Barnwell County, South Carolina Genealogy

Barnwell County, South Carolina ancestry, family history, and genealogy research guide. Introduces you to county topics such as vital record births, marriages, divorces, and deaths, census, court records, deeds, maps, immigration, maps, military records, newspapers, obituaries, plantations, probate records, slaves, local archives, libraries, museums, churches, cemeteries, and Civil War records.

Barnwell County, South Carolina Record Dates
Barnwell County's civil records start the following years:

County Courthouse
Barnwell County Courthouse 141 Main Street Barnwell, SC 29812-0723 Phone: 803-541-1031

Barnwell County Probate Court Barnwell County Courthouse Room 108 Barnwell, SC 29812 Phone: 803-541-1031 Marriage and Probate records

Clerk of Court P.O. Box 723 141 Main Street Barnwell, SC 29812 Phone: 803-541-1020 Court records Will not research records but will provide a list of abstrators who will research for a fee.

Barnwell County Register of Mesne Conveyances P.O. Box 723 Barnwell, SC 29812-0723 Phone: 803-541-1020 Land records

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

Probate records (1781-87) and clerk of court's records, including deeds (1791-99), were destroyed with the records of Orangeburg County in February 1865. South Carolina Archives and History Center

History
The county was named after the John Barnwell, a leader during the Revolutionary War. The South Carolina Railroad brought people to the area in the mid-nineteenth century when it connected Charleston and Hamburg (located on the Savannah River. Learn more about the history of Barnwell County from the South Carolina State Library or from Carolana.com.

Parent County/Boundary Changes

 * 1785 - Winton County was created from parts of Orangeburgh District.
 * 1798 - Legislation passed to create Barnwell inside of Winton County.
 * 1800 - Barnwell District formally created and Winton County terminated. Boundary between Barnwell and Orangeburg District defined.
 * 1868 - Barnwell and all other districts became counties.
 * 1871 - Aiken created from Barnwell, Edgefield, Lexington, and Orangeburg Counties.
 * 1874 - Aiken County exchanged with Barnwell.
 * 1897 - Bamberg created from Barnwell County.
 * 1919 - Allendale created from Barnwell and Hampton Counties.

For more information as well as maps of Barnwell County through time, see the South Carolina State Archives or 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.

County Seat
The county seat of Barnwell County is Barnwell.

County Pronunciation
.

Record Loss

 * Probate records (1781-87) and clerk of court's records, including deeds (1791-99), were destroyed with the records of Orangeburg County in February 1865.

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 web sites. 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

 * "Some Notes on Barnwell County Research," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Fall 1986):186.
 * South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Barnwell County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

African Americans
United States African Americans South Carolina African Americans


 * Kelly, Wilhelmina Rhodes. The Hines Bush Family: and Other Related People of Color from Barnwell District, South Carolina, 1842-2004. Tucson, Ariz.: Hats Off Books, 2004.
 * Vandervelde, Isabel. Other Free People in Early Barnwell District. Newberry, S.C.: Art Studio Press, 2001. Digital version at ;

Known plantations South Carolina Plantations:


 * Aeolian Lawn
 * Back Pen - Barnwell - also called Banksia Hall, Old Manville House, The Pond
 * Banksia Hall
 * Briarwood
 * Cedar Hall
 * Cowden
 * Duncannon
 * Elko
 * Ervings
 * Fairmount - Blackville - also called Kilkenny, Old Reynolds Pla
 * Fiddle Pond - Kline
 * Goose Pond
 * Grimkie
 * Humble Cot
 * Kilkenny - Blackville - also called Fairmount, Old Reynolds Place
 * Midway
 * O'Bannon
 * O'Bininanze
 * Pine Forest
 * The Pond - Barnwell - also called Back Pen, Banksia Hall, Old Manville House
 * Richmount
 * River
 * Short Staple - Barnwell
 * Silver Bluff
 * Simmons
 * Trotti Place - also called Briarwood
 * Vale
 * Ward

Cemeteries

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

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

1800

 * Jarrell, Lawrence E. Early Barnwell, South Carolina Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. 975.79 X2j

1810

 * Jarrell, Lawrence E. Early Barnwell, South Carolina Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. 975.79 X2j

1820

 * Jarrell, Lawrence E. 1820 Barnwell District, South Carolina Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. 975.77 X2j 1820

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, Barnwell District on page 142.

