Anderson County, South Carolina Genealogy


 * This article is about a northwestern South Carolina county. For other uses, see Anderson.

United States  South Carolina  Anderson County

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

County Courthouse
Anderson County Courthouse P.O. Box 8002 Main Street County Courthouse Anderson, SC 29622

Anderson County Probate Court 100 South Main Street P.O. Box 8002 Anderson, SC 29622 Phone: 864-260-4049 Marriage and probate records

Anderson County Clerk of Court 100 South Main Street P.O. Box 8002 Anderson, SC 29622 Phone: 864-260-4053 Court records

History
The county was named after Revolutionary War hero Robert Anderson (1741-1813).

Parent County
1826--Anderson County was created 20 December 1826 from Pendleton District. County seat: Anderson

County Pronunciation

 * 1) Hear it spoken

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

Neighboring Counties
Abbeville | Elbert County, Georgia | Greenville | Hart County, Georgia | Laurens | Oconee | Pickens

Research Guides

 * South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Anderson County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
 * South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Pendleton District, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
 * W.P.A. Inventory of the County Archives of South Carolina No. 4, Anderson County (Anderson) . Columbia, South Carolina : Historical Records Survey, 1939.

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.
 * Williams, Bvenitta J. African-American Cemeteries, Anderson County, South Carolina. Mansfield, Ohio: Family History Services, 1997.

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

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

1800
The book, 1800 Census of Pendleton District, SC by William Stewart is an excellent book. It covers present day Anderson County, Pickens County and Oconee County. The author provides many annotations of people and families listed in this census, especially migration information before 1800 from Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina and after 1800 to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas. 975.72 X2s 1800

1810

 * Sheriff, G. Anne Campbell and Lavinia Moore. Pendleton District, South Carolina 1810 Census Present Day Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties. Central, S.C.: G.A. Sheriff, 1994. 975.72 X2s 1810

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, Anderson District on page 143.]

Church
Anderson County Churches identifies dozens of churches in the area, courtesy: South Carolina Genealogical Society.

LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Anderson

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
It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:


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

General
As of August 2010, a query for persons born in Anderson, South Carolina at World Connect, results in more than 45,000 entries. Persons born in Pendleton, South Carolina produces 25,000 additional results.

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


 * Cheek, Linda G. Families of Old Pendleton District, South Carolina. 4 vols. Greenville, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 2006-2007.
 * Simpson, Richard Wright. History of Old Pendleton District with a Genealogy of the Leading Families of the District. Covington, Tenn.: Bradford, Jesse Lee, [1913?]. ; ; 1978 reprint: ; digital version at World Vital Records ($). Genealogy Trails hosts a free online index to biographies found in this book.
 * Via, Eva Ann Wilson. Piercetown Cousins: History of Piercetown, Anderson County, South Carolina, 1835-1993, Including Wilson, Owen and 28 Allied Families. Baltimore, Md.: Gateway Press, 1993.

Message Boards

 * Anderson County, SC Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Anderson County, SC Genealogy Forum (GenForum)

Conveyance Books
Some of the original Anderson County Conveyance Books have been microfilmed (1789-1901):. Early records have been published:


 * [1790-1806] Willie, Betty. Pendleton District, S.C. Deeds, 1790-1806. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1982. 975.72 R2w
 * [1807-1812] Pruitt, A.B. Abstracts of Deeds: Pendleton District, SC, Books IJ, K, and L (1807-1812). n.p.: A.B. Pruitt, 2006-2007. 975.72 R28p
 * [1818-1822] Pruitt, A.B. Abstracts of Deeds: Pendleton District, SC, Books O and P (1818-1822). n.p.: A.B. Pruitt, 2007. 975.7 R2pa
 * [1822-1830] Pruitt, A.B. Abstracts of Deeds Pendleton District and Anderson District, SC: Books Q, R, and S (1822-1830). n.p.: A.B. Pruitt, 2009. 975.72 R2p
 * [1830-1836] Pruitt, A.B. Abstracts of Deeds Anderson District SC: Books T and U (1830-1836). n.p.: A.B. Pruitt, 2010. 975.725 R2p

Land Ownership Maps
The Library of Congress created an 1877 land ownership map for Anderson County and the state created a 1897 land ownership map.

