Charleston County, South Carolina Genealogy

United States  South Carolina  Charleston County

Quick Dates
Charleston County's civil records start the following years:

County Courthouse
Charleston County Courthouse 4050 Bridgeview Drive North Charleston, SC 29405 Phone: 843-740-0801

Charleston County Probate Court 100 Broad St., Suite 381 Charleston, SC 29401-5030 Phone: 843-958-4030

Charleston County Register Mesne Conveyance 101 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401-2249 Phone: 843-958-4800

Charleston County Clerk of Court 100 Broad St., Suite 106 Charleston, SC 29401-2258 Phone: 843-958-5000

History
The county is named after King Charles II of England (1630-1685).

Parent County
1769--Charleston County was created in 1769 from Colleton and Berkeley (old) Counties. County seat:  Charleston

Boundary Changes
"Rotating Formation South Carolina County Boundary Maps" (1682-1987) may be viewed for free at the My South Carolina Genealogy website. The maps rely on AniMap 3.0 software.

Variant Spellings

 * Charles Town

Record Loss

 * Lost census: 1890

Neighboring Counties
Berkeley | Colleton | Dorchester | Georgetown

Research Guides

 * Côté, Richard N. The Genealogists' Guide to Charleston County, S.C. Ladson, S.C.: Coté Genealogical Publications, 1978.
 * South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Charleston County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

African Americans
United States African Americans South Carolina African Americans


 * Cole, Jennifer, comp. Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina Black Deaths 1871-89 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Fitchett, E. Horace. "The Traditions of the Free Negro in Charleston, South Carolina," The Journal of Negro History, Vol. 25, No. 2 (Apr., 1940):139-152.
 * Heinegg, Paul. "'Other Free' Heads of Household in the 1790 South Carolina Census, by County," Free African Americans.com. [Includes free blacks in St. Bartholomew's Parish, St. George's Parish, St. James Santee Parish, St. John's Parish, St. Phillip's and Michael's Parish, and Charleston District.]
 * Laurens, Henry. A South Carolina Protest Against Slavery: Being a Letter from Henry Laurens, Second President of the Continental Congress, to His Son, Colonel John Laurens; Dated Charleston, S. C., August 14th, 1776. Now Published from the Original. New York: G.P. Putnam, 1861. Digital version at Internet Archive.
 * Morgan, Kenneth. "Slave Sales in Colonial Charleston," The English Historical Review, Vol. 113, No. 453 (Sep. 1998), pp. 905-927. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Charleston, S.C. Slave Manifests (Inbound) (National Archives at Atlanta)
 * Rumph, Thedoshia Juanita Harvey. Hattie Garrett, Born a Salve [i.e. Slave] in Charleston, S.C. Migrated to and Died Free in Edgefield, S.C. Pemberton, N.J.: T.J.H. Rumph, 1999.

Charleston District maintained records of bill of sales of negro slaves from 1799 up through the Civil War. These records have been microfilmed:.

State Free Negro Capitation Tax Books for the City of Charleston are kept at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Many years between 1811 and 1860 have been microfilmed:.

For a white perspective on the religious education of slaves in Charleston during the final decades before the Civil War, see:


 * Proceedings of the Meeting in Charleston, S.C., May 13-15, 1845, on the Religious Instruction of the Negroes, Together with The Report of the Committee, and the Address to the Public. Charleston, S.C.: B. Jenkins, 1845. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Thornwell, J.H. The Rights and Duties of Masters. A Sermon Preached at the Dedication of a Church, Erected in Charleston, S.C., For the Benefit and Instruction of the Coloured Population. Charleston, S.C.: Steam-Power Press of Walker &amp; James, 1850. Digital version at Google Books.

Biography

 * [Bentham] Simons, R. Bentham. "A Charleston Forty-Niner," [Life of Charles Mayrant Bentham] The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 57, No. 3 (Jul., 1956), pp. 156-178. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [Boardman] Boardman, Timothy and Samuel Ward Boardman. Log-book of Timothy Boardman Kept on Board the Privateer Oliver Cromwell, During a Cruise from New London, Ct., to Charleston, S.C., and Return in 1778; also, a Biographical Sketch of the Author. Albany: J. Munsell's Sons, 1885. ; digital versions at Google Books; Internet Archive; Project Gutenberg.
 * [Egan] Walsh, Walter Richard. "Edmund Egan: Charleston's Rebel Brewer," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 56, No. 4 (Oct., 1955), pp. 200-204. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [Freneau] Leary, Lewis. "Philip Freneau in Charleston," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 42, No. 3 (Jul., 1941), pp. 89-98. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [Manigault] Crouse, Maurice A. "Gabriel Manigault: Charleston Merchant," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 68, No. 4 (Oct., 1967), pp. 220-231. Digital version at JSTOR ($). Republished in Vol. 101, No. 2 (Apr. 2000):98-109. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [Ramsay] Ramsay, David. Memoirs of Martha Laurens Ramsay, Who Died in Charleston, S.C. on the 10th of June, 1811, in the 52d Year of Her Age. With Extracts from Her Diary, Letters, and Other Private Papers, and Also, From Letters Written to Her, By Her Father, Henry Laurens, 1771, 1776. Glasgow: Andrew and John M. Duncan, 1818. Digital version at Internet Archive.
 * [Wells] Gould, Christopher. "Robert Wells, Colonial Charleston Printer," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 79, No. 1 (Jan., 1978), pp. 23-49. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Cemeteries
There are more than # burial grounds in the county. To view a list, see Charleston County, South Carolina Cemeteries.

