Laurens County, South Carolina Genealogy

Guide to  ancestry, family history and genealogy court records, deeds, maps, immigration, maps, military records, newspapers, obituaries, plantations, probate records, slaves, local archives, libraries, museums, churches, cemeteries, and Civil War records.

South Carolina Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for Henry Laurens, the fifth president of the Continental Congress. The County is located in the northwest location of the state.

County Courthouse
Laurens County Courthouse 100 Hillcrest Square Laurens, SC 29360 Phone: 864-984-3538

Clerk of Court 100 Hillcrest Square Laurens, SC 29360 Phone: 864-984-3538 Court and land records

Probate Court 100 Hillcrest Square, Ste. A Laurens, SC 29360 Phone: 864-984-7315 Probate and land records

Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday

Quick Facts
The county is named after Continental Congress President (1724-1792) of South Carolina.

Parent County
12 March 1785: Laurens County was created from Ninety-Six District.

County Pronunciation

 * 1) Hear it spoken

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating South Carolina county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation South Carolina County Boundary Maps" (1682-1987) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Research Guides

 * South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Laurens County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
 * LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, A Guide to Researching in Laurens County, South Carolina and Selected Finding Aids. (Xlibris 2016). This book provides guidelines for researching in any SC County.

African Americans

 * United States African Americans
 * South Carolina African Americans
 * South Carolina: Laurens County Enslaved and Free Persons, and Slaveholders is a database of enslaved and free persons and slaveholders extracted from Laurens' inventory and appraisal books 1825-1826 and 1837-1839.


 * Garrett-Nelson, LaBrenda. The Source of Our Pride the Garrett, Neely, and Sullivan Families; Two Hundred Years of American History, Beginning in Laurens, South Carolina. San Jose, Calif.: Family Tree Press, 1996, 2000.
 * Garrett-Nelson, LaBrenda. The Source the Garrett, Neely, and Sullivan Families: Over Two Hundred Years of African American History, Beginning in Laurens County, South Carolina. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family Heritage Publishers, 2008.
 * Heinegg, Paul. "'Other Free' Heads of Household in the 1790 South Carolina Census, by County," Free African Americans.com. Includes free blacks in Laurens County.
 * Motes, Margaret Peckham. Blacks Found in the Deeds of Laurens &amp; Newberry Counties, SC: 1785-1827 Listed in Deeds of Gift, Deeds of Sale, Mortgages, Born Free and Freed. Abstracted from Laurens County, SC Deed Books A-L and Newberry County, SC Deed Books A-G. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002. ; digital versions at Ancestry ($) and World Vital Records ($). Publisher's website.
 * Rice, Lola M. McCrary. Genealogy of the Descendants of Dinah Williams of Laurens, South Carolina, 1830-1992 a Quest - Our Roots. Washington, D.C.: L.M.M. Rice, 1992.
 * Garrett-Nelson, LaBrenda. A Guide to Researching African American Ancestors in Laurens County, South Carolina and Selected Finding Aids. Thorofare, NJ: Xlibris, 2016

Known plantations South Carolina Plantations:


 * Ark
 * Buck's Upper Mill
 * Cherry Grove
 * Charlton Hall - Hickory Tavern
 * Doctor Wolf
 * Edens
 * Edghill
 * Jack's
 * Jeremiah Vereen's
 * Little River
 * Long Bay
 * Longwood
 * Lucas Bay
 * Old River Place
 * Oregon
 * Peachtree
 * Peter Vaught's
 * Petersfield
 * Rosemont - Waterloo
 * Snow Hill
 * Thomas Randall's
 * Tilghman Point
 * Withers
 * Woodbourne
 * Zack Gray

Cemeteries

 * To view a cemetery list, see Laurens County, South Carolina Cemeteries.
 * National Cemetery Administration

Census

 * 1829-1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

 Federal 

1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Laurens County are available online. For tips on accessing census records online, see South Carolina Census. If you're having trouble finding your ancestors in online indexes, try checking printed indexes. Created by local experts familiar with the area's families, these indexes are often transcribed more accurately than online nationwide indexes.

See South Carolina Population Schedule Indexes: Fiche, Film, or Book for more information about statewide printed indexes.

See Laurens County, SC census assignments, including links to transcribed files The USGenWeb Census Project®

 1800 


 * Elliott, Irene Dillard. Second Federal Census, 1800 Laurens County, South Carolina. University of South Carolina, 1959. 975.731 X2e 1800; digital version at Ancestry ($).

