The following 3 images are from Joe Baggett's non-copyrighted work entitled "Douglas County, Georgia, Who Was Who", Volume 1. Mr. Baggett was a local historian for Douglas County and surrounds. I found this copy at the Georgia Archives.
Note that (Sarah) Elizabeth Dorris (b. 1841) daughter of Rev. John M. Dorris and Elizabeth Clements, married Milton L. Davis, not Milton M. Davis. There were two Milton Davises in the area and they are often confused with one another. They both served in the Civil War and they both were about the same age. Milton L. Davis died in Murfreesboro in 1863 leaving 2 orphans and his widow. His widow and 1 of his children died later in the same year. They all probably died of disease. I will have more on this line of my family published here shortly.
Noteworthy Dorrises
James McKenzie Dorris (1833-1899) Served as a Lieutenant in the Confederate Army.
2nd Lieutenant, 56 GA Infantry, Company I. Captured at the Battle of Resaca Georgia, May 15, 1864 and sent to a Union Military Prison in Louisville, Kentucky (via Nashville) where he was then sent to Johnson's Island prison (near Sandusky, OH) on May 21 where he was held until May 13, 1865 when he was released after taking an oath of amnesty. At least 15,000 prisoners passed through Johnson's Island but it never held more than 3,200 men at any particular time. The prison had one of the lowest mortality rates of the war.
On January 12, 1956 the Douglas County Courthouse that was constructed in 1896 was destroyed by fire. On January 30, 1956, the County Board of Commissioners removed a small copper box from the ruins of the old courthouse. The copper box was a time capsule placed there in 1896. Among the papers contained in the box was a paper that named the 23 men who comprised the Grand Jury that approved the construction of the 1896 courthouse. James M. Clements was one of the men listed in that document. [Fannie Mae Davis]
Photo from Marcyln Martin
William Hershel Dorris (1870-1937), son of William Clements Dorris, grandson of Rev. John M. Dorris, was a lawyer (admitted to the bar in 1896) and he was the Mayor of Cordele GA in 1910. He was largely responsible for getting the Carnegie Library for Cordele. He was also a State Senator for Crisp County into the 1920s. He was for Prohibition. He also may have been a member of the GA House of Representatives 1918. He likely was the namesake of Joseph Hershel Hollis, the author's granduncle.
From the book "A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA" by WILLIAM HARDEN, VOLUME II, ILLUSTRATED, THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY, CHICAGO AND NEW YORK, 1913.
COL. WILLIAM HERSCHELL DORRIS. In no profession is there a career more open to talent than is that of the law and in no field of endeavor is there demanded a more careful preparation, a more thorough appreciation of the absolute ethics of life or of the underlying principles which form the basis of all human rights and privileges. Col. William Herschell Dorris is a lawyer of the highest ideals and also a most public-spirited citizen, this fact having become happily evident in his administration as mayor of Cordele, his election to the mayoralty having occurred in 1910. He is a native son of the state, his life record having begun on a farm in the vicinity of Douglasville, Douglas county, August 9, 1871. He remained upon the parental homestead until the age of twenty-one years, gaining his elementary education in the public schools and under paternal instruction gaining a practical experience in the many sided science of agriculture. He entered Douglasville College about the age mentioned and was graduated from that institution of learning in 1892 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. While in college he was a member of the Greek letter fraternity, Phi Kappa. Having determined to adopt the profession of law as his life work, young Dorris began his study of Blackstone in the office of A. L. Bartlett, of Brownsville, Georgia, and was admitted to the bar in the year 1896, under examination by the committee appointed by the court. He engaged at once in general practice and his gifts and attainments have received signal recognition. He located at Cordele in the year 1896 and has ever since retained his residence here. He has been extremely loyal to its interest and it was due to his efforts that the fine Carnegie library, which is one of its most useful institutions, was secured for the city. He was a member of the first board of trustees appointed to supervise the affairs of the library. He served his city as alderman for two terms and in 1910 was elected mayor, of which office he is the present incumbent. Colonel Dorris is the son of William C. and Matilda (Lowe) Dorris, both living and both natives of Georgia, the father's birthplace having been Carroll county, and the mother's Cobb county. His grandfather, Rev. John Dorris, was a distinguished member of the conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. William C. Dorris served in the Civil war as first lieutenant of Company I, of the Fifty-sixth Georgia Infantry. He was in the thickest of the fight, serving at the siege of Vicksburg, at Missionary Ridge, at Baker's Creek, etc., and being captured at Vicksburg. The other members of the subject's, family are James A., Marvin Homer, Mrs. Ola Stone, Mrs. L. C. Satterfield, Mrs. E. H. Huffines, and Miss Emma Dorris. The colonel is a Mason of high standing, belonging to the blue lodge the chapter, the commander at Cordele, and having "traveled east" with the Shriners at Savannah. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Cordele and is helpfully interested in all the good measures promulgated by the church. He is president of the Chamber of Commerce and has for several years been identified in praiseworthy fashion with all public affairs looking toward the welfare and progress of city, county and state.
Corporal Frank Parks Dorris (1893-1918), son of John Benjamin Dorris, grandson of Rev. John M. Dorris, is said to have been the first soldier killed in action from Douglas County during World War I. Corporal, US Marines, 83rd Company, 6th Regiment, 2nd Division, killed at Belleau Wood during the Battle of Chateau Thierry in France, June 6, 1918. Was part of the Toulon Sector; Aisne Defensive. His brother, John Luther Dorris, was also a Marine in WWI. They enlisted and served together in France. John was combat wounded 3 days after his brother was killed - probably in the same battle area.
On July 25, 1917, three days after he applied for service with the Marines in World War I, Frank P. Dorris wrote his Will naming Aster Merritt his executor; He left the bulk of his estate to his brothers and sisters and he left $1000 to his fiance (Dorothy Haddeck/Haddeckis) and $500 to be donated for a Christian cause.
A memorial service was held at the First Methodist Church and local Marines W.E. Huett and S.C Harding were among the pall bearers.
Corporal Frank Parks Dorris
Corporal Frank Parks Dorris Service Record World War I(Fold3)
Letter to Corporal Frank Parks Dorris' MotherMiscellaneous
Emma Dorris, Minne Dorris and Lizze Mae Dorris
Daughters of William Clements Dorris and Matilda Lowe
Also pictured are Minne, Ola (Iola?) and Emma Dorris, daughters of William and Matilda
William was a schoolteacher before beginning his legal career.
(Douglas County, Georgia, From Indian Trail to Interstate 20)
(Douglas County Sentinel, May 20, 1927, Brian Stout)
(Douglasville Library)
Newspaper Clippings and Other Records
(The Carroll Free Press, July 12, 1917)
Note: There was also a William C. Clements from Alpharetta who was with the GA 8th Regiment. He was a descendant of James Dorris, the brother of Rev. John M. Dorris.
Hayden C. Dorris (1872-1960) was the grandson of Rev. John M. Dorris and Elizabeth Clements. Hayden was a Justice of the Peace of Douglas County, GA.
Lizzie Mae Dorris Huffine (see group photo above) lived to be 97 years old. She was the granddaughter of Rev. John M. Dorris and Elizabeth Clements.
John Tell Dorris was the mayor of Douglasville in 1956-1957. He was the great grandson of Rev. John McKenzie Dorris and Elizabeth Clements.
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[] Fannie Mae Davis, Douglas County, Georgia, From Indian Trail to Interstate 20 (Wolfe Associates, 1987).
(This page was updated on 2/6/21)