I’m not sure if you’re referring to William Hathaway Forbes or William Henry Forbes so I’ll just do both.
William Hathaway Forbes was a business man who was born October 31st 1840 born in Milton MA, and died in October 11th, 1897. His career started at J.M Forbes & Co, his fathers business. He was the president of the Bell Telephone Company from 1879 - 1887.
William Henry Forbes was an American fur trader and territorial legislator. He was born in Quebec, Canada in 1837. He served in the Minnesota Territorial Council starting in 1849 and ending in 1853. While the Dakota war was happening in 1862, he served in the USA army as a commissary and quartermaster.
If it’s not William Henry Forbes or William Hathaway Forbes, then I’m sorry, I’m not sure which William H. Forbes you’re referring to.