 1820 Manufactures 

The original manufactures schedules for South Carolina are kept at the NARA, Washington, D.C. FHL copies:

Published abstract:


 * National Archives. Indexes to Manufactures Census of 1820. 1920; reprint, Knightstown, Ind.: Bookmark, 1977. . Includes this county.

 1840 Revolutionary War Pensioners 


 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C.: Blair and Rives, 1841. ; digital version at Google Books. See South Carolina, Laurens District on page 142.

 1850 


 * Myer, Lois C. and University of South Carolina. Laurens County, South Carolina 1880 Census; Indexes to 1850 &amp; 1880 Censuses; Tombstone Inscriptions. Typescript. Microfilmed 1969.

 1880 


 * Myer, Lois C. and University of South Carolina. Laurens County, South Carolina 1880 Census; Indexes to 1850 &amp; 1880 Censuses; Tombstone Inscriptions. Typescript. Microfilmed 1969.

 State 

 1829 


 * "1829 Census of Laurens District," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Spring 1976):103-113; Vol. 4, No. 3 (Summer 1976):139-151.

Church History and Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Laurens County has court records from 1789 that are held in the office of the Clerk of Court. Laurens County was a part of the Ninety-Six District from 1785 - 1800 and the records of the Ninety-Six District courts are housed in Abbeville County with the Clerk of Court.

The South Carolina Archives and History Center has court records available on microfilm for Laurens County.

The FHL court records for Laurens County.

DNA
DNA has been collected from men claiming descent from the following Charleston County residents. FamilySearch has not independently verified the lineages of those tested.

Genealogy
This bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:


 * Locate publications about direct ancestors
 * Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
 * Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" (Friends, Associates, and Neighbors)

General

As of August 2010, a query for persons born in Laurens, South Carolina at World Connect, produces more than 45,000 results.

Surname indexes to Leonardo Andrea's Files | Folders | Resources are available online, courtesy: The Andrea Files: South Carolina Genealogical Research. Learn more.

Message Boards


 * Laurens&amp; County, SC Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Laurens County, SC Genealogy Forum (GenForum)

