Spinus notatus forreri (Salvin & Godman, 1886), Vireo flavoviridis forreri Madarász, 1885 & Amazilia forreri, Boucard, 1893 (1 Viewer)

[Taphrospilus]

Spinus notatus forreri (Salvin & Godman, 1886) OD v.1 (1879-1904) - Biologia centrali-americana: Aves - Biodiversity Heritage Library

Two specimens obtained by A. Forrer in the Sierra Madre of Durango, near the hamlet of Ciudad, on the 19th of June, 1882, differ rather widely from typical specimens of C. notata from Southern Mexico and Guatemala.

Vireo flavoviridis forreri Madarász, 1885 OD v.8-9 (1884-1885) - Természetrajzi Füzetek kiadja a Magyar nemzeti Muzeum - Biodiversity Heritage Library plus v.8-9 (1884-1885) - Természetrajzi Füzetek kiadja a Magyar nemzeti Muzeum - Biodiversity Heritage Library

Ich nenne diese Species zu Ehren des Entdeckers Alfons Forrer.

Amazilia forreri, Boucard, 1893 v.3(1893) - The Humming bird - Biodiversity Heritage Library

It was sold to me with many other birds as having been collected in Mazathan by Mr. Forrer, to whom I am happy to dedicate it.

The Eponym Dictionary of Birds

A comprehensive dictionary listing all the people whose names are commemorated in the English and scientific names of birds.Birdwatchers often come across bird names that include a person's name, either in the vernacular (English) name or latinised in the scientific nomenclature. Such names are...

books.google.de

Forrer's Hummingbird Amazilia forreri Boucard, 1893 NCR [Alt. Amazilia Hummingbird; JS Amazilia amazilia]
Yellow-green Vireo ssp. Vireo flavoviridis forreri Madarász, 1885
Black-headed Siskin ssp. Carduelis notata forreri Salvin & Godman, 1886
Alphonse Forrer (1836–1899) was born in England but moved to the USA, where he joined the Union army at the outbreak of the American Civil War (1861). He was employed by the British Museum (1865) to collect zoological specimens in western Mexico and the US, continuing to collect in Mexico (1880s). He also supplied specimens to other museums and made four trips to Europe. A reptile and an amphibian are named after him.

The Key to Scientific Names - Birds of the World

Species accounts for all the birds of the world.

birdsoftheworld.org

Alfonse Forrer (1836-1899) English settler in USA, collector in USA and Mexico (syn. Amazilia amazilia, subsp. Spinus notatus, subsp. Vireo flavoviridis).

An obitiuary with picture https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/condor/v001n04/p0066-p0067.pdf or Forrer, Alfonse (1836-1899) on JSTOR

I am wondering now what's written here Die Sammlungen, Museen und Gärten der Universität Göttingen

...der Sammlung des gebürtigen Schweizer Naturforschers Alphonse Forrer (1836-1899).

So I am wondering now when and where he was really born? London or Switzerland? Alphonse sounds for me more Suisse.

https://kulturmuseumsg.ch/dateien/ausstellungen/indianer/MM_Nordamerika.doc

Herausragend ist die Sammlung von Alphonse Forrer (1836-1899), einem Naturforscher mit Ostschweizer Wurzeln.

...could indicate that only his ancestors are from East Switzerland?

Non birds named for him

• Leptophis diplotropis forreri H. M. Smith, 1943 v.93=no.3157-3170 (1944) [Lacks:pg.150-151] - Proceedings of the United States National Museum - Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Lithobates forreri Boulenger, 1883 ser.5:v.11=no.61-66 (1883) - The Annals and magazine of natural history - Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Stylasterias forreri (de Loriol, 1887) Recueil zoologique Suisse. 1re sér.:t.4e (1886-1888).

Here a list of fishes he collected v.11=no.676-760 (1888) [Lacks:Pl.LVI] - Proceedings of the United States National Museum - Biodiversity Heritage Library

P.S. https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Ornith-Centralblatt_5_I-LXXV.pdf he gave the place to reach ihm as:

Scheitlins Buchhandlung, St. Gallen (Schweiz)

 

[PScofield]

The spelling Alfonse is almost unique to his obituary. Almost official records and publications have Alphonse except some of his military records and one or two collection records. His Californian voter registrations have "Alphonse Joseph".
I can find no birth record in England or Switzerland. I can confirm his brief commission in the Union Army from which he was dismissed in 1865 after less than one year. He was a commissary in the Louisiana Cavalry and later a Navy Clerk.

 

[mb1848]

Wow. Great amount of information about Forrer. Far more than I could find. His wife played the zither which screams London birth to me.
The Santa Cruz aquarium quest | Ross Eric Gibson, Local history .

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Quick one ... (for what it's worth)

NHM has some of his correspondence (here and here). Also see here.

As well, see the following ditto from/in AMNH (here), or here.

Other than this (and what's told earlier in this thread) I know absolutely nothing about this guy. I'd never even heard of him prior to Martin's #1.

But, simply trusting the above I'd say it looks like his Given name ought to have been Alphonse ...