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

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

Genealogy

 * Manning, Edna Anderson. Manning Collection, Barnwell County, South Carolina Records, 1717-1965. MSS., South Caroliniana Library, Columbia, S.C. 15 vols. 1841506
 * [Bassett] Bassett Family Association and Jeffrey N. Bassett. Splinters from the Tree. New Haven, Conn.: Bassett Family Association of America, 1897-. 929.27305 B294f
 * [Bilbo] Bilbo Family Bible Records, 1779-1940. MSS. Microfilmed 1971. 850402 Item 2
 * [Boyd] DeHuff, Elizabeth Willis. The Family of Rueben Boyd (1769-1827) of Barnwell County, South Carolina. Augusta, Ga.: E.W. DeHuff, 1963.
 * [Bradley] Drake, Charles E.F. "Benoni Bradley of Beaufort: A Connecticut Yankee in the Low Country," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Reseach, Vol. 33, No. 3 (Summer 2005):127-132.
 * [Brown] Johnston, Ernest. Brown and Hallonquist: An Account of the Ancestors of Benjamin Franklin Brown (1814-1884) and His Wife, Catherine Ann Hallonquist (1830-1894) of Barnwell, South Carolina. Shepherdstown, W. Va.: [E. B. Johnston], 1998.
 * [Bush] Kelly, Wilhelmina Rhodes. The Hines Bush Family: and Other Related People of Color from Barnwell District, South Carolina, 1842-2004. Tucson, Ariz.: Hats Off Books, 2004.
 * [Collins] Vaughn, Michael J. The Family and Pedigree of Henry Rampy (1817-1866): South Carolina to Texas. Waco, Texas: M.J. Vaughn, 1998.
 * [Creel] Creel, George Edison, Theo Lula Creel Manning, and Daniel Thomas Creel. Creel Family History -- April 2003. Hernando Beach, Fla.: G.E. Creel, 2003. 929.273 C861cg
 * [Creel] Creel, Jeanne V. The Road to Slocumb. [Lecanto, Fla.]: J.V. Creel, 2004. CD-ROM no. 1703
 * [Dunbar] DeHuff, Elizabeth Willis. Ancestors of the Francis Fickling Dunbar Family of South Carolina. Augusta, Ga.: De Huff, [1954?]. 929.273 D911d
 * [Dunbar] DeHuff, Elizabeth Willis. The Dunbar Family of Barnwell County, South Carolina. Augusta, Ga.: E.W. DeHuff, 1970.
 * [Dyess] Trammell, Pamela Karen Veuleman. The Descendants of the Dyess Brothers of Barnwell, South Carolina: A Heritage of Which We Can All Be Proud. Texarkana, Texas: P.K.V. Trammell, 1994. ; Supplement:
 * [Dyess] Trammell, Pamela Karen Veuleman. Dyess Newsletter. Texarkana, Texas: Tri-State Genealogical Research, 1995.
 * [Fender] Cheek, Mrs. John L. Record of the Fender Family in the United States: Also Cheek and Allied Families. Typescript, microfilmed 1977. 1036555 Item 35
 * [Hair] DeHuff, Elizabeth Willis. Aid in Genealogical Research on the Hair Family of Barnwell County, South Carolina. Augusta, Ga.: E.W. DeHuff, 1966.
 * [Hallonquist] Johnston, Ernest. Brown and Hallonquist: An Account of the Ancestors of Benjamin Franklin Brown (1814-1884) and His Wife, Catherine Ann Hallonquist (1830-1894) of Barnwell, South Carolina. Shepherdstown, W. Va.: [E. B. Johnston], 1998.
 * [Hiers] Hiers, James Lawrence. The Hiers Geneology (Heyer, Hyer, Hier, Hire, Hires, Hiers) And Allied Families Platts, Rentz, Fender, Varn, Carter, Parker, Croft, Kinard, Others. Columbia, SC: R. L. Bryan, 1974.
 * [Harter] Smith, Mannie George. The Harters of Barnwell District South Carolina (c. 1753). Columbia, S.C.: R. L. Bryan, 1994. Item 6
 * [Holly] Henderson, Beulah Holly. The Holly-Graham Families and Their Descendants from the Seventeenth Century. Ocala, Fla.: B.H. Henderson, 1954. 929.273 H729he
 * [Holly] MacDowell, Dorothy K. The Holly/Holley Family: Early Barnwell &amp; Edgefield Districts, South Carolina. Aiken, S.C.: D.K. MacDowell, [198-?].
 * [Howell] Clark, Betty Lane. Joseph Howell, Revolutionary Soldier of Old Barnwell District, S. C.: and Allied Families. Typescript, 1971. Item 1
 * [McCreary] McCreary, Richard A. The McCrearys of Barnwell County, S. C. Columbia, S.C.: R.A. McCreary, 1991.