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.

Clayton's M.A. Thesis analyzes some of these records:


 * Clayton, Frederick Van. The Settlement of Pendleton District, 1777-1800. M.A. Thesis, University of South Carolina, 1930. Reprint: Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1988. 975.72 W2c

Local Histories

 * Carlisle, H. Arnett. The History of Lowndesville, S.C. (Danielsville, Georgia : Heritage Papers, c1987), 414 pages. Includes biographies, military history, cemeteries and the following census information: 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, and 1910. Book found at, and Other Libraries.
 * Carlisle, H. Arnett. History of Old Pendleton District with a Genealogy of the Leading Families of the District  (Danielsville, Georgia : Heritage Papers, c1987), 414 pages. In 1868 the area known as Pendleton District became the counties of Anderson, Pickens and Oconee. Book found at FHL.
 * Vandiver, Louise Ayer. Traditions and History of Anderson County. Atlanta, Ga.: Ruralist Press, 1928. Digital versions at Ancestry ($) and World Vital Records ($).
 * Via, Eva Ann Wilson. Piercetown Cousins : History of Piercetown, Anderson County, South Carolina, 1835-1993, including Wilson, Owen and 28 allied families  (Baltimore, Maryland : Gateway Press, c1993), 617 pages. Includes Wilson, Owen, Martin and allied families. Book at

Revolutionary War

 * "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, South Carolina.
 * "Veterans Bio. buried in Pickens cemetery," Carolina Herald and Newsletter, August 2001, Volume 29, Issue 3. South Carolina Genealogical Society : Greenville, SC. Book 975.7 B2c. Digital version for v. 33and v. 34 through BYU Family History Archives.
 * "Siege of the town of Ninety Six, 1775," St. Lucie River Whig, Winter 2001, Volume 10, Issue 1. St. Lucie River Chapter : Lucie, Florida.
 * "Pensioners in 1840 census," Pendleton District Newsletter, April 1994, Volume 8, Issue 4. Old Pendleton District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Easley, SC.
 * "Land grants, 1777-1800, Pendleton District," Jacksonville Genealogical Society Quarterly, December 1984, Volume 12, Issue 4. Jacksonville Genealogical Society : Jacksonville, FL.

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, Anderson County, p. 181. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
 * "Major Gen. John Floyd's Army," Anderson Record, September 1993, Volume 6, Issue 3. Anderson County Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Anderson, SC.

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


 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Rifles (Orr's)
 * - Company D (also known as Orr's Rifles)
 * - Company K (also known as Marshall Guards)
 * - Company L (also known as Calhoun Guards)
 * -1st Regiment, South Carolina State Troops, Companies A and C
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Rifles, Companies D, E, F, and G
 * - 3rd Regiment, South Carolina Reserves (90 days 1862-63), Companies B and C
 * - 4th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry
 * - Company B (also known as Palmetto Riflemen)
 * - Company C (also known as Dean Company)
 * - Company D (also known as Piercetown Guards)
 * - Company J (also known as The Confederate Guards)
 * - Company K (sometimes listed as Company I) (also known as Fort Hill Guards)


 * Keys, Thomas Bland. "The Federal Pillage of Anderson, South Carolina: Brown's Raid," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 76, No. 2 (Apr. 1975):80-86. 975.7 B2s v. 76 (1975); digital version at JSTOR ($).


 * Carlisle, H. Arnett, The History of Lowndesville, S.C. (Danielsville, Georgia: Heritage Papers, c1987), 414 pages. Includes biographies, military history, cemeteries and the following census information: 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, and 1910. Book found at FHL 975.735/L1 H2c, and Other Libraries. Civil War page 137.

