New Rochelle Newspaper Dynasty and Woman Who Preserved City’s Earliest Records Featured in Two Historical Articles

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (October 25, 2026) — A family reunion in New Rochelle this summer has led to the publication of two historical articles exploring a family that helped establish the city’s newspaper industry and a woman whose work preserved some of its earliest municipal records.

Robert Cox, publisher and managing editor of Talk of the Sound, published both articles Sunday on Words in Edgewise, his independent publication devoted to reporting and commentary. Both articles are available to read for free.

The stories originated with an August email from James C. “Jim” Forbes Jr. of Atlanta, Georgia, whose family gathered in New Rochelle in July. Forbes provided photographs and information about several generations of relatives whose contributions to New Rochelle included newspaper publishing, historical preservation and public service.

The family’s newspaper connections particularly interested Cox, who operates New Rochelle’s last remaining independent local news publication. George Morris Forbes edited the New Rochelle Pioneer, Robert Lucas Forbes founded the New Rochelle Daily Star, and T. Harold Forbes helped establish the Standard-Star in 1923. Another relative, Thomas Hoctor, served as the city’s official historian for nearly 50 years.

During his research, Cox contacted Barbara Davis, the New Rochelle City Historian, and the Executive Director of the Westchester County Historical Society, which serves as the County Historian, who confirmed the family’s historical background and provided additional documentation. Her assistance led to a closer examination of Jeanne Claudet Forbes, whose accomplishments became the subject of a separate article.

In 1916, Jeanne Claudet Forbes transcribed, translated and published Records of the Town of New Rochelle, 1699–1828, a collection of the city’s earliest surviving municipal records. The volume includes documents related to the Pell deed and records of a town meeting held Dec. 2, 1699, offering a glimpse into the early government and daily affairs of the Huguenot settlement.

The book was published under the authority of New Rochelle’s Board of Estimate, and the city clerk certified that the published records had been compared with the original manuscripts. A copy is held in the New Rochelle Public Library’s Local History Collection, and a complete digitized edition is available online.

The two articles explore different aspects of New Rochelle’s history.

A Family Reunion, a Newspaper Dynasty and an Unexpected Discovery in New Rochelle’s Past⁠

The first article explains how an email about a family reunion prompted an investigation into several generations of New Rochelle newspaper publishers and their contributions to the city’s history. It also describes how that research led Cox to Jeanne Claudet Forbes and the realization that her work deserved an article of its own.

Jeanne Claudet Forbes: The Woman Who Preserved New Rochelle’s Earliest History⁠

The companion article examines Jeanne’s life, her French background, her involvement in New Rochelle’s civic affairs and her work transcribing and translating the town’s original records. It includes information about her 1916 publication and links to the complete book, allowing readers to examine the historical documents themselves.

Both articles were published Oct. 25, 2026, on Words in Edgewise and are freely accessible without a paid subscription.

This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.

Have information about this story? Email robertcox@talkofthesound (preferred) or contact via WhatsApp: +353 089 972 0669.