ORIGINS
The Dorris family that arrived in NE Georgia in the late 1820s came from South Carolina. William Dorris and his wife Violet Anderson are the progenitors of the Georgia Dorrises and William can be found as early as February 1771 owning land south of the present day town of Bradley, SC (near Greenwood). According to Palmer, William Dorris appears to be of Irish descent and he arrived in America in 1769. Gene Dorris states that William Dorris's son (John) filed a claim with the British Government in 1786 claiming that he arrived in South Carolina from Ireland in 1769.
Interestingly, in Janie Revill's book (see footnote) there is a "William Douriss" that arrived from Germany in 1769 and he received a 100 acre land bounty. In Revill's book, the entries before and after William Dorris are David Pressley and Mary Elizabeth Kise (Keiss?), respectively, who also received 100 acre land bounties. The Pressleys are shown in the early censuses as living near the Dorris family and they also appear in the Loyalist Distressed Refugees lists during the American Revolution. Several of the German Palatine Keiss family came to America in 1765 as part of the early Londonborough SC settlement (see below). We know from other land grants that William was already in SC in 1771 when he received a land grant of 450 acres. So what was this 1772 grant all about? Did he immigrate from Germany or Ireland? When did he immigrate? To date, I have found no immigration records for him from 1769 but the date does "work" with him receiving a land grant in 1771. In Revill's book, there is a gap of almost 4 years where no passengers are listed. (1768-1772). Gene Dorris states that the 100 acre grant was probably William Dorris, Jr. If this is correct, William Dorris, Jr. may have received the grant for his wife who may have been a German immigrant. Obviously, more research is needed to prove William Dorris's immigration details.
Janie Revill, A compilation of the original lists of the Protestant
immigrants to South Carolina, 1763-1773, Page 120-121
(Hathi Trust Digital Library)
Once in South Carolina, William settled along Hard Labor Creek near the White Hall Plantation of General Andrew Williamson. In SC, he acquired over 900 acres.
>>Click here for SC land records<<
The land records not only indicate where the land was located, they also infer possible relationships with individuals who have a known historical context:
- Brigadier General Andrew Williamson was both a leader of the Patriots and later a spy for the British during the American Revolution. Because of his changing loyalties, he is sometimes referred to as the "Benedict Arnold of the South".
- Patrick Calhoun is the famous South Carolinian who is often referred to as the "George Washington of the South". He was probably "the" leader of the Patriots in South Carolina (particularly the Presbyterians) and he was a well-known politician. His son, John C. Calhoun, who also was a Patriot during the American Revolution, later became the 7th Vice President of the United States. Like George Washington, Patrick Calhoun was a surveyor and he laid out much of the land in the middle part of South Carolina. His name can be found as the surveyor on many of the plats of the Londonborough settlers (see below).
- This area was where the American Revolution began in South Carolina with the taking of Fort Charlotte by Patriot Major (later Colonel) James Mayson being the first overt act by the Patriots. It was a "hot bed" of activity during the American Revolution.
Interestingly, Colonel Mayson is my maternal 6th great grandfather. He is buried on the grounds of the Ninety Six National Historic Park. The town of old Ninety Six and Star Fort are part of this park. Mayson was one of the key officers at the Battle of Ninety Six. Note that the Dorris family is my paternal ancestry.
(Author photo, 2019)
In the land records, note the German names in many of the land plats: Merk, Bauer, Zwilling, Erlbeck. These were Rhineland Pfaltz German families (Rhine valley) that settled in the area known as Londonborough of SC (Also referred to as the Palatine Settlement). The Londonborough name is fitting because these German families arrived in 1765 via London and their story could have been very sad had it not been for a few kindhearted Londoners.
According to Rampy, a Colonel de Stumpel lured these Protestant Germans to London with promises of land in Nova Scotia. However, when the Germans arrived in London, de Stumpel was unable to fulfill his promise and he was "in the wind". The Germans were basically stranded in East London (not far from the Tower of London and Whitechapel church) with no food, no money and unable to speak the English language. A group of men organized food and shelter in London and arranged for land grants in South Carolina on terms from King George III. They boarded three vessels (Union , Dragon and the Planters Adventure) and left London for America.
Possibly due to his close relationship with these German families living near him, William Dorris was a Loyalist during the American Revolution and he died during that conflict near Charleston in 1781 either as a soldier or as he was retreating with his family. His son John was also a Loyalist and his son William likely was as well while son James was apparently too young to serve – James is listed on a roll of refugee children at John Bell's school in Charleston in 1782.