Census
1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Charleston 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 Charleston County, SC census assignments, including links to transcribed files [The USGenWeb Census Project®]

1790

 * Hagy, James W. People and Professions of Charleston, South Carolina, 1782-1802. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

1800

 * Hagy, James W. People and Professions of Charleston, South Carolina, 1782-1802. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

1820 Manufactures
The original manufactures schedules for South Carolina are kept at the NARA, Washington, D.C. FHL copies: 1024517 - 1024518.

Published abstract:


 * National Archives. Indexes to Manufactures Census of 1820. 1920; reprint, Knightstown, Ind.: Bookmark, 1977. 973 X2m 1820; digital version at Lineages. [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. 973 X2pc 1840;  2321; digital version at Google Books. [See South Carolina, City of Charleston on page 142.]

1848

 * Chapman, Anne W. "Inadequacies of the 1848 Charleston Census," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 81, No. 1 (Jan., 1980), pp. 24-34. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Dawson, J.L. and H.W. DeSaussure. Census of the City of Charleston, South Carolina, for the Year 1848, Exhibiting the Condition and Prospects of the City, Illustrated by Many Statistical Details, Prepared Under the Authority of the City Council. Charleston, S.C.: J.B. Nixon, Printer, 1849. Digital version at Google Books. [More of a statistical history rather than a list of names.]

1861

 * Ford, Frederick A. Census of the City of Charleston, South Carolina, for the Year 1861. Illustrated by Statistical Tables. Prepared Under the Authority of the City Council. Charleston, S.C.: Steam-Power Presses of Evans &amp; Cogswell, 1861. Digital version at Google Books.

1890
Lost, but substitutes are available on Ancestry, see Directories.

Church
The following Charleston church records have been indexed on the International Genealogical Index:

Records of specific religions include:

Catholic

 * England, John. Diurnal of the Right Rev. John England, D.D., First Bishop of Charleston, S.C. from 1820 to 1823. Philadelphia, Pa.: American Catholic Historical Society, 1895. Digital version at Google Books.
 * McElrone, Hugh P. The Works of the Right Rev. John England, Bishop of Charleston, S.C., With Memoir, Memorials, Notes and Full Index. 2 vols. New York: P.J. Kenedy, Publishers to the Holy Apostolic See, Excelsior Catholic Publishing House, 1900. Digital versions of Volume 1 and Volume 2 at Google Books.

Church of England (Anglican, Protestant Episcopal)
St. Philip's was the first church. Made of wood, it was located at the southeast corner of Broad and Meeting streets. This structure was replaced by a more permanent edifice in 1723 and opened on Easter. St. Philips was the earliest Church of England in the Carolinas and was the first Protestant foundation south of Virginia.

See also Christ Church Parish See also St. Michael's Parish  See also St. Paul's Parish  See also St. Philip's Parish


 * Elliott, James H. In Memoriam. Tributes to the Memory of the Rev. C.P. Gadsden, Late Rector of St. Luke's Church, Charleston, S.C. Charleston, S.C.: Fogartie's Book Depository, 1872. Digital version at Google Books.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Early LDS Church records located at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.


 * Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Charleston Branch (South Carolina). Record of Members 1935-1943. Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1954. film 1986 item 6.
 * Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Charleston Ward(South Carolina). Annual Report 1947-1948. Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1951?. film 23337. Charleston Ward was organized from a branch in October 1947.

Circular Church

 * South Carolina Historical Society. A Memorial of the Late Rev. William H. Adams, for Twelve Years Pastor of the Circular Church, Charleston, S.C. Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans &amp; Cogswell. Digital version at Google Books.

Huguenot
The Huguenots had their beginnings in Charleston in 1681. In 1687 a second church was built along the Cooper River. Both of these structures fell victim to fire, but they were rebuilt. By 1686 Huguenot settlements existed in Charleston, Santee River, St. John's Berkeley and Cooper River. Rev. Elias Prioleau was the first recoginzed and regular pastor of the French church.


 * The Liturgy, or Forms of Divine Service, of The French Protestant Church, of Charleston, S.C. Charleston, S.C.: James S. Burges, 1836. Digital version of 1836 edition at Google Books; digital version of 1853 edition at Google Books; digital version of 1869 edition at Google Books.

Jews

 * Breibart, Solomon. "The Synagogues of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, Charleston," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 80, No. 3 (Jul., 1979), pp. 215-235. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Cohen, J. Barrett. Judaism and the Typical Jew. An Address Delivered Before the Jews of Charleston, S.C., on the Celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Birthday of Sir Moses Montefiore at the Hasel Street Synagogue, October 26th, 1884, by J. Barrett Cohen. Charleston, S.C.: The News and Courier Book Presses, 1884. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Elzas, Barnett A. Jewish Marriage Notices from the Newspaper Press of Charleston, S.C. (1775-1906). New York: Bloch Publishing Company, 1917. ; digital version at Google Books.
 * Elzas, Barnett Abraham. The Old Jewish Cemeteries at Charleston, S.C.: A Transcript of the Inscriptions on Their Tombstones, 1762-1903. Charleston, S.C.: Daggett Print., 1903. ; digital versions at Ancestry ($); Family History Archives; Google Books; Internet Archive; and World Vital Records ($).
 * Elzas, Barnett A. The Reformed Society of Israelites of Charleston, S.C. New York: Bloch Publishing Company, 1916. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Elzas, Barnett A. The Sabbath Service and Miscellaneous Prayers Adopted by the Reformed Society of Israelites Founded in Charleston, S.C. November 21, 1825. Reprint, New York: Bloch Publishing Company, 1916. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Hagy, James W. "The Death Records of Charleston," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 91, No. 1 (Jan., 1990), pp. 32-44. Digital version at JSTOR ($). [Local study on Jewish deaths in Charleston during the nineteenth century.]

