Former Governor and Senator, Zell Miller, Passes.

Former governor and senator, Zell Miller, died at 86 this past week after suffering from failing health for several years, according to his grandson, Bryan Miller.

He is the great grandson of Lydia Dunagan Miller and James Miller. Lydia Dunagan who was the daughter of Joseph Ellis Dunagan, the oldest son of Ezekiel Dunagan and Lydia Ann Brown. Zell is the author of several books and also served in the U. S. Senate before retiring to his home town of Young Harris, GA. He was also a former Marine.

James Miller b. 10 Dec 1816, Hall County, GA, d. 27 Apr 1896, buried in Mossy Creek, White Co., GA.He married Lydia Dunagan b. 17 Feb 1827, Hall County, GA, d. 7 Apr 1891, also buried at Mossy Creek, White County, GA. I am not certain of who the parents of James Miller were but Lydia Dunagan was the oldest daughter of my 3rd. great grandparents, Joseph Ellis Dunagan and Lucinda Beall. Lucinda Beall was the daughter of Frederick Beall, a Brig General in the War of 1812. Lydia was named after her grandmother, Lydia Ann (Brown)Dunagan.

James and Lydia had several children but Zell Miller is descended from their child, William Jasper "Bud" Miller b. 7 Feb 1847, White County, GA. He married Jane Malinda Collins and they had a son, Stephen Grady Miller, the father of Zell Bryan Miller.

Stephen Grady Miller was married to Birdie Bryan. Zell Miller was born 24 Feb 1932, the same year his father died. Birdie never remarried and raised Zell and his siblings as a single mother.

Governor Zell Miller will be remembered by many Georgians for establishing the Hope Scholarship.

A Little Irish History by Darlene Dunagan Scruggs

☘A Little Irish History☘

☘Did you know that present day Hall County was first settled in the late 1790's by two Irish brothers who brought the first settlers here? Joseph and Joshua Dunagan led a small group of white settlers into the then Indian territory and built their settlement on the banks of the Oconee River in the eastern part of present day Hall County, Georgia. Shortly after their arrival, Ezekiel and Isaiah, sons of Joseph Dunagan, led the second group of settlers to the Joshua Dunagan settlement. Joshua was soon slaughtered by the Indians near Maysville, Georgia. After his death the settlement was known as the Joseph Dunagan settlement. Ezekiel stayed and raised his family in this same area. At the time of his death in 1836, he owned three thousand acres. Ezekiel’s descendants remained on his land and built a community that was known as Dunagan, Georgia. Most of the Dunagans in this area today are direct descendants of Joseph and his son Ezekiel. Some of Ole Zeke's descendants are still living on his land today. ☘