 * [Middleton] Brown, Leslie H. "John Middleton of Hampton, Va., and Onslow County, N.C.," The American Genealogist, Vol. 55, No. 3 (Jul. 1979):161-162.
 * [O'Bannon] DeHuff, Elizabeth Willis. The Family of Thomas O'Bannon of Fauquier County, Virginia, and Barnwell County, South Carolina. Augusta, Ga.: E.W. DeHuff, 1969.
 * [Prescott] Prescott, Adell Taylor. Moses and Susannah (Warren) Prescott and Their Descendants. Greenville, N.C.: A. Prescott, 1985. 929.273 P921pa
 * [Richardson] Davis, Anne Richardson. Richardson and Allied Lines of the Southeast: Including Powell, McRae, Johnson, Garriss, Lightsey, Waller, Cook, Sheppard &amp; Gatch. Darien, Ga.: Sea Griffin Pub., 2000. 929.273 R393da
 * [Rigdon] Gillett, Jean Thomson. Descendants of Ephraim Rigdon and the Southern Migration. 1998. 929.273 R448g
 * [Sandefer] Harp, Goldie. The Descendants of Joshua A. Sandefer. [Longview, Wash.]: G. Harp, 1996. 929.273 Sa56hg
 * [Simmons] Simmons, William W. Data Pertaining to Richard Simmons Family (1770-1814) and Other Families of Pike County, Mississippi. Cleveland, Miss.: William W. Simmons, 1955. 929.273 Si47sw
 * [Smith] Woodruff, Caldwell. Captain Aaron Smith, of Old Ninety-six, South Carolina, Who with His Wife, Five Children and Five Negro Slaves, was Massacred by Cherokee Indians, 1 July 1776: With an Account of His Four Sons: Ezekiel Smith of Hancock County, Georgia; Major John Carraway Smith, of Jones County, Georgia; Thos. Keeling Smith, of Putnam County, Georgia and Lieutenant Aaron Smith, Jr., of Barnwell County, S. C. Typescript, Georgia Historical Society Collection, Savannah, Ga. Microfilmed 1959. Item 1
 * [Stansel] Owen, Thomas McAdory. A Genealogy of the Stansel Family. Carrollton, Ala.: West Alabamian Printing, 1900. 1429793 Item 18; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [Tobin] Hagood, Johnson. Meet Your Grandfather, a Sketch-Book of the Hagood-Tobin Family. Charleston, S.C.: n.p., 1946. 929.273 H123h
 * [Tobin] Tobin Family Scrapbook. Digital version at.
 * [Touchstone] Sandel, Mary E. and Elias Wesley Sandel. The Touchtones of Maryland, Virginia, North &amp; South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana. [Amite, La.]: M.E. &amp; E.W. Sandel, 1972. 929.273 T642sm
 * [Treadway] Thompson, Opal Treadway and Ted Thompson. Treadway, a History of the Treadway Family of Barnwell County, South Carolina. North Augusta, S.C.: O.T. Thompson, 1991.
 * [Valentine] Greer, Richard Dale. Valentine Family History. MSS., Larkin Edwards Room, Shreveport Memorial Library. Microfilmed 2001. 2243264 Item 1
 * [Weathersbee] DeHuff, Elizabeth Willis. The Weathersbee Family of Halifax and Martin Counties, North Carolina and Barnwell County, South Carolina. [Augusta, Ga.]: E.W. De Huff, 1965. Supplement:  929.273 W378a supp.
 * [Williams] Fanning, Lawrence R. Ancestors and De[s]cendants of Charles Preston Williams and Nancy Tisdale Williams. Columbia, S.C.: L.R. Fanning, 1971. 929.273 W67fa; digital version at.
 * [Willis] DeHuff, Elizabeth Willis. The Family of Robert Willis of Barnwell County, South Carolina. Augusta, Ga.: E.W. DeHuff, 1957. ; 1960 update: 929.273 W679we supp. 1; 1962 update: ; 1965 update:  929.273 W679we supp. 3
 * [Wilson] DeHuff, Elizabeth Willis. Family of the Rev. James Wilson of Barnwell County, South Carolina. [Augusta, Ga.]: E.W. DeHuff, 1958. ; 1963 edition:
 * [Woodward] Geiger, Linda Woodward. "Probate Records of Charles Woodward of Barnwell District: An Analysis," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 26, No. 1 (Winter 1998):3-8.
 * [Woolley] Hill, Joseph Edward. Woolley Family of Conyers, Georgia: The Children and Grandchildren of Basel Woolley (1803-1881) and His Wife Susannah Cumba (1808-1880). Decatur, Ga.: J.E. Hill, 1963. 978079 Item 8
 * [Young] Young, Roy B. Forever Young. 2 vols. Duncan, Okla.: Young &amp; Sons Enterprises, 1992-1994. 929.273 Y85yr