Methodist Episcopal

 * Mood, F.A. Methodism in Charleston: A Narrative of the Chief Events Relating to the Rise and Progress of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., With Brief Notices of the Early Ministers Who Labored in that City. Nashville, Tenn.: E. Stevenson &amp; J.E. Evans, 1856. Digital version at Google Books.

Presbyterian
Presbyterianism was established in Charleston in 1682 by Congregational Presbyterians. Their first house, made of wood, was known as the "White Meeting House." About 1685 individuals from Scotland and New England organized what was known as the Presbyterian Meeting.


 * Centennial Celebration of the Dedication of the First Presbyterian Church, Charleston, S.C., Organized Seventeen Hundred and Thirty-two: Dedication, December Twenty-ninth, Eighteen Hundred and Fourteen: Celebration, December Twenty-sixth to December Twenty-ninth, Nineteen Hundred and Fourteen. Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans &amp; Cogswell Co., 1915. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Smith, Thomas. Manual, for the Use of the Members of the Second Presbyterian Church, Charleston, S.C. Charleston, S.C.: Jenkins &amp; Hussey, 1838. Digital version at Google Books.

Unitarian

 * The Old and the New, or, Discourses and Proceedings at the Dedication of the Re-modelled Unitarian Church in Charleston, S.C., on Sunday, April 2, 1954: Preceded by the Farewell Discourse Delivered in the Old Church, on Sunday, April 4, 1852. Charleston: S.G. Courtenay, 1854. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Directories

 * [1782, 1785, 1790, 1794, 1796, 1801, 1802] Hagy, James W. People and Professions of Charleston, South Carolina, 1782-1802. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [1803, 1806, 1807, 1813] Hagy, James W. City Directories for Charleston, South Carolina for the Years 1803, 1806, 1807, 1809, and 1813. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2000. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [1816, 1819, 1822, 1825, 1829] Hagy, James W. Charleston, South Carolina City Directories for the Years 1816, 1819, 1822, 1825, and 1829. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002. Digital versions at Ancestry ($) and World Vital Records ($).
 * [1830-1841] Hagy, James W. Charleston, South Carolina City Directories for the Years 1830-1841. 1997. Digital version at World Vital Records ($).
 * [1849, 1852, 1855] Hagy, James W. Directories for the City of Charleston, South Carolina for the Years 1849, 1852, and 1855. 1998. Digital version at World Vital Records ($).
 * [1859-1860] Hagy, James W. On the Eve of the Civil War: the Charleston, SC Directories for the Years 1859 and 1860. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2000. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [1888] Charleston City Directory, 1888. Charleston, SC: Southern Directory and Publishing Co., 1888. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [1889] Charleston City Directory, 1889. Charleston, SC: Southern Directory and Publishing Co., 1889. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [1890] Charleston City Directory, 1890. Charleston, SC: Southern Directory and Publishing Co., 1890. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

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
More than 50 genealogies have been published about Charleston County families. To view a list, visit Charleston County, South Carolina Genealogy.

Historic Residences

 * Simons, Harriet P. and Albert Simons. "The William Burrows House of Charleston," Winterthur Portfolio, Vol. 3, (1967), pp. 172-203. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Smith, Alice R. Huger. The Dwelling Houses of Charleston, South Carolina. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1917. Digital versions at Ancestry ($) and Google Books.
 * Stoney, Samuel Gaillard. This is Charleston: A Survey of the Architectural Heritage of a Unique American City. Charleston, S.C.: Carolina Art Association for the Charleston Civic Services Committee, 1944. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Young, Rogers W. "Castle Pinckney, Silent Sentinel of Charleston Harbor," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 39, No. 1 (Jan., 1938), pp. 1-14. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Immigration