>>Click here for the Dorris Family Revolutionary War Records<<
With the Patriots winning decisively in South Carolina, the descendants of William Dorris (along with the Andersons, Mercks, Bauers and Schieldnechts) were forced to give up their lands and were relocated to Nova Scotia (via Charleston) where they lived for a few years after the war. Some family members remained in Nova Scotia but most returned to South Carolina sometime before 1790.
The Dorrises, Mercks, Bauers and other (German families) lived close together in SC before the American Revolution and they apparently "stuck together" throughout that war and also during the subsequent resettlement in Canada. We know that there were Dorris-Merck and Dorris-Bauer marriages as well as Dorris-Schieldknecht marriages. Thus there was a very tight close knit family relationship between all of the German families as well as the Dorris family to many of the same German families. The closeness of the families and the marriages between the families may have been one of the reasons that William Dorris became a Loyalist. The German families most likely supported England due to loyalty for relocating them to America and giving them land to live upon.
Christian Zang, a Palatine German living near the Dorrises at the time, gave the following account which was probably typical for not only the German Palatines but their extended families as well, including the Dorrises:
"In the first year of the Troubles took Arms, in the year 1775, we drove the Rebels from the Town in Ninety Six; we besieged them and they Capitulated, but soon after got together and (they) drove us away. Claimant was taken prisoner and carried to Charles Town and afterwards released, being an old man (Zang was born in 1725). In 1778, he joined the British Army under Col. Robinson & Major Maclauren, served as a Volunteer, went into Florida, then went to Georgia, from Georgia came back to Charles Town, serving all this time and came from Charlestown to this Province. His eldest son, Peter, was in a British Station and was taken by the Rebels and hung; his second son died at the siege of Savannah, he was then in the British Army; his third Son, Christian, was shot in a Scouting Party, he was then a Volunteer in the British Army."
(Gene Dorris, Dorris.net)
And this biography of Adam Bauer (Bower) from Bobby Gilmer Moss:
"Came to America in 1762 and settled in the Ninety Six District. He served from 14 June 1780 under Capt. Henry Rudolph and Col. John Cotton in the Stevens Creek Militia. Bower was in the Battle of Kings Mountain. He stayed at home when the British evacuated Fort Ninety Six, was captured, and later lost the sight of his right eye from a cut received after he was taken prisoner. Soon afterwards, his son, Charles, returned for him and carried him into the British line. On 23 August 1781, he was at Dorchester under Col. Cotton. From 7 December 1781, he was at James Island under Col. Thomas Pearson in the Little River Militia. He served with the British forces until discharged in Nova Scotia. Bower settle in Shelburne."
"On November 11, 1775, Bower signed a proclamation to the King. He and his sons, Charles and Philip, joined forces loyal to the King. On two different occasions, he was imprisoned and was required to give four thousand pounds bail each time. After the fall of Charleston, he served under Captain M. Livingston in the S.C. Royalists. Bower remained behind when Fort Ninety Six was evacuated and while being taken prisoner, was hacked on the head so as to endanger his life. Soon thereafter his son, Charles, came with a scout and carried him within the British lines. He remained with the British lines and was in the evacuation of Charleston."
(Note: Some of the information above is not accurate - the date of 1762 is one example and another example is the four thousand pounds bail. Four thousand pounds was an extremely large sum of money - about 3/4 of a million pounds (about a million in US$) in today's market - and so it is unlikely that this is a correct figure. 40 pounds would have been more likely. I provide these quotes for background information.)
>>Click here for German Palatine land records in Londonborough, SC<<
DORRIS DESCENDANTS
William Dorris married Violet Anderson who was the daughter of Captain John Anderson.
>>Click here for more information on Captain John Anderson<<
William and Violet had the following known children, many of whom married descendants of the Palatine German immigrants :
1. John - married Elizabeth Bauer who was the daughter of John (Johan) Adam Bauer. John and Elizabeth did not return to SC - they remained in Nova Scotia. Descendants are not known. Served as a British Loyalist in the Long Cane Militia. He apparently lost a thumb during the war. He was noted to have served against his will as a Loyalist.
2. James - married Elizabeth Merck who was the daughter of Johan Balthasar Merck or Andreas Merck. She could possibly be the daughter of Conrad Merck (son of Balthasar) but unlikely. James and Elizabeth had three sons and one daughter. All three sons moved to Georgia.
3. William - married Elizabeth Schieldnecht the daughter of George. Elizabeth's brother was Henry. Elizabeth appears to have been a widow when William married her. Her husband was a Merck. She had 2 children from her previous marriage and William Dorris and Elizabeth had 4 children of their own. Most of these children moved to Georgia. William also served as a Loyalist in the American Revolution.
4. Elizabeth - nothing known.
5. Margaret - nothing known.
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Of these known children of William and Violet Dorris, we know that the descendants of James and William found their way to Georgia.
James Dorris (2) and Elizabeth Merck had the following children:
2.1. James Dorris - >>Click for more information on James<<
2.2. John M. Dorris - >>Click for more information on John<<
2.3. William Dorris - moved to Georgia. Lived in Carroll County and later near Milton/Crabapple. May have moved to Alabama.
>>Click for more information on William<<
2.4. Margaret Dorris - nothing known
William Dorris (3) married Maria (lnu) and they had the following children:
3.1 John J. Dorris married Lucinda Langley and they moved to Carroll County, Georgia.
>>Click for more information on John J. Dorris<<
3.2 William Dorris
3.3 Margaret Dorris – married Jacob Gable (Jacob is likely another Palatine German descendant)
3.4 Catherine Dorris
Note: Maria Dorris died and William Dorris then married Elizabeth Schieldnecht Merck. Elizabeth's previous husband was Henry (Heinrich) Merck (son of Johann Baltazar Merck, the German Immigrant). William Dorris died in 1818 and it does not appear that William Dorris and Elizabeth Schieldnecht had any children together. However, before marrying William Dorris, Elizabeth Schieldnecht had the following children with Henry (Heinrich) Merck:
George Merck - married Elizabeth Langley. Moved to Jackson County, Georgia.
Henry Merck - moved to Jefferson, Jackson County, Georgia.
>>Click for more information on the MERCK family<<
TO GEORGIA
The Dorrises likely arrived in Georgia in the late 1820s. James Dorris likely arrived in Georgia in late 1827 or early 1828. The earliest land record found is for a lot in the Village of Jefferson, county of Jackson dated January 5, 1828.
As noted in the transaction above, John M. Dorris witnessed the deed between his brother James and Francis Meriwether on March 10, 1830. So it is highly likely that they were all living in the Village of Jefferson in 1830 with James certainly there in January 1828. (Scroll down this page for more on Francis Meriwhether.)
>>Click here for Dorris Land records in Jackson County, Georgia<<
In December of 1835, John M. Dorris can be found buying land in Cherokee County Georgia near present day Milton/Crabapple (now Fulton County). His brother James also began buying land in the same area shortly thereafter (August 1836). The specific tracts of land that they owned has been researched by the author and can be found here by clicking the link below.
>>Click here for Dorris Land records in Milton/Crabapple in Georgia<<
Today, quite a bit of this land is in the city limits of Milton and a few tracts are among the most expensive land parcels in north Fulton County: Horse farms, commercial lots, large estates and even schools reside on property that they owned.
James Dorris (2.1) operated a store, probably on or near what is now Crabapple Road and the town of Milton. The area was mostly frontier land back then and the native American Indians still lived and traveled in the area. James married a Cherokee Indian (Nancy) and the Indians were frequent customers at the store that James operated. His wife being Cherokee Indian probably had a lot to do with so many Indians patronizing his store.
>>Click here for more on James Dorris<<
James and Nancy remained here until their deaths and they are both buried in the small Rucker family cemetery south of Rucker Road where Broadwell Road meets Rucker Road. There are numerous Dorris and Rucker marriages as well as Dorris and Mansell marriages through the years – these Dorrises are all descendants of James and Nancy.
Interestingly and quite fittingly, the present day Mansell House & Gardens that is situated on the Wills Park property, was once the home of Robert Mansell and his wife Maude Dorris (my 3rd cousin). This house was originally located near Highway 400 and Mansell Road in Alpharetta Georgia on land that was the farm of Robert and Maude. It is fittingly now located very close to the burial location of Maude Dorris Mansell's great grandparents, James and Nancy Dorris. It is also noteworthy to point out that Maude Dorris Mansell's maternal grandfather was Simeon Rucker, Jr. and her great grandfather was Simeon Rucker. Simeon Rucker (Sr.) was another early settler of the area.
Mansell House & Gardens, Wills Park, Alpharetta, Georgia
John M. Dorris (2.2) was a M.E. minister and traveled parts of South Carolina before moving to Georgia. He owned land near his brother James (2.1) in Milton/Crabapple as well as land in Carroll County and later Dark Corner (Campbell/Douglas/Paulding County area) where he remained until his death in 1884.
