Colleton County, South Carolina Genealogy

Guide to Colleton County, South Carolina ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Colleton County was named for Sir John Colleton, 1st Baronet, one of the eight Lords Proprietor of the Province of Carolina. The county is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Colleton County Courthouse 101 Hampton Street Walterboro, SC 29488 Phone: 843-549-5791 Colleton County Website

County Pronunciation .

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:

Cemeteries

 * There are more than 100 burial grounds in the county. To view a list, see Colleton County, South Carolina Cemeteries.
 * National Cemetery Administration

Census Records

 * 1829-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images

1800
 * Jarrell, Lawrence E. Early Colleton, South Carolina Census Complete Transcription of the Federal Census Records; 1790 Charleston District Census, St. Bartholomew's, St. George's-Dorchester; St. Paul's and St. John's-Colleton Parishes 1800 Colleton District Census--St. Bartholomew's, St. George's-Dorchester and St. Paul's Parishes; 1810 Colleton District Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. 975.79 X2j

1810
 * Jarrell, Lawrence E. Early Colleton, South Carolina Census Complete Transcription of the Federal Census Records; 1790 Charleston District Census, St. Bartholomew's, St. George's-Dorchester; St. Paul's and St. John's-Colleton Parishes 1800 Colleton District Census--St. Bartholomew's, St. George's-Dorchester and St. Paul's Parishes; 1810 Colleton District Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. 975.79 X2j

1820
 * Jarrell, Lawrence E. 1820 Colleton, South Carolina Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. 975.795 X2j 1820

Church Records
Church of England See also St. Bartholomew's Parish See also St. John's Colleton Parish  See also St. Paul's Parish

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Dates Vary Colleton County, Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Public Index – index; courts include Circuit Court, Summary Court and Masters-in-Equity, records added periodically

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans Colleton County, South Carolina African Americans

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

 Bibliography 
 * Beamer - Curtis, Oscar F. Miscellaneous Genealogical Material. MSS. Copy:
 * Brothers Brothers, William P. Records of the Families of Brothers, Swan, Bonar/Reeves, Beardsley. Palo Alto, Calif.: Nonpareil Press, 1990.
 * Ford - Patillo, Edward. "Ford of the Low Country," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Reseach, Vol. 32, No. 2 (Spring 2004):63-72; Vol. 32, No. 3 (Summer 2004):133-142; Vol. 33, No. 1 (Winter 2005):44-52.
 * Fraser - Quander, Rohulamin. Their Stories Must Be Told: An Abridged History of the Fraser-Pearson-Lee-Powell Families of Waterboro Township and Colleton County, South Carolina. Washington, D.C.: Quander Historical Society, 1999.
 * Freeman - Crumb, D.F. All About Us [the Freeman Lineage with Connecting Lines and Inserts of Other Franklin/Amite County Families]. South Jordan, Utah: C.A. Ormond, n.d.
 * Glover - Glover, Jim. Colonel Joseph Glover (1719-1783) and His Descendants: Thirteen Generations of the Glover Family. Marietta, Ga.: J.B. Glover, 1996.
 * Hardy - Brayton, John Anderson. "Check the Original! Two Lessons Learned the Hard Way, Part 1: Hardy of South Carolina - A 'Discreet' Omission to Hide an Indiscretion," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 90, No. 1 (March 2002):69-73. 973 B2ng v. 90
 * Hayne - Hayne Family of South Carolina Including: Splatt, Heyward, McCall, Martin, Davidge, Brevard, Cleveland, Shubrick, Woodward, Simmons, Barnwell, Perry, Beattie, Courtenay, Adams, Huger, Motte and Trapier. MSS. Microfilmed 1983.
 * Inabnit Lefvendahl, Georgie Inabinet Adams. The Inabnit Family of South Carolina: Volume III. Some of the Inabnit, Inabnet, Inabinett Families of Colleton, Charleston, and Lower Orangeburgh Districts and Counties. [Orangeburg, S.C.: n.p.], 1970.
 * Jenkins Webber, Mabel L. "Descendants of John Jenkins, of St. John's Colleton," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct., 1919), pp. 223-251. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Johns Johns, Burton E. Jeremiah E. Johns: The Descendants of Jeremiah Johns (1788-1869), of Colleton County, South Carolina; of Wayne County, Georgia; of Hamilton County, Florida. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 2002.
 * Lawton - Harrell, Carolyn Willingham Lawton. Kith and Kin - A Portrait of a Southern Family, 1630-1934. Macon, Ga.: Mercer University Press, 1984.
 * Linder - Linder, Myrtle Kinard and Billy Royce Linder. Southern Linders: Jacob Simon Linder of Colleton County, South Carolina. 2 vols. Smoaks, S.C.: M.K. Linder, 1988.
 * McIntosh - Swinton Family, ca. 1060-1883. MSS. Microfilmed 1958.
 * O'Quinn - O'Quinn, John Kenneth. O'Quinn Cousins, by the Dozens. Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint, 1999. ; digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Padgett William Padgett Family Bible [Records, 1782-1856]. MSS. Microfilmed 1990. Includes genealogical information.
 * Padgett Sikes, Florence Padgett and Jacklyn Padgett Staats. Padgetts, Then and Now. 2 vols. Riverview, Fla.: Padgett Sisters, [1994?].
 * Pinckney - Powell, Mary Pinckney. Over Home, the Heritage of Pinckneys of Pinckney Colony, Bluffton, South Carolina. Beaufort, S.C.: M.P. Powell, 1982. FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * Pinckney - Powell, Mary Pinckney. Back Over Home, the Heritage of Pinckneys of Pinckney Colony, Bluffton, South Carolina. Columbia, S.C.: R.L. Bryan, 1996.
 * Raysor - Bryan, David M. "Charleston Lady to Frontier Widow ... and Back!: The Saga of Elizabeth Chalmers Raysor," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 37, No. 4 (Fall 2009):187-194.
 * Rogers Banister, Eme O'Dell. The Family of Rogers of the Piedmont Section, South Carolina &amp; Allied Families. Microfilmed 1983.
 * Spell - Herreid, Charlene Humphries. "A Tale of Two Charners," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 38, No. 2 (Spring 2010):79-82.
 * Stokes Stokes, Joseph Jackson. Henry Stokes of Colleton County, South Carolina, His Ancestry and Descendents: The Stokes, Risher, Byrd, Hunter and Allied Families of the South Carolina Low Country. Atlanta, Ga.: J.J. Stokes, 1996.
 * Stokes Linder, Bill R. Bill R. Linder's Genealogical Collection. MSS. Microfilmed 2001.
 * Williams Williams, Rufie Lee. The Family of John and Frances Williams. Aberdeen, Miss.: Almond Print., 1989.
 * Woodin - Delorey, Janet Ireland. "John Woodin, Brickmaker, of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and South Carolina," The American Genealogist, Vol. 64, No. 4 (Oct. 1989):238-245.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records The following chart show where you may best expect to find land records.
 * 1784-1868''' For information about the State Land Grants, see State Land Grants

Local Histories
Colleton County is named for Sir John Colleton (1608-1666), one of the original Lord Proprietors of South Carolina. Colleton County has existed in several different incarnations. It was created as one of the original South Carolina counties in 1682. At the time, all formal business was conducted in Charles Town and the counties were used to locate property. The original Colleton County was abolished in 1768 after the District Court Act was passed. Colleton County was created again in 1785 with the passage of the 1785 County Court Act but never became functional and was abolished in 1798. The present day Colleton County (then a district) was established in 1800. Learn more about the history of Colleton County from the South Carolina State Library or from Carolana.com.


 * Bryan, Evelyn McDaniel Frazier.Colleton County, S.C. a History of the First 160 Years, 1670-1830. (Jacksonville, Florida Florentine Press, 1993, c1993 ; Columbia, South Carolina R.L. Bryan), 243 pages. This book, is relating the first 160 years of the history of Colleton County. A story of the people &amp; the main events occuring in the county. Book at and Other Libraries.
 * Linder, Suzanne Cameron. Historical Atlas of the Rice Plantations of the ACE River Basin, 1860. (Columbia, South Carolina: S.C. Dept. of Archives and History, c1995), 684 pages. The plantations were in Beaufort, Colleton &amp; Charleston counties. Book at and Other Libraries
 * Glover, Beulah. Narratives of Colleton County the Land Lying Between the Edisto and Combahee River.(S.l. s.n., c1963), 239 pages. History of Colleton County starting in 1682. Book at.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Colleton County for European settlers included:
 * Atlantic Ocean about 1670
 * Fort Moore-Charleston Trail about 1716
 * Charleston-Savannah Trail (an extension of the King's Highway) late 1730s

Military Records
French and Indian War
 * Weir, Robert M. "Muster Rolls of the South Carolina Granville and Colleton County Regiments of Militia, 1756," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 70, No. 4 (Oct., 1969), pp. 226-239. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * "Muster rolls of Colleton co. regim., 1756," South Carolina Historical Magazine, October 1969, Volume 70, Issue 4. South Carolina History Society: Charleston, SC. Book 975.7 B2s.

Revolutionary War
 * "Revolutionary War Volunteer Roll, 1775," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, March 1930, Volume 18, Issue 1. National Genealogical Society: Arlington,VA.

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.  Online at: Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Vol. 5, South Carolina, Colleton County, p. 184. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
 * 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 Colleton County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies and regiments that were formed with many men from Colleton County:
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina State Troops Junior Reserves (State Militia), Company I
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Mounted Militia,
 * - Campbell's Company (also known as Marion Scouts or Marion Troop)
 * - Earnest's Company (also known as Marion Rangers or Marion Troop)
 * - Green's Company (also known as Salkehatchie Guerrillas)
 * - D. B. Heyward's Company (also known as Marion Men of Combahee)
 * - King's Company (also known as St. Paul's Home Guard or St. Paul's Mounted Men)
 * - Oswald's Company (also known as Grey Riders of St. Bartholomew's)
 * - Scott's Company (also known as St. Paul Rangers)
 * - Smith's Company (also known as Beech Hill Rangers)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company E (also known as James D. Trezevant's Cavalry and Fort Motte Rangers) and Company I (also known as J.R.P. Cavalry and Round O Troop)
 * - 2nd Battalion, South Carolina Reserves, Company C (also known as the Spartan Rangers, the Spartanburg Rangers and the Spartan Rangers Independent Cavalry Reserves)
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company B (also known as Beaufort Detachment, Hampton Legion, Beaufort District Troop, Beaufort Dragoons)
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina State Troops Junior Reserves (State Militia), Company F
 * - 2nd Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry Reserves, Company B (also known as the Marion Men of Combahee), Calhoon Minute Men (also known as the Calhoon Mounted Men and Martin's Company, South Carolina Volunteers), and possibly the Colleton Rangers
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina State Troops (6 months 1863-64), Company D and Company H
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company D (also known as the Wassamassaw Cavalry or Wassa Massaw Rangers)
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Light Artillery (Palmetto Battalion), Company F (also known as the Chestnut Light Artillery)
 * - 3rd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry,
 * - Company A (also known as the Marion Men of Combahee)
 * - Company B (also known as the Colleton Rangers)
 * - Company E (also known as the Calhoun Mounted Men or Calhoun Minute Men)
 * - Company F (also known as the St. Peter's Guards)
 * - Company I (also known as the Rebel Troops)
 * - 4th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Rutledge's), Company G
 * - 5th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Ferguson's), Company C
 * - 5th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves (90 days 1862-63), Company F
 * - 6th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Aiken's Partisan Rangers) (1st Partisan Rangers), Company B and Company H
 * - 7th Battalion, South Carolina Infantry (Nelson's) (Enfield Rifles), Company E
 * - 7th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company B and Company G
 * - 8th Battalion, South Carolina Reserves (Stalling's), Company B
 * - 10th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company C
 * - 11th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (9th Volunteers), Company B, Company G, Company H, and Company K
 * - 11th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves(90 days 1862-63), Company C, Company I, and Company K
 * - 16th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company B
 * - 24th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company C and Company E

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry ($)

Historic The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Colleton 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.
 * The Colleton and Beaufort Sun (Walterboro, S.C.) 1859-186?.
 * The Colleton Democrat (Walterboro, S.C.) 1877-1880.
 * The Colleton News (Walterboro, S.C.) 1908-1911.
 * The Colleton Press (Walterboro, S.C.) 1880-1890.
 * The Colleton Standard (Walterboro, S.C.) 1889-1890.
 * The Press and Standard (Walterboro, S.C.) 1890-current.
 * The Southern Star (Walterboro, S.C.) 1885-1887.
 * The Walterboro News (Walterboro, S.C.) 1873-1877.

University of South Carolina Library Catalog
 * Historical Newspapers of South Carolina at University of South Carolina Libraries - not complete

Current
 * Colleton County Newspaper Index

Periodicals

 * Rice Planter
 * South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. Includes wills of residents of Colleton County proved in London, see place-name index. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.
 * 1670-1980 South Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1670-1980 at Ancestry.com — index & images ($)
 * 1671-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images Only
 * 1732-1964 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images Only
 * 1782-1866 South Carolina, Will Transcripts 1782-1866 at Findmypast — index ($) — $, index
 * 1950s-Current South Carolina Probate Index, Colleton County at SouthCarolinaProbate.net - index; records added periodically

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * South Carolina Department of Archives and History tax lists for Colleton County.

Published abstracts:
 * 1760 "Colleton County excerpts from 1760 SC Tax List," available online, courtesy: SCGenWeb. The original "Records of the Receiver - General Accounts of Quit Rents Paid" are kept at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
 * 1768 Quit Rent Rolls. Includes Colleton County; begins on page 255.
 * 1785 St. Andrew's Parish Tax Returns, 1785, South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Spring 1977).
 * 1785 St. Bartholomew's Parish Tax Returns, 1785, South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Summer 1977).
 * 1785 St. Paul's Parish Tax Returns, 1785, South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Spring 1977); Vol. 5, No. 3 (Summer 1977).
 * 1809 "Two Early Tax Returns from the Low Country," South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 35, No. 2 (Spring 2007):115-117. . Return of the Poor Tax Collected by John Mikell, 1809.

Vital Records

 * 1873-2011 The Press and Standard Newspaper index online by the Colleton County Public Library - index, includes birth, marriage, and death notices

Birth
Births and Birth Substitutes - Indexes
 * 1766-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
 * 1915-1917 South Carolina, U.S., Births, 1915-1917 at Ancestry - index & images ($)

Marriage

 * 1911-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
 * 1911-1951 - Colleton County, South Carolina Marriage Licenses, ca. July 1911-Jan. 1951  - records only
 * 1950s-Current South Carolina Marriage Index, Colleton County at SouthCarolinaProbate.net - index; records added periodically
 * There are several online marriage indexes containing miscellaneous marriage records found insome counties of South Carolina listed on the South Carolina Vital Records page.

Death

 * 1816-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1821-1969 South Carolina, U.S., Death Records, 1821-1969 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1915-1943 South Carolina, Deaths, 1915-1943 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
 * 1915-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & 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.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Beaufort South Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Charleston South Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Moncks Corner South Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Ridgeland South Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Statesboro Georgia FamilySearch Center
 * Walterboro South Carolina FamilySearch Center


 * International African American Museum - an affiliate library

Libraries
Libraries
 * Colleton Memorial Library Address: 600 Hampton Street Walterboro, SC 29488 Telephone: 843-549-5621 Fax: 843-549-5122 Hours: Monday to Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sunday Closed The Colleston Memorial Library is part of the SCLends catalog system.
 * Edisto Beach Library Address: 71 Station Court P O Box 760 Edisto Beach, SC 29438 Telephone / Fax (843) 869-2499 Hours: Tuesday 1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M., Wednesday 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Closed 12:30 - 1:00, Thursday 1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M

Museums

 * Colleton Museum Address: 239 North Jefferies Boulevard Walterboro, SC 29488 Phone: 843-549-2303 Museum Hours: Monday - Noon - 4PM, Tuesday to Friday 10AM-5PM Admission: FREE The museum features a permanent collection which explores the history of Colleton County from prehistoric times to the early 1900's.

Societies

 * Colleton Genealogical Society 2917 Woodway Lane, Columbia SC 29223 (803) 896-6100 Website Facebook
 * Colleton County Historical and Preservation Society 205 Church St., Walterboro SC 29488 (843) 549-9633 Email: [mailto:info@cchaps.com info@cchaps.com] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Colleton County, SCGenWeb
 * Colleton County, South Carolina (Government Site) Includes Property and Tax Search for recent residents
 * Colleton County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Colleton County, South Carolina, courtesy: Carolana.com. Includes history.
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides

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