 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Correspondence with the American Colonies 1739-1782," The Genealogist, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring 1998):108-128; Vol. 12, No. 2 (Fall 1998):189-205. [Overseas correspondence of residents of Charleston with the following surnames: Bull, Gaiden (?), Izard, and Laurens.]
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Intercepted Letters Relating to America 1777-1811," The Genealogist, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Fall 2000):184-200; Vol. 15, No. 1 (Spring 2001):53-74. [Overseas correspondence of residents of Charleston with the following surname: Davies and Geyer.] Available at.
 * Holcomb, Brent H. Passenger Arrivals at the Port of Charleston, 1820-1829. 1994. Digital versions at Ancestry ($) and World Vital Records ($).
 * Li, Jian. "A History of the Chinese in Charleston," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 99, No. 1 (Jan., 1998), pp. 34-65. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [http://www.immigrantservants.com/search/advancedResults.php?surname=&givenName=&varientSurnameSpellings=&gender=&dateOfBirthDay=&dateOfBirthMonth=&dateOfBirthQuantifier=&dateOfBirthYear=&placeOfBirthParish=&placeOfBirthTown=&placeOfBirthCity=&placeOfBirthCounty=&placeOfBirthColony=&placeOfBirthNation=&occupations=&religions=&orphan=&familyPosition=&immigrationYearQualifier=&immigrationYear=&portOfDepartureTown=&portOfDepartureCity=&portOfDepartureCounty=&portOfDepartureNation=&placeOfArrivalTown=&placeOfArrivalCounty=&placeOfArrivalColony=&shipName=&convict=&yearOfIndentureQualifier=&yearOfIndenture=&lengthOfIndentureYears=&lengthOfIndentureMonths=&yearOfFreedomQualifier=&yearOfFreedom=&placeOfIndentureTown=&placeOfIndentureCity=&placeOfIndentureCounty=Charleston&placeOfIndentureColony=South+Carolina&agentSurname=&agentGivenName=&agentTitle=&masterSurname=&masterGivenName=&masterTitle=&residenceParish=&residenceTown=&residenceCity=&residenceCounty=&residenceColony=&residenceNation=&landowner=&literate=&spouseSurname=&spouseGivenName=&spouseMarriageDateDay=&spouseMarriageDateMonth=&spouseMarriageDateQualifier=&spouseMarriageDateYear=&spouseMarriageLocationParish=&spouseMarriageLocationCounty=&spouseMarriageLocationColony=&spouseMarriageLocationNation=&deathDateDay=&deathDateMonth=&deathDateQualifier=&deathDateYear=&deathLocality=&deathCounty=&deathColony=&deathState=&testate=&proofServantStatus=&proofConvictStatus=&headright=&preServitudeSources=&postServitudeSources=&comments=&family=&sourceCitations=&interestedResearchers= List of imported servants and transported convicts from Europe] who served labor terms in Colonial Charleston County, South Carolina (work in progress), Courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.
 * Jones, Patricia K. Across the Ocean of Promise: The Irish of Charleston, South Carolina. Oakwood, Ga.: P.K. Jones, 2006.
 * Ott, Joseph K. "Rhode Islanders in Charleston: Social Notes," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 75, No. 3 (Jul., 1974), pp. 180-183. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Ravenel, Daniel. Liste des François et Suisses: From an Old Manuscript of French and Swiss Protestants Settled in Charleston, on the Santee and at the Orange Quarter in Carolina, Who Desired Naturalization, Prepared Probably about 1695-6. 1822; reprint, New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1888. ; digital version at World Vital Records ($).
 * Scott, Kenneth. British Aliens in the United States During the War of 1812. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1979. ; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Identifies many British immigrants living in Charleston during the War of 1812.]

Land Record Books
The original Charleston City and County land record books are kept at the county courthouse. Records dated 1719 to 1873 have been microfilmed: 23503 ff.

Plats For State Land Grants 1784-1868
This series consists of recorded copies of plats for state land grants for the Charleston and the Columbia Series with their certificates of admeasurement or certification. All personal names and geographic features on these plats are included in the repository's On-line Index to Plats for State Land Grants

The South Carolina Constitution of 1790 required the surveyor general to maintain offices in both the new capital at Columbia and in Charleston. The surveyor general began to use separate volumes for recording plats in his Columbia office in 1796. Before that, all plats were recorded in the set of volumes begun in Charleston in 1784. After 1796, most plats for land grants in the Upper Division of the state were recorded and filed in Columbia. The surveyor general chose to make the Columbia volumes a continuation of the state plat volumes begun in Charleston and gave the initial Columbia volume the number thirty-six to correspond with the number of the volume that had then been reached in the Charleston series. As a result, there are volumes numbered thirty-six through forty-three from each office, but the records in them are not duplicative.

Also included are the Plan Books containing Plats and Plans.


 * Smith, Henry A.M. "Charleston: The Original Plan and the Earliest Settlers," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Jan., 1908), pp. 12-27. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Smith, Henry A.M. "Charleston and Charleston Neck: The Original Grantees and the Settlements along the Ashley and Cooper Rivers," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 1 (Jan., 1918), pp. 3-76. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Libraries, Archives, and Museums

 * Charleston Archives, Libraries and Museums Council CALM. This is a council of repositories, mostly in the Charleston area that represent a variety of disciplines. Purposes that promote family history include preserving historic and contemporary materials and providing a supportive environment for the exchange of ideas and information. For more information about CALM, click here. 
 * Charleston County Public Library Charleston County's main library is the home of the Charleston Archive and the South Carolina Room. The SC Room houses local history and genealogy materials and resources, focusing on the history and genealogy of SC, with special emphasis on Charleston and the Lowcountry. Staff is available for assistance during normal hours of operation. The main library is located at 68 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC. Normal library hours are Mon-Thu, 9-9; Fri-Sat, 9-6; Sun, 2-5; closed holidays. Use of library is free of charge The SC Room offers limited research services. Written requests by mail, e-mail, or fax, are preferred, rather than by telephone. Surname searches are too broad for the staff to do. The staff will check up to a maximum of three names in either the Charleston County Will Books (1671-1868) or the Charleston Death Card File (1819-1926), when the patron has specified those as the sources to be checked. They will check up to a maximum of three names per request for obituaries. Obituary requests must have a date of death; newspaper will be checked for up to seven days following the date of death for an obituary. Requests are limited to two requests per patron per month.  The Charleston Archive collection includes historic manuscripts, books and visual materials representing Charleston and the surrounding Lowcountry. Much of it is available on microfilm in the South Carolina Room. Access to the original materials is by appointment only. For additional information click here.