Newspapers
Historic

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


 * Anderson Independent (Anderson, S.C.) 1924-1925.
 * Anderson Independent (Anderson, S.C.) 1944-1981.
 * Anderson Independent and Tribune (Anderson, S.C.) 1925-1944.
 * Anderson Independent-Mail (Anderson, S.C.) 1981-current.
 * Blease's Weekly (Anderson, S.C.) 1925-1928.
 * Highland Sentinel (Calhoun, S.C.) 1840-1843.
 * Honea Path Plaindealer (Honea Path, S.C.) 1885-1887.
 * Miller's Weekly Messenger (Pendleton, S.C.) 1807-1812.
 * Southern Rights Advocate (Anderson, S.C.) 1852-185?.
 * Temperance Standard (Williamston, S.C.) 1878-1880.
 * The Anderson Appeal (Anderson, S.C.) 1866-186?.
 * The Anderson Daily Intelligencer (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917.
 * The Anderson Farmers' Tribune  (Anderson, S.C.) 1915-1917.
 * The Anderson Free Press (Anderson, S.C.) 1953-1978.
 * The Anderson Gazette (Anderson, S.C.) 1843-1854.
 * The Anderson Gazette (Anderson, S.C.) 1858-1861.
 * The Anderson Intelligencer (Anderson, S.C.) 1860-1914. Search online at Chronicling America.
 * The Anderson Intelligencer (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917.
 * The Anderson Journal (Anderson, S.C.) 1876-1896.
 * The Anderson Tribune (Anderson, S.C.) 1917-1925.
 * The Belton and Honea Path News-Chronicle (Belton, S.C.) 1992-current.
 * The Belton Journal (Belton, S.C.) 1914-1925.
 * The Belton News (Belton, S.C.) 1912-1914.
 * The Belton News (Belton, S.C.) 1925-1992.
 * The Brushy Creek Banner (Newell, S.C.) 1896-1897.
 * The Daily Mail (Anderson, S.C.) 1899-1981.
 * The Gazette and Advocate (Anderson, S.C.) 1855-185?.
 * The Herald (Anderson, S.C.) 1957-197?.
 * The Honea Path Chronicle (Honea Path, S.C.) 1894-1992.
 * The Intelligencer (Anderson, S.C.) 1915-1917.
 * The Journal (Williamston, S.C.) 1955-current.
 * The News Leader (Anderson, S.C.) 1969-1969.
 * The Pendleton Messenger (Pendleton, S.C.) 1812-1851.
 * The Pendleton News (Pendleton, S.C.) 1912-1914.
 * The Pendleton News (Pendleton, S.C.) 1933-1933.
 * The Pendleton News and Tri-county Advertiser (Pendleton, S.C.) 1933-1934.
 * The Peoples Advocate (Anderson, S.C.) 1890-1918.
 * The Record (Anderson, S.C.) 1931-1939.
 * The South Carolina Baptist (Anderson, S.C.) 1866-1868.
 * The True Carolinian (Anderson, S.C.) 1856-1858.
 * The Williamston News  (Williamston, S.C.) 1900-1906.

Current

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


 * Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History

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

Will Books, 1791-1907. South Carolina, Probate Court (Anderson Coutny). South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Filmed by The Genealogical Society of Utah, 1956, 1972. Microreproduction of original. Each volume is individually indexed.

Inventories, Appraisments and Sales, 1840-1903. South Carolina. Probate Court Anderson County. South Carolina Deptment of Archives and History. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1956. 1972.

Anderson County, South Carolina Estate Records, ca. 1876-1915. South Carolina. Probate Court Anderson County. Microreproduction of original manuscriptts at the South Carolina Dept. of Archives History Center, Columbia, South Carolina

Taxation
Anderson District tax returns, 1835-1861 (gaps), are kept at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Copies: 1835 returns have been abstracted:


 * [1835] Property Return Abstracts, 1835, Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Dec. 1990).

The USGenWeb Archives includes an abstract of the following:


 * [1843] Sarrett, Paul R. "Some 2,264 H/H 'Tax' Records - 1843, For persons living in present-day: ANDERSON CO. - Formed 1826 (Pendleton). Free online version, courtesy: The USGenWeb Archives - South Carolina.

To see how the Civil War financially impacted residents of Anderson County, South Carolina, compare values of real and personal estates on the 1860 Census with 1866-1867 tax records:


 * [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.

