This book documents the name, rank, unit, and commission date of men who served as officers in the Georgia Militia from 1798 to 1818. It is an invaluable resource to anyone conducting research on the people who lived in the state of Georgia during that period, whether or not they were officers in the militia. Beyond documenting military service, the names of local officers are the key to correctly interpreting many historical documents.
More than thirty-eight thousand men served as officers in the Georgia Militia between January 1798 and April 1860. This book contains abstracts of the 9,910 officer commissions recorded in the Adjutant General of Georgia's Military Commission Books from January 15, 1798 to March 13, 1818. Officers found in this list served from the lowest commissioned rank of ensign all the way up to major general. It includes the names of more than 2,600 captains, almost 3,000 lieutenants, and more than 3,200 ensigns. They served in local companies, as well as specialized artillery, dragoon, and cavalry units.
The details provided within don't just document military service, but provide crucial information for interpreting all sorts of historical documents in Georgia. Prior to the late-1840s, militia units, including companies, battalions, and regiments, were most often described using the name of the officer in command, even following the institution of a unit numbering system in 1804. With the data in this book, historians and genealogists now have a convenient cross-reference of named officers to numbered units, which will aid in the interpretation of early records like census enumerations, tax rolls, and land lottery documents.
Graham, Paul K.: - Paul K. Graham, AG, CG, is a professional genealogist who conducts research across the English-speaking world, with particular expertise in families of the U.S. South. He has published books and articles primarily concerning the people and records of the state of Georgia, but his work is not limited by geography. Paul was a researcher on the PBS television series African American Lives in 2006, and he has lead the research on multiple episodes of the Who Do You Think You Are? television show, which now appears on TLC network. Paul is the author of multiple books related to Georgia genealogical research, most notably Georgia Land Lottery Research and Research in Georgia (part of the National Genealogical Society's "Research in the States" series). His articles have appeared in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, The Genealogist, the Georgia Historical Quarterly, and the Georgia Genealogical Society Quarterly. In December 2005, the Georgia Genealogical Society presenting Paul the award for "Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Genealogy" for his publications on the 1805 Georgia land lottery. His work has been recognized with other awards since then, including first place in the National Genealogical Society's Family History Writing Contest in 2013, the ASG Scholar Award for 2012, and the NGS Award for Excellence: Genealogical Methods and Sources, also in 2012. Paul is a graduate of the George Washington University and began his career as a title examiner in Georgia, gaining valuable knowledge of property and probate law and records. He has performed genealogical and historical research for clients since 2004. He graduated with a master's degree in Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University and holds a professional certificate in geographic information systems. Paul moved to Salt Lake City in 2011 after calling Georgia his home since 1989. His childhood was spent in western North Carolina.