Family History Centers

Charleston South Carolina 1519 Sam Rittenburg Blvd Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, United States Phone: 843-766-6017 Hours: T-Th 10am-9pm; F-Sat 10am-2pm Closed: Jan 1, 2, 30, Apr 3, Jul 1,2,3, Oct 2,23, Nov 23-27, Dec 21-31

Local Histories

 * Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company. Short Sketch of Charleston, S.C., How It Fared in Two Wars and an Earthquake. 3rd ed. 1900. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Cardozo, Jacob N. Reminiscences of Charleston. Charleston S.C.: J. Walker, Stationer and Printer, 1866. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Charleston Chamber of Commerce. Historic and Picturesque Charleston South Carolina. 1904. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Duffy, John. "Yellow Fever in Colonial Charleston," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 52, No. 4 (Oct., 1951), pp. 189-197. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Jackson, Melvin H.. Privateers in Charleston, 1793-1796. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1969. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Lesesne, Thomas Petigru. Landmarks of Charleston: Including Description of an Incomparable Stroll. Richmond Va.: Garrett &amp; Massie, 1932. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Mazyck, Arthur. Guide to Charleston Illustrated, Being a Sketch of the History of Charleston, S.C. Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans &amp; Cogswell, 1875. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Prentiss, James Clayton. The Charleston City Guide: Containing a Full and Accurate Description of All Places of Interest in and Around the City, and Other Useful Matter. Charleston, S.C.: J.W. DeLano, Office of the Sunday Times, c1872. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Ravenel, Harriott Horry. Charleston: The Place and the People. New York: Macmillan Co., 1912, c1906. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Scott, Kenneth. "Sufferers in the Charleston Fire of 1740," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 64, No. 4 (Oct., 1963), pp. 203-211. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Simons, Katherine Drayton. Stories of Charleston Harbor. Columbia, S.C.: State Co., 1930. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Verner, Elizabeth O'Neill. Mellowed by Time: A Charleston Notebook. Columbia, S.C.: Bostick &amp; Thornley, 1941. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Yearbook 1910: City of Charleston, So. Ca. Charleston, S.C.: The Daggett Printing Company, 1910. Digital version at Google Books.

Maps

 * Williams, George W. "Two Maps of Charleston in the Revolution," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 76, No. 2 (Apr., 1975), pp. 49-50. Digital version at JSTOR ($). [Article includes map descriptions, but does not reproduce the maps themselves.]

General

 * "Artillery companies moved to Charleston Harbor forts, Nov. 1832," Times, Spring 2006, Volume 21, Issue 2. Lee County Genealogical and Historical Society : Sanford, North Carolina.
 * "Castle Pinckney description, 1833," Times Spring 2006, Volume 21, Issue 2. Lee County Genealogical and Historical Society : Sanford, NC.
 * "Charleston's connection to Looe Key in Fl., name from HMS Loo, 1743," Carologue, Winter 2004, Volume 20, Issue 4. South Carolina Historical Society : Charleston, SC.
 * "Ja. Oglethorpe to Navy Commander, 1742," Georgia Historical Society Collections, 1873, Volume 3. Georgia Historical Society : Savannah, Georgia.

