Dr. Randolph “Randall” McDonald, a Scottish immigrant and early settler of Ware County, Georgia, served his community as a farmer, legislator, judge, and later as a physician. A pioneer in every sense, McDonald studied medicine in his fifties, establishing a thriving practice until his death in 1864. He and his wife Catherine raised five children in Ware County, Georgia.
John Bennett was born in 1795 in Effingham County, Georgia, the oldest son of William and Mary Sheffield Bennett. He married Frances “Fannie” Harris in 1813, and they raised their family in Bulloch and later Lowndes County, Georgia. John died in 1836, and Fannie later married Asa Geiger, a cousin of her first husband. Their children included Mary Ann, Richard, Frances, and William, who all married into other early Georgia families. Fannie was born around 1800 in North Carolina and died in 1904 in Manor, Georgia.
John Bennett, born 1778 in Duplin (now Sampson) County, North Carolina, married Sarah (Sallie) Register in 1805 and later settled in what is now Lanier County, Georgia. A veteran of the Indian Wars, John died in May 1850 and was buried at Wayfare Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery. Together, John and Sallie raised eight children, including Dixon, Felix, and Redding. Sallie died in 1868 and is buried beside him. Their heritage is rooted in Georgia’s early frontier history and honored by descendants at the 1968 Register family reunion, where a new headstone was unveiled in their memory.
**Isaac Edmondson (c. 1763–1810)** was a Revolutionary War patriot who settled in Bulloch County, Georgia, by 1800. His will, dated 13 May 1809, named wife Nancy (née Cox) and several children, including James, Susannah, Elizabeth, Sarah, John, and David. After his death, Nancy moved the family to what became Brooks County. Though early genealogists claimed Isaac was born in England, later research suggests Virginia roots tied to Thomas Edmundson of 17th-century Essex County. Isaac’s legacy continues through numerous descendants across South Georgia.
William Holloway, born on April 1, 1757, in North Carolina, was a Revolutionary War soldier who settled in Bulloch County, Georgia, before moving to the Wiregrass region. He likely married three times: first to Sally Griffin in 1788, then possibly to Orpha between 1818 and 1825, and finally to Sarah around 1828. William had several children, including Lavina, Nancy, and Griffin. He became a prominent figure in his community, serving as a Captain in the militia and as a Justice of the Peace. Holloway passed away in 1850 and was buried at Bethel Church.
Timothy Alderman (19 Feb 1801 – 28 Feb 1881) was a prominent citizen of Brooks County, Georgia. Born in New Hanover County, North Carolina, he moved to Georgia in 1816 and later settled in Lowndes County, where he built a successful farming and cattle-raising enterprise. He married Sarah Williams in 1822, and together they raised 11 children. Alderman served as Tax Collector and Receiver of Tax Returns for Brooks County. Though he was a devoted supporter of Bethel Primitive Baptist Church, records dispute whether he was an official member. He and his wife are buried at Bethel Church.
David Alderman was born on 25 Mar 1749 in Deerfield, New Jersey, to Daniel and Abegail (Harris) Alderman. In 1755, he moved with his family to New Hanover County, North Carolina. He married Jemima Hall (19 Mar 1753 – 1815) in Duplin County, where they raised their children. A Revolutionary War soldier, he received land grants in North Carolina before relocating to Bulloch County, Georgia, in 1816. He joined the Baptist Church and remained there until his death on 23 Oct 1831. He was buried in Brannen Cemetery. His great-grandfather, William Alderman, immigrated from England to Massachusetts around 1670.
Rev. Matthew Albritton was born in 1785 in Effingham County, Georgia, the son of Revolutionary War soldier John Albritton. He married Ann Bulloch (b. 12 Jan 1792 – d. 1871), daughter of James and Diana Bulloch, around 1805. They lived in Bulloch, Bryan, Laurens, and Lowndes counties, where he became a Baptist minister and Justice of the Inferior Court. He died in Jan 1850 and was buried at Bethany Church.
This written copy of the William and John Holloway Bible is found at the DAR, Washington, DC in the files of John and William Holloway. On the copy of the front page there is no publisher or date of publication however the 2nd page states that “The Holloway Family Bible Bought in Savannah City May 1826.” Any date occurring before 1826 then should be considered added after the fact. There are two hand writings in the Bible, indicating the liklihood of two separate authors. William Holloway, Sr. starts on page 1, John Holloway, Sr. starts on page 2. Sally and Ann Holloway were sisters who married brothers William and John Holloway. They were daughters of Benjamin Griffin of Craven County, North Carolina.
William Green Akins was born on 10 Sep 1806 in South Carolina, the son of Francis and Martha Akins. His family settled in Bulloch County, Georgia, before moving to Lowndes County around 1827. He married Winifred Moore (12 Jan 1812 – 28 Feb 1878) in 1830. They later resided in Clinch and Berrien counties, where Akins served as Justice of the Peace. He was a Primitive Baptist and a veteran of the 1838 Indian War. He died on 16 Feb 1866 in Berrien County. His widow remarried Jonathan Studstill in 1870.