"Fanny" was born June 20, 1821 in England and died December 19, 1894 in Ottawa, Ontario. At the time of her birth, her family lived at Shooter's Hill while her father was in the military, She was baptized on August 17, 1821 at St. Nicholas Church in Plumstead, Kent, England.
In a book entitled The Diary of Sophia Macnab, written at Dundurn Castle, (across the street from Hamilton Cemetery and overlooking Hamilton Harbour), Sophia, age 13, mentions Fanny Baker: "Tuesday, July 7, 1846--Miss Fanny Baker spent the day here she is a very nice girl. Her voice manner of speaking laugh sound altogether so like Leila Wakefield's that if you did not see her but heard her talking you could hardly tell her from Leila Wakefield".
Fanny married Reverend Charles Forest (born August 27, 1823 in London and died December 24,1881 in Morrisburg, Ontario) of the Diocese of Ontario in Ottawa: "On March 12th, at Christ Church, Bytown, Rev. Charles Forest to Fanny M.G., youngest daughter of Captain G.W. Baker. March 23, 1850."
Rev. Forest was the son of Charles Forest and Frances Thomas. Charles Sr. was born April 15, 1790 at Davenport, Cheshire, England and was a teacher. He married Frances Thomas, who was born April 3, 1790 in Westminster, London, England. They married at Westminster, London, England on September 3, 1810.
Charles and Frances Forest along with their son Charles, left England for Canada. Charles Forest received his education at the University of Bishop's College, Lennoxville, Quebec (B.A. 1846, M.A. 1856). In his early career he was a teacher and itinerant catechist at Chateauguay, Lower Canada or Canada East. He was ordained a deacon September 21, 1846 in the All Saints Chapel in Quebec and became a priest on November 1, 1847 at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Quebec. His appointments were as follows: During 1846-47 he was at Robinson & Bury, Canada East as a missionary; during 1847 he was at the Quarantine Station at Grosse Isle, Canada East as chaplain; during 1847-1859 he was the incumbent at St. Matthew's, Grenville, Canada East; during 1859-1863 he was the incumbent at Osgoode, Russell & Cumberland, Canada West; during 1863-1874 he was the incumbent at Merrickville & Burritt's Rapids, Ontario; and during 1874-1881 he was the rector in Williamsburg, Ontario. He was the Rural Dean of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Diocese of Ontario, from 1879 to 1881 and Canon of St. George's Cathedral in Kingston, Ontario in 1881. His publications included the following: "Law of Christian Liberty" published in 1867; "The Sacrament of Regeneration" and "The Doctrine of Holy Baptism" published in 1884; and "Is Lay Baptism Valid". He was very interested in the education of Indians and was employed in this work by the provincial government at St. John's. The first church at Ormstown was erected through his efforts.
Fanny Marianne Grantham Baker and Reverend Charles Forest had 3 sons and 2 daughters. Only one of their children lived to become an adult. Charles George Forest was born January 20, 1851 at Grenville, Canada East. He died at the age of 8 on December 5, 1859. Fanny Amelia Sydney Forest was born August 7, 1852 at Grenville, Canada East, and died at the age of 23 months, on July 28, 1854. Edward Shenton Forest was born February 20, 1854 at Grenville, Canada East, and died at the age of 4 months on June 28, 1854. Florence Marianne Forest was born June 16, 1855 at Grenville, Canada East and was the only child who survived beyond childhood. Sydney Woodroffe Forest was born October 1, 1861 at Woodroffe, Ottawa, Canada West, and died at the age of 4 months on March 24, 1862.
On the 1881 Census of Canada, Charles Forest, occupation minister, 58 years old, origin English, is living with his wife Fanny, age 59, origin Irish, and Catharine Baker, age 27, English, and Marion Forest, age 25, English. They all belong to the Church of England. Catharine Baker shows her birthplace in 1854 as Ontario while Marion Forest shows her birthplace in 1855 as Quebec. Catherine Baker and Marion Forest were first cousins as Catherine Eliza was the fifth child of Hugh Baker and Emma Wyatt. Hugh Baker was Fanny Forest's older brother. Catherine never married.
Charles Forest Sr. died July 19, 1853 at the age of 63, and is buried at Iberville, in the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu region, Quebec. His wife Frances Forest then went to live with their son Charles and his family until she died at the age of 82 on July 12, 1872. Her son Reverend Charles Forest died at age 58 of cancer on December 24, 1881 at Morrisburg, Stormont, Ontario. Remarks included in the obituary included the following: "The deceased gentleman has been in ill health for some time past, so that his death was not unexpected. Canon Forest was Chairman of the Mission Board last year, and took a warm interest in its operations. He was one of the most polished and eloquent speakers in the Synod, and commanded the respect of all who knew him". (Evangelical Churchman, January 5, 1882)
Most of the family are buried together in the Burritt's Rapids Christ Church Cemetery, Carleton County, Marlborough Township, including Charles and Fanny, four of their children, and Charles' mother Frances. Inscriptions on the monument are for Charles Forest (Priest); Fanny M.G. Forest; Charles George Forest, age 8; Fanny A. S. Forest, 2 years; Edward Shenton Forest, 4 months; Frances Forest; Sydney Woodroofe Forest, age 6 months.
Florence Marianne Forest was born June 16, 1855 at Grenville, Canada West. At the 1881 Census for Canada, she was 25 years old and called herself Marion; she lived with her parents and her first cousin Catharine Baker. Sometime after her father died, Florence Marianne was staying with first cousins Arthur and Beatrice Monk in Saguache, Colorado. In 1885, Florence Forest was described as a sort of governess to cousin Arthur's children, who were born 1882 and 1884. On January 6, 1886, Florence married William Spencer McPheeters at Saguache, Colorado, USA. William was 26 years old, born 1859, while Florence was 30 years old at the time of their marriage. Florence and William had a daughter, Elsie Florence McPheeters, who was born July 30, 1886 at Leadville Lake, Colorado. Two sons were born later, Forest McPheeters and Cecil McPheeters.
Elsie Florence McPheeters married Clarence Peter Eiford on Sept 18, 1902 in Pennsylvania. Clarence was born December 8, 1877 in Wapwallopen, Pennsylvania. They had three children, Forest Eiford, William Sterling Eiford and Florence Eiford. Clarence Peter Eiford died November 5, 1947 and Elsie Florence Eiford died February 16, 1958.
Florence Marianne McPheeters died at the age of 39 on August 9, 1894 at Denver, Colorado. Her death was noted in the Ottawa Evening Journal, Ottawa, Ontario as follows: "McPheeters - In Denver, Col. on the 9th instant, Marion, wife of W. S. McPheeters and only child of Mrs. Chas. Forest of this city." Fanny Marianne Grantham Forest must have been heartbroken to lose her only child; a few months later, on December 19, 1894, Fanny passed away at the age of 73, and was buried in the family plot at Christ Church Cemetery, Burritt's Rapids, Ontario.
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