Revolutionary War

 * Andreano, Ralph Louis and Herbert D. Werner, "Charleston Loyalists: A Statistical Note," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 60, No. 3 (Jul., 1959), pp. 164-168. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Barnwell, Joseph W. "The Evacuation of Charleston by the British in 1782," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Jan., 1910), pp. 1-26. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Hough, F.B. The Siege of Charleston: By the British Fleet and Army Under the Command of Admiral Arbuthnot and Sir Henry Clinton, which Terminated with the Surrender of that Place on the 12th of May, 1780. Albany: J. Munsell, 1867. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive; World Vital Records ($); another World Vital Records ($) version.
 * Kennett, Lee. "Charleston in 1778: A French Intelligence Report," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 66, No. 2 (Apr., 1965), pp. 109-111. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Oration, Delivered Before the '76 Association, and Society of the Cincinnati, at Hibernian Hall, Charleston, S.C. on the 5th of July, 1858 by Charles E.B. Flagg, of the Cincinnati. Charleston, S.C.: A.J. Burke, 1858. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Stoesen, Alexander R. "The British Occupation of Charleston, 1780-1782," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 63, No. 2 (Apr., 1962), pp. 71-82. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * "Pee Dee supplies for the siege of Charleston, 1780," Darlington Flag, Fall 2006, Volume 18, Issue 4. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "Colonel John Laurens, unsung hero of the American Revolution, 1755 - 1782," Laurens County Historical Society Quarterly Newsletter, August 2006, Issue 3. Laurens County Historical Society : Dublin, Georgia.
 * "Sectionalism, slavery and the threat of war in Josiah Quincy, Jr.'s Southern Journal, 1773," New England Quarterly, June 2006, Volume 79, Issue 2. New England Quarterly, Inc.:Boston, MA.
 * "Battle flags captured by Colonel Banastre Tarleton, 1779-1780," St. Lucie River Whig, Spring 2006, Volume 14, Issue 2. St. Lucie River Chapter : Lucie, FL.
 * "Battles for Charleston," SAR Magazine, Winter 2005, Volume 99, Issue 3. National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution : Louisville, Kentucky. Book 973 B2sa.
 * "Brief account of Marion's Brigade, 1780," Three Rivers Chronicle, Winter 2005, Volume 26, Issue 4. Three Rivers Historical Society : Hemingway, SC.
 * "Forces gather at Charleston Harbor, 1779 - 1780," Tennessee Rifleman, Winter 2005, Volume 46, Issue 1. Tennessee Society of the Sons of the American Revolution : Knoxville, TN.
 * "Battle of the Great Cane Brake on the Reedy River, 1775," Greenville County Historical Society Proceedings and Papers, 2005, Volume 12. Greenville County Historical Society : Greenville, SC
 * "John Macklin, Mary Port, and tragic consequences for remaining loyalists, 1770's," Escribano (El), 2004, Volume 41. St. Augustine Historical Society : St. Augustine, FL.
 * "Elizabeth Jackson, Waxham women aid Revolutionary soldiers, Charleston, 1781," Chester District Genealogical Society Bulletin, March 2003, Volume 27, Issue 1. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b
 * "Soldiers from 96 dist., Stono Ferry ba.," Quill, November 2002, Volume 18, Issue 6. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter : Edgefield, SC.
 * "Battle of Sullivan Island, 1770," Lawrence County Heritage, Spring 200, Volume 5, Issue 3. Lawrence County Genealogical Society:Lawrenceburg, TN.
 * "Rebel prisoners from Charleston, 1780," Ancient City Genealogist, February 2002, Volume 13, Issue 1. St. Augustine Genealogical Society : St. Augustine, FL.
 * "Prisoners on prison ships, 1780," Marion County Genealogical Society Quarterly, September 1997, Volume 11, Issue 3. Marion County Genealogical Society:Jefferson, TX.
 * "Captain William Gaston's company," Broad River Notebook, December 1996, Volume 5, Issue 4. Broad River Basin Historical Society : Sharon, SC.
 * "Bratton's list of Tories, 1783," York County Genealogical and Historical Society Quarterly, September 1996, Volume 8, Issue 2. York County Genealogical and Historical Society:Rock Hill, SC.
 * "Charleston proposed surrender, 1779," South Carolina Historical Magazine, January 1995, Volume 96, Issue 1. South Carolina Historical Society : Charleston, SC. Book 975.7 B2s
 * "North Carolina militiamen paroled Charleston, SC 1780," North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, August 1987, Volume 13, Issue 3. North Carolina Genealogical Society : Raleigh, NC. Book 975.6 B2s.
 * "Siege of Charleston as experienced by Hessian officer, 1780," South Carolina Historical Magazine, April 1987, Volume 88, Issue 2. South Carolina Historical Society : Charleston, SC. Book 975.7 B2s Film 1697883
 * "Siege of Charleston-experienced by Hessian officer," South Carolina Historical Magazine, January 1987, Volume 88, Issue 1. South Carolina Historical Society:Charleston, SC. South Carolina Historical Society : Charleston, SC. Book 975.7 B2s Film 1697883
 * "Prisoners on parole, 1780, Charleston," Genealogical Reference Builders Newsletter, November 1974, Volume 8, Issue 4. Elaine Walker:Post Falls, Idaho. Book 973 B2grb.
 * "Revolutionary army prisoners, 1781," Genealogist's Post, March 1971, Volume 8, Issue 1. Richard T. Williams : Danboro, PA. {{FHL|20726}item}} Book 973 B2gp.
 * "Revolutionary records," Carolina Genealogist, Summer 1970, Issue 4. Heritage Papers : Danielsville, GA. Book 975 B2cg.
 * "Charles Drayton (Capt.), Volume Co., 1775," Military Collector and Historian, Summer 1965, Volume 17, Issue 2. Company of Military Historians : Westbrook, CT.
 * "Council of Safety," Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine, April 1964, Volume 98, Issue 4. Daughters of the American Revolution:Washington, D.C. Book 973 B2dar
 * "Waxhaws," Historical Magazine, June 1860, Volume 4, Issue 6. Henry B. Dawson:Morrisania, NY.
 * "Battle of Fort Moultrie," Historical Magazine, August 1859, Volume 3, Issue 8. Henry B. Dawson:Morrisania, NY 10456.
 * "Battle of Fort Moultrie, 1776," Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine, June 1963, Volume 97, Issues 6-7. Daughters of the American Revolution : Washington, D.C. Book 973 B2dar
 * "General Green's general orders, June 1783," Georgia Historical Society Collections, 1957, Volume 12. Georgia Historical Society : Savannah, GA
 * "John Dart to John Pierce ltr., 1783," Georgia Historical Society Collections, 1957, Volume 12 Georgia Historical Society:Savannah, GA.
 * "Battle of Charleston," Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine, December 1952, Volume 86, Issue 12.Daughters of the American Revolution : Washington, D.C. Book 973 B2dar.
 * "Dorchester its mystery fort," Americana April 1933, Volume 27, Issue 2. American Historical Society : Somerville, New Jersey. Book 973 B2a.
 * "Battle of Ft. Sullivan," Americana, August 1914, Volume 9, Issue 8.American Historical Society : Somerville, New Jersey. Book 973 B2a.
 * "First invasion of Charleston," Huguenot Society of South Carolina Transactions, 1907, Volume 2, Issue 14. Huguenot Society of North Carolina : Charleston, SC. Book 975.7 C4h.
 * "Battle at Fort Moultrie," American Monthly Magazine, December 1904, Volume 25, Issue 6. Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine : Washington, D.C. Book 973 B2dar.
 * "Southern Loyalists emigration," Massachusetts Historical Society Proceedings, 1886, Volume 3, Issue 2. Massachusetts Historical Society:Boston, Massachusetts.
 * "Samuel Baldwin, NJ; Charleston, SC, 1780," New Jersey Historical Society Proceedings, 1847, Volume 2, Issue 2. New Jersey Historical Society : Newark, NJ.
 * Taliaferro, Benjamin and Lee A. Wallace. The Orderly Book of Captain Benjamin Taliaferro: 2d Virginia Detachment, Charleston, South Carolina, 1780. Richmond, Va.: Virginia State Library, 1980. 975.5 M2o