Björn

PS. According to here, and/or here, he (or his Family?) might have been from/or connected to: St. Gallen, Switzerland (just like Martin suggested, at the end of post #1). Maybe a trace worth following?

🧩

 

[Taphrospilus]

Forrer, Alphonse | Ernst Haeckel Online Briefedition indicates as well a connection to St. Gallen or Jahresbericht des Vereins für Naturwissenschaft zu Braunschweig ... when he was guest in Braunschweig

I assume also collect by him Weltmuseum Wien: Online Sammlung or Die archäologischen und ethnographischen Sammlungen aus Amerika im K.K. Naturhistorischen Hofmuseum in Wien : Heger, Franz, 1853-1931 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

He. is also mentioned here Jahrg.44 (1883) - Entomologische Zeitung - Biodiversity Heritage Library , Jahrg.40 (1884) - Hamburger Garten- und Blumenzeitung - Biodiversity Heritage Library or Bericht über die Thätigkeit der St. Gallischen Naturwissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft während des Vereinsjahres ...

Note in German publications often written as Alfons or Alphons (no e).

House documents is wriiten:

The National Museum in Washington owns serveral of them; but the most complete collection is probably the one made in 1882 by the Swiss naturalist, Alphons Forrer, a native of St. Gall. which was partly sold to the Ethnographic Museum of St. Gall. partly (eight-five articles) to that of Berne, the capitale of Switzerland.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Don't miss the info about him (below "Briefdaten"):

Forrer, Alphonse​

Name Forrer
Vorname Alphonse
Geburtsjahr 1836
Sterbejahr 1899
Berufe/Funktionen engl. Emigrant, 1861 Soldat in der Union Army ,
nach 1865 Zoologe und Naturaliensammler am British Museum
Wirkungsorte St. Gallen

 

[Taphrospilus]

And http://jakobsigner.9050appenzell.ch/Geschichtsblätter Rüte.pdf

Der Sohn Alphons Forrer wurde 1839 in London geboren und kam mit 12 Jahren nach Zürich, wo er die Kantonsschule besuchte und sich hierauf besonders naturwissenschaftlichen Studien widmete. Mit zwanzig Jahren seinem Wandertrieb folgend, zog der junge Forrer nach den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika, wo erden Bürgerkrieg mitmachte und hierauf für die Museen in London, Paris, Berlin und Wiennaturwissenschaftliche Forschungen und auch solche auf ethnologischem Gebiet (Völkerbeschreibung)machte. Er bereiste die Westküste Amerikas von Kanada bis Mexiko zu Sammelzwecken, wobei ihn meistens eingeborene Indianer und Mexikaner begleiteten. Im April 1884 verheiratete sich Jung Forrer in Amerika mit Elisabetha Kürsteiner, deren Eltern aus dem Appenzellerland (vermutlich von Gais) nach den Staaten ausgewandert waren. 1898 starb er in Cincinnati im Staat Ohio, nach einem Forschungsleben, reich an wissenschaftlicher Ernte, aber ebenso waghalsigen Gefahren und Abenteuern. Seine Gattin starb ebenfalls in Cincinnati im Februar 1928.

His father was

Gallus Anton Forrer wurde geboren am 25. November 1803 in Alt St. Johann, im Toggenburg, als Sohn desJohann Conrad Forrer, daselbst. Er kam in jungen Jahren nach London und war über 4 Jahrzehnte Hofjuwelier der Königin Viktoria von England. Er vermählte sich am 13. Mai 1833 mit Franziska Magdalena Weishaupt von Appenzell, der Tochter des späteren Landammanns Karl Anton Weishaupt aus erster Ehe mit Maria Magdalena Signer, des Johannes Signer, in der Göbsi, jetzige Wirtschaft zum «Rössle», Kataster Nr. 67/61. Letzterer war des Schreibenden (Jakob Signer) Urgrossvater.

So his father was known in England as Perfect Likeness

The London jeweler Antoni Forrer, whose workshop at 136 Regent Street employed a staff of fifty, was granted the title "Artist in Hair Jewellery to Her Majesty" in 1845. At the Great World Exhibition of 1851 in London he exhibited a variety of hair jewelry as well as a set of minature portaits of Queen Victoria and the royal family executed in hair.

Collections Online | British Museum

www.britishmuseum.org

P.S. With Achaetogeron forreri Greene, Ranunculus forreri Greene, Salvia forreri Greene, Sedum forreri Greene OD v.1 (1887-1889) - Pittonia - Biodiversity Heritage Library he was honored in several plant name too. And not to forget Calosoma forreri Géhin, 1885 Catalogue synonymique et systematique des coleopteres de la tribu des carabides - Biodiversity Heritage Library

 

[Taphrospilus]

Apart from the date of birth the question remains death Santa Cruz, Cal. on March 13, 1899 (Obituary #1) or 1898 Cincinnati, Ohio (post #7)?

Just to recap some of the German written text.

Forrer married Elisabetha Kürsteiner in April 1884. She died February 1928 Cincinnati?