Bibliography


 * Adair - Adair Family Genealogy: An Accounting of Our South Carolina-Indiana-Idaho Adair Ancestry, with a Brief Analysis of Our Scotch-Irish Forefathers. Huntingdon Beach, Calif.: W.W. Adair, 1974?..
 * Blakely - Myer, Lois C. Descendants of William (Honest Bill) Blakely of Laurens Co., S. C. Including the Henderson, Boyd, Cunningham, McCullough; Samuel McClurkin Line with Descendants of David Ross Dorroh and Susan Lewers with Allied Lines of Peden, Gilliland, etc... Typescript, microfilmed 1969. Item 1
 * Campbell - Campbell, Thomas. Descendants of Capt. Angus Campbell of Laurens, South Carolina. Microfilmed 1983.
 * Carter - Katheder, Thomas. "Origins of James Carter, Sr. (ca.1741-1812) of Loudoun County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 47, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 2003):295-310. Digital version at American Ancestors ($);.
 * Coker - Jones, Gerald Edward. "The Coker Family: Laurens County, South Carolina and Colonial Virginia," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 38, No. 1 (Winter 2010):14-28.
 * Daniel - Gee, Christine South. John Daniel, Sr., 1724-1819, of Essex County, Virginia and Laurens County, South Carolina: His Virginia Ancestry and Some of His Descendants. Columbia, S.C.: Privately printed for Mrs. C.S. Gee by McDonald Letter Shop, 1986. ; digital versions at Ancestry ($) and World Vital Records ($).
 * Davis - Davis, Robert S. "The Descendants of Jonathan Davis," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Spring 1989):86-87.
 * Drake - Drake, Charles E. "The Drake Family of Ninety Six District and Abbeville County, South Carolina," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 29, No. 4 (Fall 2001):183-195.
 * Finley - Finley, Elizabeth M. Descendants of John R. Finley, 1843-1930 and His Wife Virginia Langston Finley of Laurens County, South Carolina. n.p.: E.M. Finley, 1975.
 * Griffin - "Fannie Monroe, Real Daughter of the Revolution in 1906," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 25, No. 3 (Summer 1997):147-150.
 * Hanna - Montoye, Betty A. The Hanna Family, 1744-1974, Laurens District, South Carolina to Carroll County, Indiana. 1974.
 * Hellums - Hellums, Earle C. The Hellums Family, 1765 to 1984 Beginning with John Hellums Sr. in Laurens County, South Carolina. Houston, Texas: E.C. Hellums, 1984.
 * Holdridge - Smith, Cynthia Holdridge. "William Holdridge (1763-1803) of Laurens County, South Carolina," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 37, No. 3 (Summer 2009):123-135.
 * Holland - Pitts, Esther H. Some of the Branches of the Holland Family, Laurens County, South Carolina. Clifton, S.C.: E.H. Pitts, 1967.
 * Hutchinson - Hutchinson, Frederick McAlpine. The Hutchinson Family of Laurens County, South Carolina, and Descendants. Houston, Tex.: Anson Jones Press, 1947. ; ; digital versions at Ancestry ($) and World Vital Records ($).
 * Langston - Langston, Carroll. Descendants of Solomon Langston of Laurens County, South Carolina, through His Son, Bennett. Williamsville, Ill.: unknown, 1990. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Martin - Gee, Christine South. Some of the Descendants of Daniel Martin (1745-1829) of Laurens County, South Carolina, and the Allied Families of Hudgens, McNeese, Rodgers, and Saxon. Greenwood, S.C.: C.S. Gee, 1963.
 * Motes - Motes, Margaret Peckham. Motes Family Bible Records of Laurens County, South Carolina, 1750-1878. Stamford, Conn.: Mrs. J.H. Motes III, 1989. FHL (?)
 * Power - McNees, Lucien L. Descendants of Alexander Power of Laurens County, South Carolina. Lexington, Miss.: L.L. McNees, 1967.
 * Power - Varndell, Elinor Power. Four Families of Laurens County, South Carolina William C. and Elliott Nancy Mahaffey Power; Dr. John Stevens and Betty Hudgens Wolff; William Simpson and Isabella Henderson; Samuel Lewis Power and Nancy Mary Poole. Baltimore, Md.: Gateway Press, 2004.
 * Puckett - Gee, Christine South. The Roots and Some of the Branches of the Puckett Family Tree. Greenwood, S.C., 1958. ; digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Ramage - Ramage Family Reunion, Laurens Co., South Carolina 1990. MSS., microfilmed 1991. Item 2
 * Ramage - Ramage, Martis Donald and Ruth Ramage McElhaney. The Ramage Family of Laurens County, South Carolina. Belton, Miss.: M.D. Ramage, 1996.
 * Ramage - Ramage, Martis Donald. Collection of Photographs from the Ramage Family of Laurens County, South Carolina. Belden, Miss.: M.D. Ramage, 1999.
 * Sullivan - Bland, Carolyn Copeland. "James Sullivan of Charlotte County and the Problem of Entrenched Disinformation," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 25, No. 4 (Nov. 1987):3-13. Digital version at Ancestry ($);.
 * Templeton - Templeton, L.B. Templeton Family History Records and Descendants of the Templetons, Who First Settled in What is Now Laurens County, South Carolina: Together with Brief Sketches of Other Templetons, Who Settled in Other Parts of South Carolina and Other States. Union, S.C.: L.B. Templeton, Jr., 1953. Item 2; 2003 reprint:
 * Templeton - Templeton, Ronald H. "Possible North Carolina/South Carolina Templeton Relationships," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 35, No. 3 (Summer 2007):123-130. Presents discoveries of previously unknown kinships based on the Templeton DNA study.
 * Watson - Watson, John Drake. Ancestors and Descendants of James Dorsey Watson and Virginia Carolina Campbell of Laurens County, South Carolina. Newberry, S.C.: J.D. Watson, 1997.
 * Williams - Rice, Lola M. McCrary. Genealogy of the Descendants of Dinah Williams of Laurens, South Carolina, 1830-1992 a Quest - Our Roots. Washington, D.C.: L.M.M. Rice, 1992.
 * Wood - Wood, John Wilbert and Essie Meares Wood. The Wood Family of Laurens County, South Carolina. Charlotte, N.C.: Wood, 196?.