Land
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 Barnwell County:

* Orangeburg District records destroyed by fire

Deeds
The original Barnwell County deed books are kept at the county courthouse. An index to deeds exists for the years 1779-1884, but only the years 1789-1851 have been microfilmed. All of these films are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. The "Deeds, 1789-1851; index to deeds, 1779-1884" collection on FamilySearch also contains browsable digital images of the direct index to deeds, as well as deeds from 1789-1826:
 * Direct index to deeds 1779-1884 FHL film #23282 (digital images online)
 * Deeds, v. 1 1789-1792 Deeds, v. A-B 1799-1806 FHL film #23283 (digital images online)
 * Deeds, v. C-D 1806-1810 FHL film #23284 (digital images online)
 * Deeds, v. E-G 1810-1814 FHL film #23285 (digital images online)
 * Deeds, v. H-J 1814-1818 FHL film #23286 (digital images online)
 * Deeds, v. K-M 1817-1821 FHL film #23287 (digital images online)
 * Deeds, v. N-P 1821-1826 FHL film #23288 (digital images online)
 * Deeds, v. Q-R 1826-1831 FHL film #23289
 * Deeds, v. S-T 1831-1834 FHL film #23290
 * Deeds, v. U-V 1834-1838 FHL film #23291
 * Deeds, v. W-X 1838-1842, 1852 FHL film #23292
 * Deeds, v. AA-BB 1842-1847 FHL film #23293
 * Deeds, v. CC-DD 1847-1851 FHL film #23294

Plats For State Land Grants 1784-1868

 * 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 Barnwell County for European settlers included:


 * Savannah River pre-historic
 * Occaneechi Path pre-historic
 * Lower Creek Trading Path pre-historic
 * Cisca and St. Augustine Trail (or Nickajack Trail) pre-historic
 * Fort Moore-Charleston Trail about 1716
 * Fall Line Road about 1735
 * Augusta-Savannah Trail 1739
 * Great Valley Road (south fork) 1740s
 * Augusta-St. Augustine Trail 1740s
 * Augusta and Cherokee Trail about 1777