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. 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, South Carolina, Charleston County, pp. 182-183. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

 * Harris, W.A. The Record of Fort Sumter, from Its Occupation by Major Anderson, To Its Reduction by South Carolina Troops During the Administration of Governor Pickens. Columbia, S.C.: South Carolinian Steam Job Printing Office, 1862. Digital version at Google Books.
 * "Our Women in the War," The Lives They Lived; the Deaths They Died, from The Weekly News and Courier, Charleston, S.C. Charleston, S.C.: The News and Courier Book Presses, 1885. Digital version at Google Books.

Naturalization

 * Hemperley, Marion R. "Federal Naturalization Oaths Charleston, South Carolina 1790-1860," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 66, No. 2 (Apr., 1965), pp. 112-124; Vol. 66, No. 3 (Jul., 1965), pp. 183-192; Vol. 66, No. 4 (Oct., 1965), pp. 218-228. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Newspapers
Historic

Current

Eighteenth-century South Carolina newspapers contain a wealth of information about residents. The Early South Carolina Newspapers Database (ESCN Database) has created an every-name index to the three largest newspapers for the years 1732 to 1780. Using their free online Surname Database, researchers may order a list of specific newspaper references from the organization for a very reasonable rate.


 * Charleston County Post and Courier Newspaper Index
 * Hagy, James W. and Bertrand Van Ruymbeke. "The French Refugee Newspapers of Charleston," [1790s-1810s] The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 97, No. 2 (Apr., 1996), pp. 139-148. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * King, William L. The Newspaper Press of Charleston, S.C.: A Chronological and Biographical History, Embracing a Period of One Hundred and Forty Years. Charleston, S.C.: E. Perry, 1872. Digital versions at Ancestry ($) and Google Books.

Occupations
See also Directories.


 * Hagy, James W. People and Professions of Charleston, South Carolina, 1782-1802. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Radford, John. "The Charleston Planters in 1860," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 77, No. 4 (Oct. 1976):227-235. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Orphanages

 * Jones, Newton B. "The Charleston Orphan House, 1860-1876," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 62, No. 4 (Oct., 1961), pp. 203-214. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Wates, Wylma Anne. "Charleston Orphans, 1790-1795," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 78, No. 4 (Oct., 1977), pp. 321-339. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

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, state, and nation) may carry articles useful to research in this area. For this important city, see:


 * The American Genealogist
 * Carolina Genealogist
 * Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine
 * The English Historical Review
 * The Genealogist
 * Huguenot Society of South Carolina Transactions
 * The Journal of Negro History
 * The Journal of Southern History
 * National Genealogical Society Quarterly
 * Sons of the American Revolution Magazine
 * The South Carolina Historical Magazine
 * South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research
 * William and Mary Quarterly

Poor

 * Klebaner, Benjamin Joseph. "Public Poor Relief in Charleston, 1800-1860," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 55, No. 4 (Oct., 1954), pp. 210-220. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Private Papers

 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Correspondence with the American Colonies 1739-1782," The Genealogist, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring 1998):108-128; Vol. 12, No. 2 (Fall 1998):189-205. [Overseas correspondence of residents of Charleston with the following surnames: Bull, Gaiden (?), Izard, and Laurens.] Available at.
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Intercepted Letters Relating to America 1777-1811," The Genealogist, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Fall 2000):184-200; Vol. 15, No. 1 (Spring 2001):53-74. [Overseas correspondence of residents of Charleston with the following surname: Davies and Geyer.] Available at.
 * Middleton, Alicia Hopton, Nathaniel Russell Middleton, and Annie E. Marston De Wolf. Life in Carolina and New England During the Nineteenth Century: As Illustrated by Reminiscences and Letters of the Middleton Family of Charleston, South Carolina, and of the De Wolf Family of Bristol, Rhode Island. Boston: D.B. Updike, The Merrymount Press, 1929. 1321276 Item 3

Probate
Index to Wills of Charleston County, South Carolina, 1671-1868. Charleston, S.C.: n.p., 1950. ; digital versions at Ancestry ($) and World Vital Records ($).


