Jonathan Forward (1680–1760) was a London merchant primarily responsible for convict transportation to the

American colonies The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies, the Thirteen American Colonies, or later as the United Colonies, were a group of British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Founded in the 17th and 18th centur ...

from 1718 to 1739. In accordance with the Transportation Act 1717, Forward was contracted to transport felons from

Newgate Prison Newgate Prison was a prison at the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey Street just inside the City of London, England, originally at the site of Newgate, a gate in the Roman London Wall. Built in the 12th century and demolished in 1904, t ...

and from numerous home counties.

Marriage

Forward married Susannah before 1712. Daughter, Elizabeth, was born in 1712 and died in 1789. On 19 December 1734, Elizabeth married Robert Byng, fourth son of Rear-Admiral George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington.

Career

Jonathan Forward officially became a convict transport merchant in 1718. "The proposal of Jonathan Forward, merchant, for transporting felons

s read S, or s, is the nineteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ess'' (pronounced ), plural ''esses''. Histo ...

The proposer may take them gratis and transport them for his own advant ge" Forward contracted the services of numerous ships, captains, and crews to facilitate convict transportation. Among his most reliable captains was Darby Lux I commanded several ships from Anne Arundel County to Great Britain carrying tobacco on consignment to Forward. Lux's ships contracted for convict transport to Maryland included: ''Gilbert'', 1720-1722; ''Jonathan'', 1723-1724; ''Patapsco Merchant'', 1732; and ''Genoa Galley'', 1738. Forward continued as sole convict transportation contractor until 1739, when he chose to retire after more than twenty years. "Andrew Reid, of London, merchant, is to be the transporter of felons loco Jonathan Forward, and the contract to be made with him for that purpose is to be for 3 years certain."

Death

Jonathan Forward died in 1760 and was buried in London.

Children

Jonathan and Susannah Forward had two daughters. One was Elizabeth, christened on 15 May 1712. The second was an unnamed girl.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forward, Jonathan 1760 deaths 1680 births 18th-century merchants Merchants from London