Commissioner, of Culloden and his wife Mary Innes, daughter of Sir Robert Innes, 2nd Baronet, of Innes, Elgin. He was educated at Inverness Royal Academy and privately in Edinburgh in 1692 although he shirked his studies. In 1692 he was sent to the Low Countries though without a settled objective and spent about a year there. He spent money but read little and disappointed his parents by failing to improve himself in useful skills, preferring the bottle instead. He eventually married Jean Gordon, daughter of Sir Robert Gordon, 2nd Baronet, of Gordonstoun, Elgin, in June 1699 and was Commissioner justiciary for the Highlands in 1701 and 1702.

Forbes succeeded his father to the Culloden estate in 1704 and became Shire Commissioner for Nairnshire in the Scottish parliament. He immediately associated himself with the opposition and appears to have stayed with the Country party, at least with regard the Union, which he denounced as a road to 'inevitable ruin, with regard to Church and state'. In the Scottish parliament he registered a large number of anti-Court votes. Some of these may have been the result of Presbyterian scruples; but he had a material concern that the Union might end a lucrative excise exemption which he had, and he became involved in a lengthy legal dispute.

Forbes was 'a friend to a cheerful glass' to the end, and died at Edinburgh on 18 December 1734 of 'a complaint in his bowels'. He had a son and other children but they all predeceased him. His brother Duncan inherited the estate.