James Reid Dunagan Family

James Reid Dunagan was born in 1821 and was the youngest child born to Ezekiel Jackson Dunagan and Lydia Ann Brown. James Reid was my 4th Great Uncle. The post below was written by Ramelle Dunagan Whilhite, granddaughter to James Reid Dunagan, daughter to his son John Brewer Dunagan and Harriet Elizabeth Bramlett.

(As told by Ramelle Dunagan Wilhite to her grandchildren)

(Dunagan Chapel UMC Cemetery, Gainesville, GA)

My grandfather, James Reid Dunagan, (called Jim) came to Hall County, Georgia from White County (around Cleveland) sometime before 1850, where he staked out a large farm on the Oconee River, eight miles east of Gainesville. There was rich bottom land on which to raise corn.

(James Reid Dunagan and Mary Aveline Buffington) He married the beautiful Aveline Buffington while she was young (about sixteen). I don’t know how he cleared that land by himself. He didn’t believe in slavery. Aveline’s father sent three servants as a dowry for her. My grandfather told them that they were not in bondage and could go free anytime they wanted to, but could make their home there if they chose, so they stayed and were loyal to my Grandmother all during the War. Grandpa was very religious and said that he would not fight to help hold the negroes in slavery. He didn’t want to fight against the South, so he hid in the woods as much as possible, and when cold weather came, he dug a deep “dug-out”. He covered it over with leaves and stayed in it, but couldn’t have a fire because the home guards would see the smoke.

Papa told us that he was only 4 years old, but he could remember going with his Mother after dark and taking food to him. They had hot coals, covered with a lid over an iron skillet to warm his food. They had to be very careful and not break a twig or make a sound, because the home guards were all around watching the house. I think they called them patrols. Many men were caught and forced to fight against their will. The home guards were men who were sent home from the army to recruit every person they could find, because the Confederacy was losing so many men and was out-numbered by the Yankees. After the surrender of Lee, when Georgia was invited to rejoin the Union, Grandpa walked all the way from his home to Atlanta to sign up. He was highly criticized by many of his neighbors, but was not harmed. Surely the Lord took care of Him, and that is how the Dunagans became Republicans. With the help of his sons and the three negroes, he went about the task of clearing more land and repairing his farm buildings, and trying to re-establish the Methodist Church. You have seen the big oak trees in front of his home, close to Dunagan’s Chapel. My father told me that his father invited people from far and near, and preachers from different sections, to come and hold revivals during the summer months. They sat under these trees and slept in barns and cabins and porches, and many people were helped and encouraged.

Then he donated the land to build Dunagan’s Chapel and Dunagan’s School. The community around there built up quickly, with a country store, cotton gin, saw mill, etc. A few years later, Elizabeth Bramlett came into the picture, as a teacher at Dunagan’s School, and John Dunagan lost his heart to her. That is one thing that happened for the best or I wouldn’t be here---and you wouldn’t be who you are. While my Mother was teaching at Dunagan’s School, she boarded in the home of your Great Aunt Susie O’Neal, who had married Uncle Zeik Dunagan. He was Papa’ oldest brother. That reminds me that I haven’t given you the names of Papa’s brothers and sisters. The oldest was Margaret, called “Mag”; the next was Ezekiel, called “Zeik”; the next was Jack; the next was John, who became my father; then followed Benjamin, called, “Ben”; then came Parilee, who married Ansel Davis---I will tell you more about him later. Next was Sarah, called Aunt Sally by us, who married Ben Brock. Next was Andrew, called Uncle Andy by us. He married Aunt Carrie. You remember her. Next was Aunt Mary, who married Woot Sheats from Winder, Ga. Next was Uncle Doster, who married Ethel Carter and they were the parents of May and Laura Lee Dunagan.

Back to Aunt Parilee and Ansel Davis. We always called him Uncle Davis. He is Mima’s father. He ran away from Germany to escape Army Service at the age of 16. All males at that age were forced into Military Service. Somehow, he reached the Dunagan settlement and hired out to my grandfather to work on the farm. He had an accordion and played to entertain the young people, and he soon learned to speak English. They all welcomed him---especially Aunt Parilee---so they were married a few years before Mother married into the family. When Mother started to housekeeping, Uncle Davis made the kitchen safe that is out here in my hall. It is made by hand, with wooden pegs for nails. That is where my Mother kept the cookies, cakes, pies, baked potatoes, etc., during my childhood. Do you understand why I want to keep it?

(Alfred Doster Dunagan and Ethel Ellen Carter) Uncle Doster married Ethel Carter when she was 16 and he was 19. I remember going to the wedding reception. They called it “The Infair” in those days. I remember the pound cake and fiddle playing, with Uncle Andy beating straws on the strings. Of course, there was no dancing and the strawbeating was unusual, because “Grandpa didn’t allow no strawbeating around here”. Aunt Ethel was a doll. She had long, wavy, auburn hair and a cheerful, musical voice and was very witty. After the wedding, they lived about ½ mile up the road from us in what is now called the Davis House but then belonged to Uncle Ben. One night Uncle Doster had to be away from home, so Omie and I spent the night with Aunt Ethel, and the next morning the cows got out of the pasture and were eating the wheat. I was about 3 ½ years old, so they told me to sit still and eat my breakfast and not to go out of the house. Then I heard dogs barking all around the house. They were barking at the cows, but I didn’t know it, and was frightened to death, so I struck out home as hard as I could run. When they came in and found me gone, they became frightened, and looked everywhere for me---even went down in the woods. When they couldn’t find me they came on down to the house, and I got a scolding for not minding. I can remember every detail of this. Aunt Ethel had always made a big-to-do over me, and called me “Rose-bud”, and I felt like she would never love me any more. (to be continued)

James Reid Dunagan was the youngest son born to Ezekiel Dunagan (1771-1836) and Lydia Ann Brown of Hall County, Georgia.

Descendants of James Reid Dunagan (1821-1900) and Mary E. Aveline Buffington (1821 – 1898)

Ezekiel Parks Dunagan

1850 – 1913

Joseph Ellis Dunagan

1852 – 1852

Lydia Ann Dunagan

1852 – 1852

Margaret Jane Dunagan

1854 – 1906

James Jackson Dunagan

1856 – 1922

John Brewer Dunagan

1858 – 1917

Benjamin Franklin Dunagan

1861 – 1914

Georgia Anne Parilee Dunagan

1864 – 1929

Andrew Newton Dunagan

1866 – 1935

Sarah Adaline Dunagan

1868 – 1924

Mary Evelyn Dunagan

1871 – 1953

Alfred Doster Dunagan

1873 – 1934

Descendants of Ezekiel Parks Dunagan (1850-1913), James Reid Dunagan’s oldest son. E.P married Susan O'Neal (1858 – 1947) They had the following children:

Hubert O'Neal Dunagan

1879 –

James B. Dunagan

1880 –

Jennie Florene Dunagan

1882 –

Mary Lou Dunagan

1884 –

Frances Margaret "Fannie" Dunagan

1884 – 1922

Jesse R Dunagan

1894 –

Descendants of Hubert O’Neal Dunagan (1879 - ) eldest son, and Mattie A. Dunagan (1888 - ) had the following children:

Edith Dunagan

1909 –

Elsie Dunagan

1909 –

Eva Dunagan

1909 –

Mildred Dunagan

1911 –

Thelma Dunagan

1913 –

Louise Dunagan

1915 –

Hubert C Dunagan

1919 –