Winnie Davis Camp No. 108 UCV Records from Membership Register   B. F. Forrester Entered  State Serv July 3, 1861 Pvt Capt Landers' Art, Col Cravin's; entered Conf Serv June 1862 Pvgt Co F 12 Tex Cav; present at Dug Springs, Mo., Springfield, Mo. Drywood and forty-eight (48_ distinct engagements while in Parsons Brigade. Disch End of War May 23, 1865. On original form: "Died at home of Doyle & Mrs. Nell Hancock Oct. 13, 1925." In Memory of Ben F. Forrester Ben  F. Forrester, Chaplain To Camp Winnie Davis, No. 108 U. C. V. Ben Forrester was born at Van Buren, Arkansas, October 30, 1844.  When he was about 14 years old his father, Solomon forrester, moved to Missouri.  Ben was a soldier in the Missouri State troop in 1861. L. O. Wilson, who knew Ben in his youth, told the writer that Ben was a good boy - and that while Ben was connected with the Missouri state troops he was in the following battles, viz. Springfield, Dug Springs, Drywood and Lexington, Missouri. From the record I have, I conclude his Missouri Company disbanded July 1861.  Bob Orr, who was a member of Capt. Veal's company, told me that Ben joined Capt. Veal's Company, Company F of 12th Texas, while the 12th Texas was camped at what was called Simm's Bayou, ten miles south of Houston.  The camp on Simm's probably being called Parsons, for our colonel This regiment spent the winter of 1761 and 1862 at this camp and left for Arkansas in the spring of 1862.  As Bob Orr and Ben Forrester were in this and the same company for four years, I accept as true his statement. Ben Forrester served with said company and regiment until the close of the war.  This regiment was disbanded May 1865 in Robinson County,  [sic] Texas.  Our Camp records show that both Ben Forrester and Bob Orr, while in Parsons' regiment, were each in 48 distinct battles.  Thus reads the record. After the close of the war Ben F. Forrester, then in his 21st year, located near Ray, and made his home with Woodson Higgs.  Then he took up freighting with teams from Houston to Waxahachie. On January 28, 1868, he married Miss Fannie Green.  To this union eleven children were born, of these only five are living  His wife has been dead several years.  The surviving are Mrs. Dunaway, Mrs. Orr, Mrs. Hampton and Mrs. Louella Hancock, and one son, Benj. F. Forrester. After marrying Miss Green, in 1869 he joined the Methodist church - now called Bethel church - of which he was a zealous and consistent member 56 years, and more than 40 years was a faithful worker in the Bethel sunday school. By dint of hard labor, patient efforts, economy and good judgment, he acquired a large landed interest, and accumulated considerable cash balance, which he possessed at the time of his death.  His estate descended to his surviving children above named. Many values may take wings and fly away as if thrown upon the wings of the wind, but the good name he bequested them will abide locked, as it were in the vaults of memory.  When our friends depart we love to go back to the days of long ago, review their lives in detail and when we have tabulated his values and meritous acts and made a sum total of these, we print at the bottom of the column he was a good man, we pay him the highest compliment a friend and neighbor can pay him.  /from my long acquaintance with my friend Ben Forrester I can, as I think, say truthfully, "ben forrester was a good Man." this the sum total of his life work. Ben Forrester was one of our early members and was held in the deepest esteem by all.  His comrades, having faith in his moral and christian life and his term of office expired, when his brave and faithful heart ceased to palpitate on Oct. 18, 1925.  He was a faithful soldier of the Confederacy four years, and better far, he was a true soldier of the Cross 50 years. Old men as a rule sow thus hoping to gather their harvest many years hence.  But old age, as a thief in the night, approaches them with noiseless tread on the snows of the winters of their lives.  Dear Ben, the faithful prayers you so often offered to the Great Commander in behalf of your comrades will ever echo in the corridors of Heaven.  May your mantle fall as did Elijah's upon a worthy Elisha.  Ben, though sleeping, your loving spirit will hover above with us - to inspire us to do better work.  You shall not be forgotten. B. F. Marchbanks, Adjt.   Copyright © 2002-2016, Ellis County TXGenWeb. All Rights Reserved. This page was last modified: Thursday, 01-Jul-2021 13:18:48 MDT