Dollie Hamilton Forester
Dollie Hamilton Forester was admitted to DRT membership on 23 November, 1932. Her Member Number was 1794.
Born on a plantation near Hillsboro — in Woodbury, Hill County — on 27 September, 1878, Dollie was the daughter of Rev. Young Harrington Hamilton and Mary Elizabeth Smith. Her father served the Republic of Texas as a scout under General James Smith. Dollie was a REAL DAUGHTER.
Young was the son of Andrew Hamilton and Delilah Smith. Delilah was the only sister of General James Smith, for whom Smith County was named. The Smith and Hamilton families came to Texas in 1834 and 1835, respectively, and settled in the village of Nacogdoches.
Dollie wrote, in her supplemental DRT application for her father’s service: “In applying for membership in The Daughters of The Republic of Texas as a REAL DAUGHTER, I seek NO honor for myself, but would honor my father, who I know (since I have throughly investigated his along with my grandfather’s and General Smith’s services to the Republic of Texas) deserves honorable mention.
“My uncle, General Smith, and my grandfather, Andrew Hamilton, lived on their adjoining farms — which they settled in 1836 — until their deaths, which occurred in 1855 and 1859 (respectively). My father, Young Harrington Hamilton, never made application for a land grant. His father, Andrew Hamilton, according to the headright certificate #154, was granted 1,280 acres of land in Nacogdoches County, which he divided with his sons. My father’s two older brothers were also under General Smith’s command, as were General Smith’s four sons.”
About her father, Dollie drew from the Rev. Hamilton’s obituary, published in the Texas Observer in 1880: “It was under the command and leadership of his uncle, James Smith, that my father, at the age of 13 years in 1841, shouldered his gun and took his place among General Smith’s scouts and sentiments to protect the women and children from Indian raids and other dangers. He suffered all the privations and hardships of a grown man from 1841 to 1846, in his services to the Republic of Texas. He was ordained a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and preached his first sermon in the Old London, Rusk County, Church in 1848. He was a soldier in the US war with Mexico in 1848.”
Dollie married William Owen (W. O.) Forester, a teacher, in 1904 and they moved to Dallas. W.O. had been superintendent of various church Sunday schools for 30 years. They had two daughters Margaret (Mrs. Malcolm B) Boone and Maurine (Mrs. Leonard) Hole. Both Margaret and Maurine were also James Butler Bonham chapter members — Margaret joining in 1937 (DRT member number 2394) and Maurine joining in 1945 (DRT member number 2893).
At her death in Dallas on 07 February, 1960, Dollie was survived by her daughters and two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
An active clubwoman, Dollie was committed to The Daughters of The Republic of Texas. In her 27 years as a member of James Butler Bonham Chapter, DRT, she held every office including Chapter President in 1945-1947.
She was also in charge of Sunday School classes at four local Methodist churches over a 35-year period.
She was a member of DAR, Daughters of 1812, American Colonists, Dallas Women’s Forum and Dallas Southern Memorial Association, among other organizations.
She is buried in the Monument Garden section of Hillcrest Memorial Park.