History

 * Bolick, Julian Stevenson with a brief sketch of the development of Laurens County by Edna Riddle Foy. A Laurens County Sketchbook  (Clinton, S.C., Jacobs Press, c1973), 306 pages. Includes many drawings of houses. Short histories with names included. Aside from the historical, artistic and architectural appeal of the drawings, the text will prove valuable for those interested in genealogy, history, and folklore. Book found at and
 * Laurens County Historical Society (South Carolina). The Scrapbook, A Compilation of Historical Facts About Places and Events of Laurens County, South Carolina (Laurens, South Carolina: Laurens County Historical Society and Laurens County Arts Council, c1982), 704 pages. Includes biographies, battle stories and battle-related incidents, governmental passages, and articles from the Laurens County Advertiser and The Clinton Chronicle. Book found at and.

Land and Property
Because of South Carolina’s history as an agricultural state many residents owned land. For more information abou types of land records see South Carolina Land and Property.

Tracing records through South Carolina county and district changes can be difficult. In general, for earliest records begin by searching the Charleston District, then your ancestor’s residential district, then neighboring districts, then the residential county, then neighboring counties. Not all districts and counties kept records. The following chart shows where you may best expect to find land records for Laurens County:

* Small portion taken to Greenville County in 1786

The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Laurens County land records. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:


 * Laurens Land Records, Vol. A: 1785-1786
 * Laurens Land Records, Vol. B: 1787-1790
 * Laurens Land Records, Vol. D: 1791-1793


 * Plats For State Land Grants 1784-1868 For information about the State Land Grants, see State Land Grants

Maps

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Laurens County for European settlers included: and William E. Myer, Indian Trails of the Southeast. (Nashville, Tenn.: Blue and Gray Press, 1971), 12-14, and the book's pocket map "The Trail System of the Southeastern United States in the early Colonial Period" (1923). ▲ .&lt;/ref&gt;


 * Old South Carolina State Road 1747

General

 * "County pension roll, 1818, 1832," Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History, November 2002, Volume 16, Issue 4. Piedmont Historical Society: Spartansburg, SC.
 * "Laurens volunteers, 1836 Seminole war," Piedmont Historical Society Quarterly, October 1984, Volume 2, Issue 4. Piedmont Historical Society: Spartansburg, SC.
 * "United Laurens riflemen history, 1802-57," Piedmont Historical Society Quarterly, October 1984, Volume 2, Issue 4. Piedmont Historical Society: Spartansburg, SC.

Revolutionary War

 * "John Ridgeway, Jr., Rev. War pension application, 1833," Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History, August 2005, Volume 19, Issue 3. Piedmont Historical Society: Spartansburg, SC.
 * "Revolutionary war pension applications," Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History, December 1990, Volume 7, Issue 4. Piedmont Historical Society: Spartansburg, SC.
 * "Rev. War pension applications," Georgia Genealogical Magazine, Winter 1978, Issue 67. Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr.: Greenville, NC..
 * South Carolina Court of Common Pleas (Laurens County). Revolutionary war pension applications, 1820 - 1830. Columbia, South Carolina: Filmed by the South Carolina Dept. of Archives and History, 1970..

War of 1812

 * List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. ; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. See Vol. 5, South Carolina, Laurens County, p. 186. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.

Civil War
Online Records


 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)

Regiments.Civil War service men from Laurens County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed of many men from Laurens County:


 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company A
 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Sharpshooters, Company A (also known the Union Light Infantry and German Fusiliers), Company B (also known as the Sumter Guards), and Company C (also known as the Charleston Sharpshooters and Palmetto Guards)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Artillery, Company A (also known as Calhoun's Battery; Sumter Light Artillery, Sumter Battery, Preston's Battery, Blake's Battery and other name variations.)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (Butler's) (1st Regulars), Company A (also called Company B and Beauregard Artillery)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina State Troops Junior Reserves (State Militia), Company name unknown - commanded by Captain Burns
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina State Troops, Company G
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company B (also known as Ferguson Rangers)
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company A (also known as the Boykin Mounted Rangers and Hampton Scouts), Company E (also known as Dean's Cavalry), and Company G (also known as Bonham's Light Dragoons and Lipscomb's Troop)
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Rifles, Company A
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company C (also known as Captain Dean's Company)
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Infantry (Lauren's) (James'), Company A, Company B (also known as the Williams Company), Company C, Company D, and Company E (also known as the Hunter Guards)
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Light Artillery (Palmetto Battalion), Company F (also known as the Chestnut Light Artillery)
 * - 3rd Regiment, South Carolina Reserves (90 days 1862-63),, Company B
 * - 3rd Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company A (also known as The State Guards or Staten Guards), Company B, Company C, Company E, Company F, Company G (also known as Lurens Briars), Company I, and Captain W.J.M. Jones Company.
 * - 4th Battalion, South Carolina Reserve, Company D and Company E
 * - 4th Regiment, South Carolina State Troop Junior Reserves, Company F
 * - 5th Battalion, South Carolina Rifles, Company A and Company F
 * - 5th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Ferguson's), Company K
 * - 5th Regiment, South Carolina State Troops, Company D and Company I
 * - 6th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Aiken's Partisan Rangers) (1st Partisan Rangers), Company A, Company C, and Company E
 * - 7th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company E
 * - 9th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves, Company A, Company B, Company C, Company, and Company E
 * - 13th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company A and Company H
 * - 14th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company C, Company E, and Company F
 * - 15th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company B
 * - 16th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (Greenville Regiment), Company F
 * - 16th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company A, Company C, and Company E
 * - 18th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company E
 * - 19th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company C
 * - 20th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Reorganized Company E

Other Resources


 * South Carolina Genealogical Society. Laurens District Chapter. Laurens County Enrollment Book of Confederate Veterans 1902 (Greenville, South Carolina : Southern Historical Press, c1998), 152 pages. As complete a list of Confederate veterans, as possible, but some of the entries are based on the memories of the veterans' families and friends and on hearsay.  and.
 * Laurens County, Clerk of Court. Confederate Pension Roll and Record, 1898, 1933-1968. (Columbia, South Carolina : Filmed by the South Carolina Dept. of Archives and History, 1969). Original records in the Laurens County courthouse. Microfilm copy at

Newspapers
Historic

The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Laurens County, South Carolina on their Chronicling America website. For publication details, including dates of publication, frequency, preceding and succeeding titles, and to find out which libraries have holdings, click on the newspaper title.


 * Free-Silver Democrat (Laurens, S.C.) 1896-1???.
 * The Laurens County Advertiser (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973.
 * The Laurens County Advertiser (Laurens, S.C.) 1973-current.
 * The Laurens advertiser (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973
 * The Laurens County News (Laurens, S.C.) 1899-1903.
 * The Laurensville Herald (Laurensville, S.C.) 1848-1933.
 * The Laurensville Weekly Herald (Laurensville, S.C.) 1845-1848.

Periodicals
Tap into the minds of local experts. Editors of genealogical and historical periodicals publish unique sources that researchers new to their area may not encounter. Periodicals at various levels (county, region, and state) may carry articles useful to research in this area. For this county, see:


 * Georgia Genealogical Magazine
 * Piedmont Historical Society Quarterly
 * Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History

Probate Records
Probate is the “court procedure by which a will is proved to be valid or invalid” and encompasses “all matters and proceedings pertaining to the administration of estates, guardianships, etc.” Various types of records are created throughout the probate process. These may include, wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions. For further information see probate records in South Carolina.

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has microfilms or typescripts of wills, inventories, bills of sale, power of attorneys, bonds, notes, administrations, judgments, and sales records. They have placed Will Transcriptions for 1782 to 1855 online. Index searchable by name and the image is available.

Probate records for Laurens County exist in the county probate court and the court of equity. An index to estate records of the probate court exists on microfilm from 1800-1931, with original records from 1800-1867.


 * Laurens County Will Bk A, 1787-1789, abstracts South Carolina Pioneers
 * Laurens County Will Bk C, 1797-1807, abstracts South Carolina Pioneers
 * Laurens County Will Bk D, 1799-1817, abstracts South Carolina Pioneers
 * Laurens County Will Bk E, 1819-1825, abstracts South Carolina Pioneers
 * Index to Laurens County Will Bk A, 1766-1802 South Carolina Pioneers
 * Index to Laurens County Will Bk F, 1826-1834 South Carolina Pioneers

Online Probate Records


 * 1670-1980 - South Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1670-1980 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1671-1977 - at FamilySearch — images
 * 1732-1964 - at FamilySearch — images
 * 1782-1866 - South Carolina, Will Transcripts 1782-1866 at findmypast — $, index

Search Aids

South Carolina: Laurens County Enslaved and Free Persons, and Slaveholders is a database of enslaved and free persons and slaveholders extracted from Laurens' inventory and appraisal books 1825-1826 and 1837-1839.

