Pickens 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.

County Courthouse
Pickens County Courthouse 214 E. Main Street Pickens, SC 29671

Clerk of Court 214 E. Main Street Pickens, SC 29671 Phone: 864-898-5857 Court records

Probate Court 222 McDaniel Ave., B-16 Pickens, SC 29671 29671 Phone: 864-898-5903 Probate and marriage records

Register of Deeds 222 McDaniel AVe., B-5 Pickens, SC 29671 Phone: 864-898-5868 Land records

Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday

Historical Facts
The county is named after S.C. Congressman (1739-1817).

Parent County
20 December 1826 - Pickens County was created from Pendleton 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.

Places/Localities
The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have websites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.

Research Guides

 * South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Pickens County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

African Americans
United States African Americans South Carolina African Americans


 * Megginson, W.J. Black Soldiers in World War I: Anderson, Pickens and Oconee Counties, South Carolina; with a Discussion of Pensions for Civil War Slave Labor. Seneca, S.C.: Oconee County Historical Society, 1994.
 * Sheriff, G. Anne Campbell. 1850 Federal Slave Census of Pickens District, South Carolina Eastern Division (Present-day Pickens County). Central, S.C.: G.A. Sheriff, 1991.
 * Sheriff, G. Anne Campbell. 1860 Federal Slave Census of Pickens District, South Carolina 5th Regiment (Present-day Pickens County). Central, S.C.: G.A. Sheriff, 1989.
 * Sheriff, G. Anne Campbell, Parcho Baker and Forest Acres Elementary School (Easley, S.C.). Black History in Pickens District, South Carolina. 2 vols. Easley, S.C.: Forest Acres Elementary School, 1991-1993.

Known Pickens County Plantations:


 * Cedar Rock
 * Fort Hill - Clemson University
 * Hanover - house originally in Berkeley County
 * Hopewell
 * Keowee
 * Orchard
 * Sleepy Hollow - Pendleton
 * Wisteria - Pickens

Cemeteries

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

Federal
1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Pickens 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 Pickens County, SC census assignments, including links to transcribed files The USGenWeb Census Project®

1830

 * Sheriff, G. Anne Campbell and Tom C. Wilkinson. Pickens Distict, S.C. 1830 Census. Central, S.C.: Faith Clayton Family Research Center, 1988.

1840

 * Sheriff, G. Anne Campbell. Pickens District, S.C. 1840 Census. Central, S.C.: Faith Clayton Family Research Center, 1986. 975.723 X2s 1840

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, Pickens District on page 143.

1850

 * Dodson, Robert George. Pickens District South Carolina, Eastern Division 1850 Census. Central, S.C.: South Carolina Genealogical Society. Old Pendleton Chapter, 1995.

1860
Census takers uncharacteristically recorded the birth town or county of residents of the Fifth Regiment of the county this census year.

1890
For 1890, see: United States Census 1890.

Court Records
Pickens County has court records from 1823 that are held in the office of the Clerk of Court. Pickens County was created from Pendleton County which was a part of the Washington District from 1795 - 1800 and a part of the Ninety-Six District from 1785 - 1795. Pendleton County was abolished in 1826 and the records were transferred to Anderson County. The records of Anderson County are held in the office of the Clerk of Court for that county. The records for 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 Pickens County and Pendleton District.

The Family History Library collection includes books and microfilm regarding court records for Pickens County and for Anderson 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
More than 10 genealogies have been published about Pickens County families. To view a list, visit Pickens County, South Carolina Genealogy.

Land and Property
Because of South Carolina’s history as an agricultural state many residents owned land. For more information about 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 Pickens County:


 * Anderson County deeds include the records of former Pendelton District/County


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

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Pickens County for European settlers included:


 * Old Cherokee Path pre-historic
 * Lower Cherokee Traders' Path pre-historic
 * Old South Carolina State Road 1747
 * Upper Road about 1783 (overlapped Lower Cherokee Traders' Path)

Early migration routes to and from Pickens County for European settlers included:

Revolutionary War

 * "John and Frances Cobb war record, SC," Old Pendleton District Newsletter, September 2007, Volume 21, Issue 7. Old Pendleton District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society: Easley, SC.
 * "Selected final pension vouchers index, 1818-1864," Old Pendleton District Newsletter, March 2006, Volume 20, Issue 3. Old Pendleton District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society: Easley, SC.
 * "Revolutionary patriots and Confederates buried at Old Stone Church," Anderson Record, April 2005, Volume 18, Issue 2. Anderson County Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society: Anderson, SC.
 * "Siege of the town of Ninety-Six, 1775," St. Lucie River Whig, Winter 2001, Volume 10, Issue 1. St. Lucie River Chapter: Lucie, FL.
 * "Matthew Mullinax, patriot, d. 1837," Old Pendleton District Newsletter, September 1999, Volume 13, Issue 7. Old Pendleton District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society: Easley, SC.
 * "Old Pickens cemetery, Rev. soldiers burials," Piedmont Historical Society Quarterly, July 1984, Volume 2, Issue 3. Piedmont Historical Society: Spartansburg, SC.

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, Pickens County, p. 188. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

South Carolina State Militia

 * Holder, Frederick C.; South Carolina (State) Militia, 2nd Regiment; South Carolina (State) Militia, 5th Regiment; Oconee County Historical Society (Oconee County, South Carolina). The Bailey A. Barton Muster Roll Book of Pickens District, South Carolina (1858). Seneca, S.C.: Oconee County Historical Society, 1990. . Reviewed in The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 91, No. 4 (Oct. 1990):280-281. Digital version of review at JSTOR ($). Covers present Pickens and Oconee counties.

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)
 * Sons of Confederate Veterans, 2nd South Carolina Regiment Pickens Camp 71 web site, has Pickens District regimental histories, war dead, company rosters, and other helps for genealogists.

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


 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company F
 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Rifles, Company B, Company C, Company E
 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Sharpshooters, Company A (also known the Union Light Infantry and German Fusiliers)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company F (also known as Allen (or Ellen) Hussars) and Company K (had been Company D of 1st South Carolina Cavalry Battalion)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina State Troops Junior Reserves (State Militia), Company D
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Rifles (Orr's), Company A (also known as Kowee Riflemen), Company C (also known as Mountain Boys), Company E (also known as Oconee Riflemen), and Company F (also known as Blue Ridge Rifles)
 * - 2nd Battalion, South Carolina Reserves, Company C (also known as the Spartan Rangers, the Spartanburg Rangers and the Spartan Rangers Independent Cavalry Reserves), Company F, Company H (also known as Captain Kay's Detachment, South Carolina Mounted Reserves and the Palmetto Mounted Infantry)
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina State Troops Junior Reserves (State Militia), Company I, Captain J.C. Cary's Company, Captain Thomas H. Russell's Company, and Captain Daniel Lester's Company
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Rifles, Company B, Company C, Company D, Company E, Company F, Company H, Company I, and Company K
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Militia
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company F (also known as Easley's Cavalry)
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company A (possibly called Captain Easley's Company)
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Light Artillery (Palmetto Battalion), Company G (also known as the DeSaussure Light Artillery and the DePass Light Battery) and Company K (also known as Richardson's Company)
 * - 4th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Rutledge's), Company C
 * - 4th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company E (also known as Calhoun Mountaineers), Company H (also known as Twelve Mile Volunteers), Company I (also known as Pickens Guards), and Company K (sometimes listed as Company I) (also known as Fort Hill Guards)
 * - 5th Battalion, South Carolina Rifles, Company B, Company C, Company D, and Company E
 * - 6th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Aiken's Partisan Rangers) (1st Partisan Rangers), Company A, Company H, and Company K
 * - 7th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company G
 * - 10th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company B
 * - 12th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company G and Company K
 * -13th Battalion, South Carolina Infantry (4th) (Mattison's), Company C
 * - 16th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (Greenville Regiment), Company G
 * - 16th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company A
 * - 20th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company K and Reorganized Company A
 * - 37th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Dunn's Battalion, Partisan Rangers) (Confederate). Company B.

Other Resources
 * Books about Pickens Co., SC in the War Between the States. This list of books pertaining to the War Between the States in Pickens County was compiled by Steve Batson.
 * Bell, Louise Matheson. Rebels in Grey: Soldiers from Pickens District, 1861-1865 (Seneca, S.C.: Greys of Oconee Chapter No. 1783, United Daughters of the Confederacy, ©1984), 172 pages. Concerns Pickens and Oconee Counties..
 * Pickens County Court. Confederate Pension Rolls and Widows, 1922-1956. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1956, 1960) Original and typescript at the Pickens County courthouse. 2 FHL Microfilms (1) Pension rolls 1922-1956, (2) Miscellaneous pension rolls.

Newspapers
Historic

The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Pickens 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.


 * Highland Sentinel (Calhoun Anderson Dist. [i.e., Calhoun], S.C.) 1840-1843.
 * Keowee Courier (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current.
 * The Carolina Times (Easley, S.C.) 1924-1925.
 * The Clemson News (Clemson, S.C.) 1941-1941.
 * The Easley Messenger (Easley, S.C.) 1883-1891.
 * The Easley Progress (Easley, S.C.) 1902-1972.
 * The Easley Progress (Easley, Pickens County, S.C.) 1978-current.
 * The Monitor (Liberty, S.C.) 1959-current.
 * The People's Journal (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903.
 * The Pickens Sentinel (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903.
 * The Pickens Sentinel (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-current.
 * The Pickens Sentinel-Journal (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1911.
 * The Progress (Easley, Pickens County, S.C.) 1972-1978.
 * The Tri-City Sentinel (Central, S.C.) 1980-1980.

Periodicals
Periodicals for description.

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 images are available. Estate records for  County, 1828-1865 available on microfilm, with an index that covers 1828-1956.

Probate records for Pickens County may be found in the court of ordinary, probate court, and the court of equity. Estate records for the probate court, 1829-1884, available on microfilm through the Family History Library, with an index covering 1828-1956.

Early probate records for Pickens County may be found in Anderson District records. See probate index for these early records at:


 * Chandler Ballard. W.P.A. will transcripts of Pendleton District &amp; Anderson County, S.C., 1790-1857. Walterboro, South Carolina: J.C. Ballard, (1995?).
 * Pickens County Wills, Book A, 1828-1863 (transcripts). See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers
 * Index to Pickens County Wills, 1828-1862 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

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 Pickens County.

Published abstracts

 * 1854 - Vedder, Edwin Henry et al. Pickens District 1854 Tax List. n.p.: South Carolina Genealogical Society. Old Pendleton Chapter, 1988.
 * 1854 - Sheriff, G. Anne Campbell. 1854 Tax Collection, Pickens District, SC. Central, S.C.: G.A. Sheriff, 2002.

To see how the Civil War financially impacted residents of Pickens County, South Carolina, compare values of real and personal estates on the 1860 Census with 1864-1867 tax records:


 * 1864-1866 - Sheriff, G. Anne Campbell. Internal Revenue Assessment List for South Carolina, 1864-1866, Pickens District. Central, S.C.: G.A. Sheriff, 2005.
 * 1865 - Internal Revenue Assessment, 1865, Old Pendleton District Newsletter, Vol. 23, No. 3 (Mar. 2009).
 * 1866-1867 - Rich, Peggy Burton and Margarette Gibbs Ogle. Pickens District, South Carolina 1866 Tax List, January 1, 1866- January 1, 1867. n.p.: South Carolina Genealogical Society. Old Pendleton Chapter, 1991.

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 Pickens 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

Birth Substitutes - Indexes


 * 1872-1893 - The Pickens Sentinel, Favorite Newspaper of Pickens County: Pickens Court House, South Carolina 1872-1893, Historical and Genealogical Abstracts by Peggy Burton Rich and Marion Ard Whitehurst ▲  - index
 * 1875-1915 - Abstracts from The Pickens Sentinel, Pickens, South Carolina: 1875-1915 by Ballard, Judy Chandler ▲  - index
 * 1894-1903 - The People's Journal: Pickens, South Carolina, 1894-1903, Historical and Genealogical Abstracts by Peggy Burton Rich and Marion Ard Whitehurst ▲  ▲

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 Pickens 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.

Marriage Substitutes - Indexes


 * 1826-1848; 1857-1871 - Abstract of Marriages and Deaths from the Pendleton Messenger, 1826- 1848, the Keowee Courier, 1857-1871 ▲  - index
 * 1849-1868 - The Keowee Courier, 1849-1851, 1857-1861 and 1865-1868 by Colleen M. Elliot ▲  - missing years, index
 * 1872-1893 - The Pickens Sentinel, Favorite Newspaper of Pickens County: Pickens Court House, South Carolina 1872-1893, Historical and Genealogical Abstracts by Peggy Burton Rich and Marion Ard Whitehurst ▲  - index
 * 1875-1915 - Abstracts from The Pickens Sentinel, Pickens, South Carolina: 1875-1915 by Ballard, Judy Chandler ▲  - index
 * 1894-1903 - The People's Journal: Pickens, South Carolina, 1894-1903, Historical and Genealogical Abstracts by Peggy Burton Rich and Marion Ard Whitehurst ▲ {{WorldCat|705356417| ▲ {{WorldCat|23853116}}
 * 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 Pickens 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


 * 1826-1848; 1857-1871 - Abstract of Marriages and Deaths from the Pendleton Messenger, 1826- 1848, the Keowee Courier, 1857-1871 ▲  - index
 * 1849-1868 - The Keowee Courier, 1849-1851, 1857-1861 and 1865-1868 by Colleen M. Elliot ▲  - missing years, index
 * 1872-1893 - The Pickens Sentinel, Favorite Newspaper of Pickens County: Pickens Court House, South Carolina 1872-1893, Historical and Genealogical Abstracts by Peggy Burton Rich and Marion Ard Whitehurst ▲  - index
 * 1875-1915 - Abstracts from The Pickens Sentinel, Pickens, South Carolina: 1875-1915 by Ballard, Judy Chandler ▲  - index
 * 1894-1903 - The People's Journal: Pickens, South Carolina, 1894-1903, Historical and Genealogical Abstracts by Peggy Burton Rich and Marion Ard Whitehurst ▲  ▲  - 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.

Archives, Libraries and Museums
Pickens County Library System


 * Captain Kimberly Hampton Memorial Library 304 Biltmore Road Easley, South Carolina 29640


 * Telephone: Headquarters: 864-850-7077 Reference: ext 112
 * Hours: Mon-Thurs 9:00am-9:00pm, Fri-Sat 9:00am-6:00pm, Sun 2:00pm-6:00pm
 * Collection: The Mary Oates Gregorie Historical Room houses a non-circulating collection of local family histories, newspapers, photographs and other genealogy and history resources.

The Pickens County Library System has three additional branches:


 * Central-Clemson Regional Branch


 * 105 Commons Way
 * Central, SC 29630
 * Telephone: 864-639-2711
 * Hours: Mon-Thurs 9:00am-9:00pm, Fri 9:00am-6:00pm, Sat 9:00am-4:00pm, Sun 2:30pm-5:30pm


 * Sarlin Community Branch


 * 15 S. Palmetto Street
 * Liberty, SC 29657
 * Telephone: 864-843-5805
 * Hours: Mon 10:00am-7:00pm, Tues-Fri 10:00am-6:00pm, Sat 10:00am-2:00pm


 * Village Branch


 * 124 N. Catherine Street
 * Pickens, SC 29671
 * Telephone: 864-898-5747
 * Hours: Mon and Thurs 10:00am-8:00pm, Tues, Wed, Fri 10:00am-6:00pm, Sat 10:00am-4:00pm

Clemson University Libraries
 * 116 Sigma Drive
 * Clemson, SC 29634
 * Telephone: 864-656-3027 or 877-886-2389 (tollfree)
 * Research Resources
 * Library Catalog

Southern Wesley University
 * Rickman Library
 * P.O. Box 1020
 * 907 Wesleyan Drive
 * Central, SC 29630-1020
 * Library Catalog

Pendleton District Commission Research Room and Special Collections
 * PO Box 565
 * 120 History Lane (temporarily)
 * Pendleton, SC 29670
 * Facebook
 * Collection: Local and family history books, genealogical reference materials, cemetery surveys, periodicals, photographs, and both family and local history files, correspondence, business records, family bibles, and scrapbooks for Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties.

Research Guides

 * South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Pickens County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

Societies
Old Pendleton District South Carolina Genealogical Society Chapter


 * P.O. Box 603 Central SC 29630-0603
 * E-mail: [mailto:claytonroom@swi.edu claytonroom@swi.edu]
 * Old Pendleton District included Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties.

Pickens County Historical Society


 * P.O. Box 775
 * Pickens, SC 29671
 * E-mail: [mailto:pickenscohistory@gmail.com pickenscohistory@gmail.com]

Family History Centers

 * Family History Centers in South Carolina

Websites

 * Pickens County, SC History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
 * Pickens County, USGenWeb
 * PIckens County at Our Family Tree
 * South Carolina Pioneers