This group of descendants were themselves born in Gilmer County (or in adjacent Murray County). In the front row, from left, are Herbert Gates of Waycross, Mary Dotson Beaver of Jesup (Murray County), Clara Sharpe Roberson of Screven, Ruth Martin Bennett of Screven, Jim Poindexter of Jesup (Murray County), Ola Mae Houston Harris of Blackshear, and Billy Miller of Jesup. Mr. Miller's family came south then went back north for a short time; during which time he was born in Gilmer County. In the back row are Hazel Parks Collins of Screven, Kermit Parks of Hortense, Mildred Parks Royal of Jesup, Shirleen Parks Thomas of Brunswick, Mary McCollum Mikell of Jesup (Murray County), Ruby Fore Shedd Holland of Guyton, John Morris McClurd of Brunswick, and James Harper of Jesup. (Photo by Troy Fore)

Article in August 7, 2000 Press-Sentinel (Jesup, GA) and in Ellijay, GA newspaper:

by Troy Fore

About 200 people were on hand Saturday, Aug. 5, 2000 for the Gilmer Gathering, the "reunion" of descendants of the 50 families who migrated from the Ellijay-Gilmer County area in North Georgia to Wayne County in South Georgia in the early 1900s. The attendees included 15 natives of North Georgia, several of who remembered making the trek south in covered wagons and on the train. Most, however, were too young to remember the trip. In general, they reported that their ancestors had moved south to find a better life. Their responses included:

Uncle, who came earlier, "wrote and told his family that the land was easier to cultivate and his wife's health was improving" in the climate here.
Better farmland.
"To plant cotton and get rich!"
And, then: "My grandfather told me he came to Wayne County to keep from starving to death."

Family members came from Wayne and nearby counties, from Florida, Texas, Virginia, and even from California. One couple, Shirley Hill Wells and Ray F. Wells, came from Ellijay. They had never lived in South Georgia, but both had family members who made the move. While most of those attending already knew the others in their family groups, at least one relationship was made when two cousins, who had never met, found that they had a great-grandmother in common. The descendants swapped family records and stories while an eighth grade teacher and several of her students tape-recorded oral histories and another teacher scanned historical photos on a computer to make copies available for others. Some of the historical and genealogical information will be added to the local history collection at the Wayne County Library, which has recently added the local history book, "Heritage of Gilmer County." The Gilmer Gathering was hosted by the Wayne County Historical Society.