[1] Forbes was born on 30 September 1818 in Liverpool, Sydney, New South Wales, to Francis Ewen, a merchant, and his wife Mary Ann Taboweur.

[2] Forbes soon moved to Ipswich where he opened another store and became involved in the Queensland Separation movement.

[2] Forbes became involved in politics and in 1860, along with Arthur Macalister and Patrick O'Sullivan, was elected to the new seat of Ipswich in the Queensland Legislative Assembly which he served until his defeat in 1863.

[3] Though Forbes declared bankruptcy in 1870 because of the 1866-67 money crisis, he managed to quickly rebuild and was able to continue investing in businesses until his death.

Forbes died as a result of an accident at Ipswich, Queensland, 9 July 1878 at the age of 59 and was survived by eleven out of his seventeen children.