Original tax duplicate records for the years 1871, 1873-1875, 1885, and 1890 are kept at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Copies: 1872 tax duplicates are also there. Copies:

1872 tax delinquents have been published:


 * [1872] Delinquent Tax Notice, 1872, Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jul. 1985).

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 Anderson 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.

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 Anderson County probate court holds marriage licenses issued from 1 July 1911 to June 1950 and after October 2009. 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 - Indexes


 * 1826-1848; 1857-1871- Abstract of Marriages and Deaths from the Pendleton Messenger, 1826- 1848, the Keowee Courier, 1857-1871 by Janie Revill WorldCat
 * 1841-1882 - Early Anderson County, South Carolina: Newspapers, Marriages, and Obituaries, 1841-1882 by Tom C. Wilkinson WorldCat
 * 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 Anderson County Health Department only has copies for deaths occurring in the last 5 years. For more information, see the South Carolina Vital Records page.

Death - Indexes and Records


 * 1826-1848; 1857-1871- Abstract of Marriages and Deaths from the Pendleton Messenger, 1826- 1848, the Keowee Courier, 1857-1871 by Janie Revill WorldCat
 * 1841-1882 - Early Anderson County, South Carolina: Newspapers, Marriages, and Obituaries, 1841-1882 by Tom C. Wilkinson WorldCat
 * 1914-1960 - 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.

Libraries

 * The Anderson County Library Address: 300 N. McDuffie Street Anderson, S.C. 29621. Telephone: 864 260-4500 For current hours, either telephone or check the Library website as they have seasonal hours . The South Carolina room is dedicated for genealogical research. It contains many local and family histories. The collection is primarily for research though some items may be checked out. Copy machines are available. Staff will respond to postal mail, email, and telephone inquiries, that require checking indexes for a name. Charges for copies apply. Address requests to:   Anderson County Library,    PO Box 4047, Anderson,   SC 29622  To obtain copies of obituaries send your request plus $1.25 per obituary and a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage to cover mailing your request. Send to the address listed above. Due to staffing limitations we will not copy more than ten(10) obituaries per mail request. Please, do not send a second request while you have a pending request. Allow two to three weeks for a reply.  The genealogy collection of the Library is housed in the Anderson County Library South Carolina room. It is open during regular library hours. The collections include South Carolina Death Indexes 1815-1950, census records, various Confederate and Union military records land records, wills, and newspapers. Unique collections include the Joseph &amp; Jane Harris Major collection by Betty Daniel Robinson, the Peggy Burton Rich collection by Dr. Linville Rich, and the Holocaust Collection by Elizabeth Marvin .  A list of genealogical researchers in our area who perform fee-based research is available upon request. Please, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the address listed above and the library will mail you a copy of the list, Subscriptions to Ancestry Library Edition and Heritage Quest Online are available.

Museums

 * The Anderson County Museum Contact Us: Address: 202 E. Greenville St. Anderson, SC 29624 Telephone: 864-260-4737 Fax: 864-332-5320 The museum's 12,000 square foot Fred Whitten Gallery contains 13 permanent exhibits, a temporary exhibit gallery, and multiple changing exhibits. Exhibits range from textiles to military history to religious history. The Anderson County Museum is on Facebook and Twitter. The Anderson County Museum (ACM) boasts over 20,000 diverse artifacts in its archives. The Reading and Research Room contains 1,600 volumes and 2,000 historic photographs for public study.

Societies
Anderson County SCGS Chapter P.O. Box 74 Anderson SC 29622-0074 Anderson County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 5743 Anderson SC 29623 Source: Society Hill  Pendleton District Historical, Recreational, and Tourism Commission 125 East Queen Street Pendleton SC 29670 Source: Society Hill  Old Pendleton District SCGS Chapter P.O. Box 603 Central SC 29630-0603 E-mail: [mailto:claytonroom@swi.edu claytonroom@swi.edu] Old Pendleton District includes Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties.

Family History Centers
Anderson South Carolina 412 Harden Rd Anderson, Anderson, South Carolina, United States Phone: 864-225-4164 Hours: T,Th 9am-12pm, T 7pm-9pm

Websites

 * Old Pendleton District
 * Anderson County, SCGenWeb
 * Anderson County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Anderson County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)