Dolly Dalrymple was born on one of the Furneaux Islands, between Victoria and Tasmania, to Woretemoeteyenner (also known as Pung or Margaret), daughter of the chief Mannarlargenna from Van Diemen's Land, and George Briggs from Bedfordshire, England.
[1] Earlier in the same year she had successfully defended her hut and children against an attack by Aboriginals while Johnson was away.
[1] She was rewarded by the government with 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land at Perth, where she moved with Johnson and her children.
[1] In 1841 she was assisted by the government to bring her mother Woretemoeteyenner, then residing at Wybalenna, on Flinders Island, to live with her at Perth on the mainland of Tasmania.
Thomas Johnson eventually became wealthy and purchased 500 acres (200 ha) in the modern locality of Latrobe where he founded Sherwood Hall beside the Mersey and Railton Road.