This is the story of the McGinnis family, spanning over three centuries from the early 1700s to 2025. It traces an old Irish family from Ulster who came to North Carolina and then to Georgia, building lives and leaving legacies across generations. From Celtic warriors to entreprenuers, from illiterate farmers to corporate executives, from signing wills with an X to writing software.
My grandfather, Richard W. McGinnis (1930-2024), dedicated countless hours, even years, working on a book that much of this was drawn from. He worked closely with professional genealogist Sharon Tate Moody to author “1700-2003 My McGinnis History Begins to Fit”, first published in 2003. I remember the work of this clearly, and he continued it long past 2003 into his final days. He often expressed to me his desire that I continue to maintain this history such that the generations beyond us could have the familial record and stories that we were blessed to have, and he was not.
So here we are, continuing on.
This guide, like papa’s, is not intended to be a dry genealogical record, but a living history of the family. It has been updated to include the some of the modern generations through 2025, additional historical information I’ve found, and more stories wherever we can. While we’re limited by the stories and the information we can actually find, I hope to find more over time to weave in.
“The Family” means different things to those in it, and I, like papa, make no real attempt to capture every story, but rather I hope to pull together many of the stories of those who came before me and who my children would call kin. At times this may be stories of those whose family lines would not become McGinnises for another century or more. Be patient, it will all come together.
Likewise, there are many stories that for lack of time or knowledge won’t be there. What a wonderful opportunity for others to pursue similar work.
I, again like papa, hope that some future generation will find this guide interesting and useful and take the time to do the same for the generations that come after them, as my grandfather did for me.
For Future Generations
As Richard wrote in 2003:
Since this history will by all odds not appeal to all of you young people, you should not discard it for three reasons: (1) The labor, travel, cost and many hours of research were such that it would hurt my feelings if you tossed it; (2) At another stage of your life its appeal to you might be better; (3) Your children or your great grandchildren could discover the history you saved and have a hankering to read it.
About This Guide
This guide is organized chronologically, following the McGinnis family through time and place. Rather than simply listing names and dates, it attempts to tell the story of who these people were, how they lived, and the world they inhabited. I’m doing my best to not only rearrgange the 2003 book into this chronological narrative, but to add in contemperaneous accounts, artwork, and images that help bring better context to the stories.
The research focuses primarily on the Scots-Irish ancestors on my paternal side, notably of “Old Charles McGinnis” (1752-1816) and his descendents, and the Salzburger ancestors of my grandmother: Shirley McGinnis.
The Story in Brief
1700s-1800s: From Ulster to Pennsylvania to North Carolina, the McGinnises were part of the great Scots-Irish migration, traveling the Great Wagon Road and settling in the Carolina backcountry.
1800s-1860s: Moving to Georgia, serving in the Creek Indian Wars and the Civil War (where John William McGinnis died at Gettysburg, leaving his son Charles Bridges fatherless).
1860s-1940s: Charles Bridges McGinnis, raised during Reconstruction, became a successful builder and civic leader in Decatur, Georgia, raising ten children who spread across the South.
1940s-2000s: Richard Williams McGinnis, working with Ted Turner, helped build Atlanta’s media empire and spent 25 years researching this family history.
2000s-2025: The latest generations continue the McGinnis tradition of innovation and community service: from Turner Broadcasting to AI, marketing, and art.
Work in progress
I’m writing this gradually, one chapter at a time and will release them as they get to a readable, if not final, state. For now, start here: