MARION COUNTY, GA - BIOS Joe J. Dunham
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
Archives by: Typed by Carla Miles


Table of Contents page: 
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/marion.htm
Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm

Memoirs of Georgia, Vol. II, Atlanta, Ga., page 486 
Published by The Southern Historical Association in 1895


MARION COUNTY

Joe J. Dunham, county ordinary, Buena Vista, Marion Co., Ga.,
son of J.H. and M.E. (Wood) Dunham, was born in Marion county in
1859.  Mr. Dunham’s grandfather on his father’s side was William
Dunham.  He was a native North Carolinian, migrated to Georgia
and settled, first, in Savannah; afterward went to Liberty
county, where he made a permanent home.  He owned a large
plantation and many slaves, and was very wealthy.  He was a
soldier in the war of 1812.  Mr. Dunham’s father was born in
Liberty county in 1819, received a good education, and was
prepared for college by Prof. Pinchen.  He then entered the
university of Georgia, at Athens, and after his graduation
taught school two years at Longstreet, Pulaski Co., Ga.  He next
taught in Twiggs county a number of years, whence he went to
Houston county and taught until 1848, when he removed to Buena
Vista and taught until impaired health caused him to abandon the
profession and retire to the farm.  At the end of twelve years
he resumed teaching and taught a number of years.  He served as
a justice of the inferior court a number of terms, and also in
the state militia, or home guard, during the war.  He was a very
prominent man in the county, and took a deep and active interest
in its development, and died in 1885.  Mr. Dunham’s
grandparents, on his mother’s side, were Elijah and Elizabeth
(Burgen) Wood.  He was an attorney at law, went early in life to
Milledgeville, and was private secretary for Gov. George M.
Troup.  Mr. Dunham was reared on the farm, and received a
limited education in the old log school-house.  He started in
life working on the farm; he then bought a cotton and read law,
and commenced the practice in 1892, with Butt & Lumpkin - a
partnership dating from the time he entered upon the study.  In
1889 he was elected ordinary of the county, and was re-elected
in 1893, for a second term.  He has been a member of the city
council for ten years, and is at this writing a candidate for
the general assembly.  In the congressional election two years
ago he was defeated by Congressman Charles Moses.  Mr. Dunham
has large landed interests, and is much respected.