 * Charleston, SC Estate Inventories, 1732-1872 and Bills of Sale, 1773-1872 (Restore the Ancestors Indexing Project: SC Estate Inventories), available online (in progress), courtesy: Footnote.
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of St. Andrew's Parish, St. Bartholomew's Parish, St. Philip's Parish, Wappoo Creek, Charleston, and Charleston County proved in London, see place-name index. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

Societies

 * Charleston Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society. The society was organized in 1974. The society usually holds meetings at 2:30 pm on the 3rd Sunday of the month. There are no meetings in July or August. We have a new home at The Masonic Center, 1285 Orange Grove Rd., Charleston. Members have undertaken several research projects including creating inventories of cemeteries in the county and collecting information about the county's churches.
 * South Carolina Historical Society The Society was established in 1855. LOCATION 100 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC. LIBRARY HOURS: Tues-Fri, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Sat, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.; closed Sundays &amp; holidays. In addition, on Tuesday evenings by appointment from 4:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. PARKING: The South Carolina Historical Society does not have its own parking facility. Metered street parking is available . ACCESS: Members may use the library free of charge. There is a $5.00 daily fee for non-members.  The Society offers three types of research services for fee: (1) straightforward photocopy requests; (2) requests on historical matters related to South Carolina; and (3) inquiries related to genealogical research. Request forms and corresponding fees are on the Society's website (under Photocopy and Research Services). Keep in mind that the search is restricted to the holdings of the Society only and may not uncover the information sought. If an individual did not spend a significant amount of time in South Carolina, the Society may not have information pertaining to him or her. The average search takes six to eight weeks.  The Society is a repository for private papers and manuscripts pertaining to the state of South Carolina, with large amounts of materials on families of the Midlands and the Lowcountry. It does not have the censuses of South Carolina in its holdings and only abstracts from newspapers. An on-line library catalog is available (under Search the SCHS Catalog).

Taxation
See also African Americans

Published abstracts

 * [1732] Tax Return, 1732, Edisto Island, South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 18, No. 4 (Fall 1990).

Birth

 * [1877-1901] Ancestry.com. South Carolina Delayed Births, 1766-1900 and City of Charleston, South Carolina Births, 1877-1901 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Marriage

 * [1806] "Marriage and Death Notices From Charleston Courier for 1806," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 29, No. 3 (Jul., 1928), pp. 258-263; Vol. 30, No. 1 (Jan. 1929):60-68; Vol. 30, No. 2 (Apr. 1929):117-124; Vol. 30, No. 3 (Jul. 1929):185-191. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [1807] Hagy, James W. and Bertrand Van Ruymbeke. "The French Refugee Newspapers of Charleston," [1790s-1810s] The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 97, No. 2 (Apr., 1996), pp. 139-148. Digital version at JSTOR ($). [The authors abstracted marriage notices from these newspapers.]
 * [1827-1845] Holcomb, Brent. Marriage and Death Notices from the Charleston Observer 1827-1845. Greenville, SC, USA: A Press, 1980. ; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [1828] Griffin, Inez H. "Marriages and Death Notices from the Charleston Gazette, 1828," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 75, No. 3 (Jul., 1974), pp. 184-186. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [1877-1887] Ancestry.com. Charleston, South Carolina, Marriage Records, 1877-1887 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Available at Ancestry ($). [Original data: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina.]

Death

 * [1806] "Marriage and Death Notices From Charleston Courier for 1806," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 29, No. 3 (Jul., 1928), pp. 258-263; Vol. 30, No. 1 (Jan. 1929):60-68; Vol. 30, No. 2 (Apr. 1929):117-124; Vol. 30, No. 3 (Jul. 1929):185-191. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [1807] Hagy, James W. and Bertrand Van Ruymbeke. "The French Refugee Newspapers of Charleston," [1790s-1810s] The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 97, No. 2 (Apr., 1996), pp. 139-148. Digital version at JSTOR ($). [The authors abstracted death notices from these newspapers.]
 * [1821-1914] South Carolina Death Records, 1821-1955, available online, courtesy: Ancestry.com ($). [Includes Charleston City death records, 1821-1914.]
 * [1827-1845] Holcomb, Brent. Marriage and Death Notices from the Charleston Observer 1827-1845. Greenville, SC, USA: A Press, 1980. ; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [1828] Griffin, Inez H. "Marriages and Death Notices from the Charleston Gazette, 1828," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 75, No. 3 (Jul., 1974), pp. 184-186. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Prof. Hagy made an informative study of Charleston's early death records, published as:


 * Hagy, James W. "The Death Records of Charleston," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 91, No. 1 (Jan., 1990), pp. 32-44. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Web Sites

 * Charleston County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Charleston County, SCGenWeb. The site is under construction.
 * SCIWAY, pronounced "sky-way," is an acronym for South Carolina Information Highway. It is the largest and most comprehensive directory of South Carolina information on the Internet. It includes internet links for Charleston history, images, maps, historic sites, and historic preservation.
 * SCIWAY, pronounced "sky-way," is an acronym for South Carolina Information Highway. It is the largest and most comprehensive directory of South Carolina information on the Internet. It includes internet links for Charleston history, images, maps, historic sites, and historic preservation.