Joseph Ellis Dunagan

The Sarah Sands

Joseph Ellis Dunagan (1793-1861) is my 3rd great grandfather and the oldest child of Ezekiel and Lydia Ann Dunagan. He married Lucinda “Lucy” Beall 15 Feb 1820 in Gainesville, Hall County, GA.They had the following children:

• Fredrick Dunagan born 2 Nov 1824 in Hall County, GA, married Lanesa Kirbow, 22 Oct 1846.
• Lydia Dunagan born 17 Feb 1826 in Hall County, GA, died 7 Apr 1891, married James Miller.
• Ezekiel Dunagan born 15 Jan 1829 in Hall County, GA, died Feb 1906 in Hall County, GA, married Delilah Trotter, 26 Feb 1850/2nd wife was Sarah Bryant, sister to Francis Samanthra Bryant Dunagan(John Franklin Dunagan's wife)
• Martha Dunagan born 12 Dec 1830 in Hall County, GA, married John Highfield.
• John Franklin Dunagan born 15 Oct 1832 in Hall County, GA, died 13 Aug 1890 in Hall County, GA/married Francis Samanthra Bryant.
• Alpheus Benton Dunagan born 17 Feb 1835 in Hall County, GA,/d. 1892 in Harris County, GA/ married Nancy Beall on 29 Oct 1876. Known as A. B. Dunagan, CSA veteran (served with 3rd GA Cavalry) and was a physician.

Joseph Ellis Dunagan lived life in a large way. He served in the Georgia State Senate for 23 consecutive years representing Hall County, Georgia. Many of the local people and fellow legislators referred to Joseph Dunagan as "Ole Constitution Joe" because of his ability and willingness to recite the U. S. and State Constitution from memory at the asking. But Joseph Dunagan was a self taught man, an adventurer, a pioneer and a risk taker. In the 1850 Federal census, which reported that Joseph Dunagan was a wealthy farmer with liquid assets of over $7000 dollars, owning a 1000 acre farm along the Chattahoochee River near Gainesville, GA. He built a large colonial home which is now covered by the waters of Lake Lanier in the area known as Holly Park near Gainesville.

In 1850, Joseph Ellis Dunagan decided he would go to California and prospect for gold. I found his name on a ship manifest, called the Sarah Sand, an ironclad steamship that left from Panama and ended up in San Francisco, CA. The ship manifest listed below shows Joseph Dunagan with servant:

20 December 1850 — PASSENGERS MANIFEST – San Francisco, CA

PASSENGERS

Per Steamship Sarah Sands, from Panama — Edward Hartman, Mrs Edward Hartman, Mr and Mrs Holdworth, Geo Levy, J L Janes, Win Antony, H W Nolting, Mr Guy, landed at Acapulco, Madame Planel, Dr Gautier, Manuel Cosco, landed at Acapulco, Chas E Bowers, S L Coye, Jas Bowman, Mr David, Mr Devefsier, J H Adler, Mr Hierch, Jno Price, Hubert King, James Davis, Joseph Colinridge, Joseph Mitchell, Robert Burns, John Eddy, James Gillespie, Madame Antoine Rebard, Antoine Rebard and child, Wm Hill, Wm Hetly, John Cradduck, Daniel Munay, Patrick Hennedy, Jas Mitchell, Wm Clinsai, John Williams, Geo Phillips, Alex McCracken, Richard Brown, L Levy, Lorenzo Dow, H W Schrobell, B Schrobell, Mr Rocher, Mr Bigot, Mr Permit, Joseph Dunagan and servant, Nath'l P Harden, Stephen B Hutchings, Wm Pierce, Green Russell, Jas Sutton, Andrew Brown, Wm W Baker, Reuben C Conner, P L Pit- Tier 1 , Isaac Morris, Jas Schoemaker, R B Mc- Cutchen, W J Duboy, J J Burt, Benj Barton, Jas Barker and servant, John Barker, H B Gibbs, Cornelius Hoyt, Dau'l Wearer, Mrs Dedros, Louis Raper. Per Steamer Gold Hunter, from Oregon — H Q Adams, O J Backus, G A Barnes," Wm S Emoiy, G L Stark, Abel Avery,A M Starr, Ed Burroughs, H G Pembertou, Jno Harris, Capt Hall, Wm Buckliu jr, Dr Stewart, Jos Eiy, David Ery, John Ery, C F Woln, Wm Curtis, A A Horn, Conrad Meyer. John Sullivan, Capt Knighton, Mr Dennison, Lieut Maynard, Capt Simmons.

Accompanying Joseph was his good friend from Hall County, GA, Lorenzo Dow Woods(1805-1889), who was the father-in-law of Joseph's brother Stephen Reid Dunagan. From what I can tell they made it to Panama by land or sea, I'm not sure, and paid for the passage to San Francisco, CA, a full month journey. From there we do not know were the group went to, however, we do know that Joseph Ellis Dunagan brought back gold nuggets from his prospecting expedition in California. Joseph was also known as a religious man, a devout Methodist, and it is told that he held prayer and revival meetings among the other prospectors while in California.

We believe he came back with Lorenzo Dow Woodes and his man servant over land through St. Louis, MO, but we have no documentation to verify this return trip. We do know that he returned with refined and minted gold which he buried on his farm in Georgia.

The second trip to the gold fields out west was in 1859 or 1860, and all we know is that Joseph traveled by land this time. When the Civil War broke out, the group from Gainesville, Hall County, GA, that Joseph had traveled with begin the journey home to Georiga. Joseph took sick and was taken in by a family in Illinois and cared for until he died in 1861 and was buried near St. Claire, Illinois. I have never located his grave so if any of you researchers out there have located Joseph Ellis Dunagan's grave in St. Claire, IL, please communicate with me. What I found most interesting is that Joseph Ellis Dunagan turned 65 years old on his second trip to prospect for gold at Pike's Peak in Colorado. Obviously, he was not a person afraid of a challenge

Below is more evidence that this was Joseph Ellis Dunagan accompanied by one man servant. This is the 1850 Federal Census showing slave owners in Hall County and at the bottom of the left column, Joseph Dunagan is listed as owning 1 male, age 50, black.