William Rabun, Governor of Georgia from 1817 to 1819, was born in Halifax County, N.C., on April 8, 1771, and moved to Wilkes Co., Ga., in 1785. With the usual backwoods schooling of his day, he gained extensive learning through reading and observation. For many years he served Hancock County in both houses of the Legislature. As President of the Senate in 1817, he became Governor when Gov. David B. Mitchell resigned. He died in office on Oct. 24, 1819, and Rabun County, Ga., was named for him.