John J. Dorris


John J. Dorris was the son of William Dorris, Jr. and the grandson of William Dorris the British Loyalist.  John married Lucinda (Lucy) Langley, the daughter of Josiah Langley.

Will of William Dorris noting his sons John &William, daughters Catherine and Margaret, grandson William Gable, granddaughter Mary Etheridge and his stepson Henry Merk.  Moses Thompson is noted as a friend.



Will of Josiah Langley noting his daughters Lucy Dorris and Rebeckah Dorris.  It is not known which Dorris male married Rebeckah Langley.






John and Lucinda moved to Georgia and appear to always lived in Carroll County near the Chattahoochee River.  Land records found at the Georgia Archives show his land lots in District 4 along present day Whooping Creek.  He operated a mill there.  A road is currently named after him.  


Note that this location is approximately 3 miles downstream along the Chattahoochee River from the location where the mixed race great Indian Chief McIntosh (Tustunnuggee Hutke or "White Warrior") lived and was brutally murdered in 1825 (Now the McIntosh Reserve Park). [1]













Will of John J. Dorris of Carroll County, Georgia naming his wife Lucinda, daughters Polly Davis, Rebecca Carr, Margaret Smith, Julia Ann Hasten (?), Lucy Ann Dorris, Betty Dorris, sons William Dorris, Joshua Dorris; Grandchildren Lucinda, William, Leroy and John Taylor (William Dorris is appointed their guardian) and grandson James Williamson.  Also, great grandchildren Green S. and Polly Davis.  Land in SC willed to his wife by her father to be sold.  His land in Alabama is noted.  William Dorris and Henry Merk are requested as executors.

Will of John Dorris
Carroll County, GA
Page 69 & 70
Transcribed by William J. Hollis, Jr., January 23, 2017

In the name of God amen, I  John Dorris being warned by infirmity that my earthy race is nearly run, and being of sound mind and disposing memory to make and publish this my last Will and Testament disposing of the Earthly possessions with which a kind providence has blessed me.
Item 1st   My spirit I commend to God who has ever been kind and merciful to me and in whom I have trusted and believed and my body to the dust there to be deposited in a plain and decent manner.
Item 2nd  I Will and bequeath to my beloved Wife Lucinda during her natural life or widowhood lot of land number eighty eight in original fourth district of said County.
Also my present dwelling house and the field wherein it is situated and all appurtenances thereon and the little field between the said house and my Mill all on lot number one hundred and four in the said district and also the one half of all the net profits of my Mill, Gin and Thrash shall make.  This is after paying the ______ and Expense of carrying said Mill, Thrash and Gin on, also our choice horse or mule & my carriage two or three cows & calves as she may choose, two beds, bedding and stds.  also the biggest wash pot and such other house hold & kitchen furniture as she may choose & wheat, corn & meal & hogs as Will feed her one year and stock hogs as she may relish and two hundred dollars in money to dispose of as she may think proper.  Also one plough & plough gear to have and to hold during her natural life or Widowhood.
Item 3rd   I Will and bequeath to William Dorris in trust for my daughter Polly Davis and her heirs on half of lot of land number seventy four in the said District & County for which I am now sued and one hundred & fifty dollars and if said lot is lost in said suit.  I bequeath to her as much money as the said half lot is worth at the time.
Item 4th  I Will and bequeath to my daughter Rebecca Carr and her heirs the other half of last said lot of land and one hundred and fifty dollars
Item 5th   I Will and bequeath to my daughter Margaret Smith and her heirs the East half of lot of land seventy one in said District & County and one hundred dollars in money
Item 6th    I Will and bequeath to my daughter Julia Ann Haster(?) the part of lot number seventy one lying on the West of the Creek it being the other part of lot Willed in the last Item.
Item 7th   I Will and bequeath to my son William Dorris and his heirs, lot of land number one hundred and four except that portion Willed to my Wife.  Also, the one net half of what my Mills make allowing one third to pay the expenses & Miller and at the death of my wife   I bequeath him the whole of said Mills and also the whole of said lot whereon it is situated and the smallest of two wash pots.
Item 8th     I Will and bequeath to my son Joshua if alive three hundred dollars, if dead the amount I give him to be divided among my children Equally - I Will to his Wife from whom he has parted one note on her __________ for Twenty five dollars
Item 9th I Will and bequeath to my two youngest daughters Lucy Ann and Betty and their heirs lot of land number eighty eight after my Wife's life estate is determined in the same to be equally divided between them.  Also one bed std & Bedding to each of them
Item 10th     I Will and bequeath to my grand daughter and grand son Lucinda and John Taylor fifty dollars to each  Also William Taylor and Leroy Taylor  twenty five dollars each to be paid to them all when they become of age with 7 prct _____ By Wm. Dorris who I appoint their guardian.
Item 11 - I Will to James Williamson and my grand son one hundred dollars and to his sister Lucinda Fifty dollars
Item 12th   I Will to my great grand daughter grand daughter of Green S and Polly Davis fifteen dollars to be paid by William Dorris when of age with lawful interest.
Item 13th    It is my Will that the land in South Carolina Willed to my wife by her father be sold and divided between my wife and children so as to be a fund for paying the money legacies made to the children in the above items
Item 14th   My land in Alabama I do not wish sold under four or five years & when sold to be applied to payment of the money legacies in my Will named

Item 15th   After my death it is my Will that all my personal property not disposed of to be sold and divided equally among my children after paying debts legacies etc and that William Dorris & Henry Murk are appointed Executors of this Will. Signed and sealed in the presence of the undersigned witnesses who sign in each others presence and in presence of the Testator this Sept 24th 1860
John Dorris
His mark
B.D. Thomasson
Winston M. Echols
Jacob P. Casper (?)

Georgia              }
Carroll County  }
Before me came on the 17th day of June 1863 at chambers for the purpose of proving of proving the last Will and Testament of John Dorris deceased two of the witnesses to said namely Jacob P Casper and B. D. Thomasson who dispose of the same that they saw John Dorris sign and publish the same as his last Will on the day and year thus stated as Executed by him that they witnessed the same at his request in his presence and in presence of each other that the same was voluntarily executed by him while he was of sound and disposing mind and memory and that we saw the other witness Winston M. Echols sign the same as a Witness to said Will in presence of the Testator and at his special Instance and request and in our presence sworn to and subscribed before me June 17th 1863, J. M. Blalock, Ordinary, Recorded July 8th 1863, J. M. Blalock, Ordinary
Jacob P. Casper
B.D. Thomasson








John and Lucinda and many of their descendants are likely buried in the family cemetery located off of State Route 5 and Shiloh Church Road.




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[1] Chief McIntosh was murdered by Creek Indians who deemed his signing of the 1825 Treaty of Indian Springs a capital crime with the penalty of death.


(This page was updated on 6/25/2021)

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