Taxation
Tax-related records are kept by the offices of the county Assessor, Auditor, Sheriff, and Treasurer. Taxes were levied on real and personal property and can help establish ages, residences, relationships, and the year an individual died or left the area. They can be used as substitutes for missing or destroyed land and census records.


 * South Carolina Department of Archives and History tax lists for Laurens County.
 * The 1865 tax book is kept at the county courthouse. Copies at:.
 * Tax duplicate books are also kept at the county courthouse. Copies of years 1868, 1870-1875, 1890, at:.

Vital Records
Birth, marriage, and death records were not recorded by South Carolina until the 1900s, thus leaving a lack of vital records. Substitute records, when available, are used to obtain this information. These substitute records including newspapers, court records have been added to this section, when applicable.

Birth
State-wide birth registration began in 1915. For a copy of a birth from 1915 or later, contact the South Carolina Department of Health. The Laurens County Health Department also has copies but they provide only an abbreviated form with limited information. For more information, see the South Carolina Vital Records page.


 * 1766-1900 - at FamilySearch — images

Marriage
In South Carolina, marriage licenses were not required by local governments until 1 July 1911. However, in the 1700s, the Church of England parish churches were required to record all marriages - even if the couple were not members of the denomination. Not all churches recorded these marriages and some have not survived. See South Carolina Vital Records for more information.

The Laurens County probate court holds marriage licenses issued from 1 July 1911 to the present. Statewide registration of marriages began in July 1950 and the South Carolina Division of Vital Records has copies of licenses issued after 1 July 1950 through November 2009.

Newspapers are used as a substitute to locate marriage information. See South Carolina Newspapers.

Marriages and Marriage Substitutes - Indexes and Records


 * Marriage and Death Records from Laurens County, South Carolina Newspapers by Steven O'Dell Rayford  - index
 * 1826-1854 - Some South Carolina Marriages and Obituaries and Miscellaneous Information, 1826-1854, Abstracted from Early Newspapers: the Greenville Republican, the Greenville mountaineer, the Laurensville Herald by Robert F. Simpson and Mrs. Charles R. Barham  - index
 * 1911-1927 - Laurens County Marriage Index 1911-1927. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1911-1927 - Laurens County Marriage Index 1911-1927. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1911-1927 - Laurens County Marriage Index 1911-1927. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1911-1950 - Laurens County, South Carolina Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950  - records
 * 1911-1951 - Laurens County, South Carolina Marriage Registers, 1911-1951 - index and records 
 * 1928-1951 - Laurens County Marriage Index 1928-1951. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * There are several online marriage indexes containing miscellaneous marriage records found in some counties of South Carolina listed on the South Carolina Vital Records page.

Death
State-wide death registration began in 1915. For a copy of the death certificates from 1915 or later, contact the South Carolina Department of Health. The Laurens County Health Department only has copies for deaths occurring in the last 5 years. For more information, see the South Carolina Vital Records page.

Deaths and Death Substitutes - Indexes and Records


 * Marriage and Death Records from Laurens County, South Carolina Newspapers by Steven O'Dell Rayford  - index
 * 1816-1990 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1826-1854 - Some South Carolina Marriages and Obituaries and Miscellaneous Information, 1826-1854, Abstracted from Early Newspapers: the Greenville Republican, the Greenville mountaineer, the Laurensville Herald by Robert F. Simpson and Mrs. Charles R. Barham  - index
 * 1915-1965 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * State-wide South Carolina Death Indexes. There are several online death indexes covering all of South Carolina listed on the South Carolina Vital Records page.

Societies, Libraries, and Museums
Note: the societies have their own memberships, libraries, museums and collections.

Laurens District Chapter SCGS P.O. Box 1217 Laurens SC 29360-1217 Old Newberry Chapter SCGS 406 East Florida St Clinton SC 29325-2430

Family History Centers

 * Family History Centers in South Carolina

Websites

 * Laurens County, SC History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
 * Laurens County, SCGenWeb
 * Laurens County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * South Carolina Pioneers South Carolina Pioneers
 * Laurens County Genealogy (South Carolina Genealogy)
 * Laurens District Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society