Father Gallus Anton Forrer born 25 November 1803 Alt St. Johann, Toggenburg married on 13. May 1833 Franziska Magdalena Weishaupt from Appenzell. The father died 11. December 1889 in London. Alphonse Forrer had a sister with name Alphonsine (they really loved Alphons....) married to Iwan von Tschudi.

What's truth or not is unknown to me.

 

[PScofield]

Alphonus Förrer was baptized on 6 Feb 1839 in Alt St. Johann, St. Gallen. If he was born in 1839 would his parents really raced back to St Gallen in mid-winter to baptize him? It seems unlikely. So an 1836 birth in London seems likely as compulsory registration of births in England began in 1837.
Alphons was a voting resident in Santa Cruz, CA until at least 1897. I see no reason to doubt his obit.
Elisabetha (Eliza) Kürsteiner died 08 Jan 1928 in Cincinnati Ohio. She was born on 21 Sep 1858 in New Orleans.
The sister's full name was Selina Alphosina Förrer born on 3 October 1843 in London.

 

[Taphrospilus]

Contains the record from 6 Feb 1839 in Alt St. Johann no information about the birth date? Or any travel document for US? Or the marriage record?

 

[PScofield]

Attached is the digitized baptism record.
A shipping record for 28 May 1863 gives an age of 27 (i.e. b.1836)
A shipping record for 8 Apr 1874 gives an age of 35 (i.e. b.1839)
A shipping record for 23 Sep 1880 gives an age of 42 (i.e. b.1838)
His Santa Cruz voter registration for 31 July 1896 gives an age of 59 (i.e. b.1837)
Despite this I still consider an 1836 birth or very early 1837 in London most likely as compulsory registration of births in England began in 1837.

 

[Taphrospilus]

Thank's for that but very difficult or impossible for me to read.

Do you have as well access to the marriage record with Elisabetha Kürsteiner from April 1884.?

 

[PScofield]

Interesting family dynamic! The father-in-law (who was closer in age to Alphons than his wife) fought in the 3rd Regiment, European Brigade, Louisiana Militia (Garde Francaise) of the Confederate Army throughout the war! Must have made for entertaining Thanksgiving dinners...

Marriage: 4 April 1884 Covington, Kenton, Kentucky, United States (attached). Alphons says here that he is aged 45! i.e. birth 1839. I suspect this was to make him closer to his wifes age.

The Kürsteiner family moved to Cincinnati in abt 1869 and Eliza having no children, moved there to live with her family after her (much older) husband's death.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Quick return ...

Daily Alta California, 29th of July 1882 (here):

Judge Hunt yesterday admitted the following persons to citizenship: ..., and Alphonse Forrer of England.

Santa Cruz Daily Sentinel (of Santa Cruz, California), 3rd of October 1885 (here):

A. Forrer [exhibiting] —Stuffed Birds.

And in same Santa Cruz Daily Sentinel, Volume 30, Number 128, of Friday Morning, 17th of March, 1899 (on page 2, here) we find the following:

And note the/his End: "... aged 60 years."

Simple Math: 1899 − 60 = ...

Take it for what it's worth. It's just some observations.

Björn

PS. Also note the guy (possibly a Namesake?) mentioned in the same Local Newspaper, of 30th of March, 1890 (here):

Alphonse Forrer, ... will represent the Club at the Nationalist State Convention, which meets in Metropolitan Temple, San Francisco, April 18th.

/B

 

[PScofield]

I see no reason the Nationalist Delegate wasn't "our man" in 1890. This process has a great way of teaching you history - I had not heard of the short-lived Nationalist Party before.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Apart from the date of birth the question remains death Santa Cruz, Cal. on March 13, 1899 (Obituary #1) or 1898 Cincinnati, Ohio (post #7)?
...

Martin, on top of the Death notice (in post #14), also note that the Obituary in post #1 does say [my bold blue] that he:

... died at his home in Santa Cruz, Cal., on March 15, 1899. ...

 

[Pakann]

I was attracted to this thread because I am presently working in the ethnographic collection assembled in 1877/8 by Alphonse Forrer among the Klamath of. Oregon. Faced with the lack of reliable information on Forrer's biography that also caused your discussion I did my own research and have compiled a fairly comprehensive sketch of his life. My essay on the Forrer collection will be published next year, but I would like to share with you a first draft on the section dealing with his biography (herewith attached). Corrections and additional information are of course most welcome.
[email protected]

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Christian, welcome to BirdForum, quite an entrance!

Thanks for sharing your research

Björn

 

[Taphrospilus]

Maybe someone in this thread can answer when his mother Franziska Magdalena Weishaupt (1813–), died? As I understood from the script divorced from his father. So maybe she re-married?

 

[PScofield]

I find: Franziska Forrer geb. Anton Forrer

Death Date 31 Mär 1867 (31 Mar 1867)
Burial Date 02 Apr 1867 (2 Apr 1867)
Burial Place Reibers, Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), Österreich (Austria)
Diocese St Poelten.
Aged 54 i.e. born 1813

She was Roman Catholic so remarriage was not an option.