1896-1952
Offsite Storage Inventory
Restrictions on Access
The Ralph E. and Elise C. Forbes personal financial records are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@masshist.org.
There are restrictions on the use of this collection. Users must sign an agreement stating that they understand these restrictions before they will be given access to the collection.
Abstract
This collection consists of checkbooks, cancelled checks, and bank statements kept by Ralph E. and Elise C. Forbes of Boston, Mass., 1896-1952; and records for personal banking, trusts, household expenses, and children's bank accounts. Also includes miscellaneous bills from 1945 and checkbooks kept by Ralph Forbes regarding stocks and interest earned, 1905-1908.
Acquisition Information
Deposited by the J. M. Forbes Family Archives Committee, 1995. Ownership will devolve upon the Massachusetts Historical Society on January 1, 2050.
Restrictions on Access
The Ralph E. and Elise C. Forbes personal financial records are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@masshist.org.
There are restrictions on the use of this collection. Users must sign an agreement stating that they understand these restrictions before they will be given access to the collection.
Restrictions on Use
The personal financial records of Ralph E. and Elise C. Forbes have been placed on deposit at the Massachusetts Historical Society by the J. M. Forbes Family Archives Committee. The Massachusetts Historical Society does not claim ownership of the literary rights (copyright) to this collection. The Massachusetts Historical Society cannot give permission to publish or quote from documents to which it does not hold copyright. Use of these materials does not imply permission to publish. It is the sole responsibility of the researcher to obtain formal permission from the owners of the literary rights (copyright) to publish or quote from documents in this collection.
All reproductions, including photocopies and digital photographs, are for personal use only. Personal use copies may not be donated to or deposited in other libraries or archives, or made available to other researchers, without the written permission of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Collection Description
The personal financial records of Ralph E. and Elise C. Forbes contain their personal bank (checking) and trust accounts, a joint household bank account, and their children's bank accounts. The majority of materials are in the form of checkbooks, cancelled checks, and bank statements.
The papers are arranged by individual accounts: Ralph; Ralph and Elise joint account; Elise; and miscellaneous financial records, including children's accounts. Where applicable, within each group of accounts, the checkbooks, arranged in chronological order, are followed by the cancelled checks.
Ralph Forbes had a personal account at the Merchants National Bank; Elise used the State Street Trust Company. Personal accounts were used to pay for such things as personal services, subscriptions to books and newspapers, dues, gifts, charitable donations, clothes, medical care, and other home expenses. Money was transferred from the personal accounts to a joint household account at the Shawmut Bank. The household account paid for all service (paid employees), food, house upkeep and repair, fuel, electricity, telephone, laundry, car maintenance, gasoline, and miscellaneous. Accounts with these three banks, the Merchants National Bank, State Street Trust, and the Shawmut Bank, form the bulk of the collection.
The Fiduciary Trust Company and the (Richardson) Capital and Investment Account are Elise Forbes accounts and include statements of her income, capital, and investments.
The Blue Hill Bank and Trust Company of Milton was used for children's checking accounts. Ralph Forbes transferred money from his personal account at Merchants National Bank to cover expenses at the Blue Hill Bank.
Also included are miscellaneous bills from 1945 and one checkbook apparently kept by Ralph Forbes, 1905, 1907-1908. This checkbook contains information regarding his stocks and interest earned.
Summary Description of the Collection
Ralph E. Forbes account, 1896-1936
Merchants National Bank checkbooks, 1896-1923
Merchants National Bank checkbooks, 1923-1932
Merchants National Bank cancelled checks, 1933-1936
Ralph and Elise Forbes joint account, 1901-1947
Shawmut Bank of Boston checkbooks, 1901-1948
Shawmut Bank of Boston cancelled checks, 1929-1937
Elise C. Forbes accounts, 1898-1952
Shawmut Bank of Boston cancelled checks, 1938-1944
Shawmut Bank of Boston cancelled checks, 1948-1950
State Street Trust checkbooks, 1898-1943
State Street Trust checkbooks, 1943-1948
State Street Trust cancelled checks, 1929-1941
State Street Trust cancelled checks, 1942-1949
Fiduciary Trust Company statements, 1940-1952
(Richardson) Capital and Investment account statements, 1940-1945
Miscellaneous, 1917-1945
Blue Hill Bank and Trust Company of Milton (children's accounts and a house account) checkbooks and cancelled checks, 1915-1937
[Ralph E. Forbes] checkbook (lists stocks and interest earned), 1905, 1907-1908
Income tax returns for Forbes children, 1925
Miscellaneous bills, 1945
Preferred Citation
Ralph E. and Elise C. Forbes personal financial records, Massachusetts Historical Society.
Access Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.