>>Click here for more on John M. Dorris<<
William Dorris (2.3) It is not known what became of William. He owned land near his brothers in what was Cherokee County, Georgia but later records are scant about him and his descendants. He may have moved to Alabama or died fairly young.
John J. Dorris (3.3 - son of William Dorris (3) and Elizabeth Schieldnecht) also moved to Carroll County, Georgia but he likely arrived in the 1830s from South Carolina. He lived approximately 11 miles south of his cousin John M. Dorris (2.2).
>>Click here for more on John J. Dorris<<
As a note of interest, some of the land that James Dorris owned in Jefferson, Jackson County, Georgia was purchased from Francis Meriwether (and Francis was a witness to another land transaction). Francis Meriwether was the son of David Meriwether and a cousin of Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis & Clark fame). Francis's father David Meriwether was born in Charlottesville Virginia and he was a friend of Thomas Jefferson. He served as a Lieutenant during the American Revolution (he was later promoted to Brigadier General in the Georgia Militia) where he served with George Washington in many of the battles around Philadelphia. Meriwether County Georgia is named for David Meriwether.
It should be noted too that, as a boy, Meriwether Lewis lived in Wilkes County Georgia in the Goose Pond community. This is now Oglethorpe County Georgia. Most of Georgia was still Indian land until the treaties of the early 1800s were completed which opened up the newer counties of Georgia. Wilkes and Jackson Counties were on the edge of the frontier with only Indian lands to the west. The Goosepond community was only about 35 miles from Jefferson. The Goosepond area is also the area where Georgia Governor Gilmer was raised and where Elijah Clark owned land. Just to the south of Goosepond are the lands of the author's Jackson and Callaway ancestors.
>>Click here for information on Dorrises in the Civil War<<
>>Click here for information on Dorrises in World War I and later<<
>>Click here for historically affiliated and associated families of the Dorrises<<
Allied Families in Georgia
It is worth noting that the descendants of the Merck family still thrive in present day Jackson and Hall Counties of Georgia, owning much land and operating businesses. The Mercks were the original settlers of downtown Gainesville where they operated early businesses on the "square" (Livery and a saloon, for example). The Dry Pond community of Jackson County was once known as the Dry Pond Corner adjoining the Merck Corner. The Mercks and the Henrys and possibly the Dorris family have been affiliated with this church (See church history link below). One will find the name Rev. Lovick Pierce mentioned in the church history and he is the namesake of several of my Clements ancestors and possibly even my Hollis grandfather (Thomas Pierce Hollis).
>>Dry Pond United Methodist Church History<<
The Schieldnecht descendants also found their way to Georgia and then to Alabama - the family is known today as the Shelnut family. I will provide more information on these families at a later date.
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References (In order):
Murtie June Clark, Loyalists in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War, Vol. 1, (Genealogical Publishing, 1981).
Gregory Palmer, Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of
the American Revolution, 1984 (Meckler Publishing, Westport, CT).
Revill, Janie, A compilation of the original lists of the Protestant immigrants to South Carolina, 1763-1773, (The State company, 1939).
Bobby Gilmer Moss,
The Loyalists In The Siege of Fort Ninety Six, 1999.
Gordon Rampy, http://upamerica.org/roots/roots.html
Recommended Reading
The book "Blood Traitors" by Marq De Villiers and Sheila Hirtle available from Amazon.
Also see https://www.carolana.com/SC/Towns/Londonborough_Township_SC.html
Other links for further research:
Brigadier General Andrew Williamson and White Hall:
- http://libjournal.uncg.edu/jbc/article/download/571/331
- Savages Oil Fields
- Llewellyn M. Toulmin research, P.1
- Llewellyn M. Toulmin research, P.2
John Adam Bauer (Bower):
Documents:
1. Land owned in present day Milton/Crabapple Georgia (James, John and William Dorris)
- Milton/Crabapple Land (PDF file)
2. Documents obtained from Gene Dorris* of Dorris.net (note that Dorris.net is no longer active)
- William Dorris the British Loyalist (PDF file)
- All The King's Men (PDF file)
- Descendants of William Dorris British Loyalist (PDF file)
- Dorris.net newsletter (PDF file)
- Dorris.net newsletter (PDF file)
- Dorris.net newsletter (PDF file)
*Gene Dorris documents are offered here with permission from Gene Dorris. Thank you Gene.
3. Edgefield. SC history can be found at the Edgefield Historical Society website
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For more early history on the area where the Dorrises settled in SC, see "The Making of McCormick County" by Bobby Edmonds. (1999, Cedar Hill UNLTD).
(This page was updated 10/19/2022)