General

 * "Muster roll, 1836," News and Journal, 2001, Volume 17, Issue 3. Aiken-Barnwell Genealogical Society: Aiken, South Carolina. Seminole War
 * Pension applications, various wars," Huxford Genealogical Society Magazine, December 1985, Volume 12, Issue 4. Huxford Genealogical Society:Homerville, GA. Book 975.8 D25h or Film 1320528 and 1320535
 * Some district veterans, 1833," South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Winter 1981, volume 9, Issue 1. Brent Holcomb: Columbia, SC. Book 975.7 B2sc.
 * Manning, Edna Anderson; South Carolina Library, Manning Collection (Columbia, South Carolina); Daughters of the American Revolution, General John Barnwell Chapter (South Carolina); Daughters of 1812 (South Carolina). Manning Collection, Barnwell County, South Carolina records, 1717-1965. Columbia, South Carolina : South Caroliniana Library, 1988.


 * Film 1841510-11. Family histories (cont.) Index Vol. 12 Family index [i.e. table of cont.] Family histories (to p. 236): 1817-1962. Family histories (cont.) Index Vol. 14 Index to fam. [i.e. table of cont.] Family histories: 1756-1959 Index Vol. 15 History of Barnwell County: 1769-1965 1850 census of Barnwell County Index History of Barnwell Co. &amp; family: 1717-1916 histories of civil servants. Family records: 1763-1958 Index to last 2 items.

Revolutionary War

 * Manning, Edna Anderson; South Carolina Library, Manning Collection (Columbia, South Carolina); Daughters of the American Revolution, General John Barnwell Chapter (South Carolina); Daughters of 1812 (South Carolina). Manning Collection, Barnwell County, South Carolina records, 1717-1965. Columbia, South Carolina: South Carolina Library, 1988.


 * Film 1841506. General index Vol. 1 Contents [not quite accurate] Abstracts of old wills: 1787-1900. Marriage records: 1877-1895. Cemetery records: 1813-1935. Index to wills Index to cemetery records Revolutionary period residents: 1735-1868 &amp; others Mexican War data: 1846-1847, Confederate veterans: 1861-1865.
 * Film 1841507. Vol. 3 Ancestry of members of Gen. John 1736-1914 Barnwell Chapter, DAR Family records &amp; short family: 1603-1911; histories Family Bible records: 1740-1881; A family sketch or Beaufort's: 1772-1905; Bridge and its People" (various families) Memoirs of Tarleton Brown, a 1745-1781 revolutionary soldier.
 * Film 1841507. Court Declarations by 2 Rev. War: 1834 veterans for benefits; Voter's lists of Winton [later .... late 1700s- Barnwell] County ear. 1800s Diary of Isaac Kinney, son of ... 1789-1852 a rev. war soldier Index to Ancestry of mem....--1st item on this reel of film Index to Rev. War ancestors Misc. index Cemetery records: 1851-1948.
 * Film 1841507. Vol. 4 Family histories: 1787-1959. Index Vol. 5 Barnwell County appointed officials 1880-1962 Vol. 6 Family index [table of contents] Family records (to p. 201): 1750-1927.
 * Film 1841508. Family records (cont.): 1750-1962. Index Vol. 7 Family index [table of contents] Family histories: 1764-1933. Index Vol. 8 Index of families [table of contents] Family histories (to p. 304) ...... 1790-1961.
 * Film 1840509. Family histories (cont.) Index Vol. 9 Family index [i.e. table of cont.] Family histories: 1730-1945 Index Vol. 10 Contents Daughters of War of 1812, elig. 1812-1916 for membership; rosters of men who served in War of 1812 rendering civil or military service.

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, Barnwell County, p. 182. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.


 * "Six bounty land warrants," News and Journal, 2001, Volume 17, Issue 3. Aiken-Barnwell Genealogical Society:Aiken, South Carolina. War of 1812.


 * Manning, Edna Anderson; South Carolina Library, Manning Collection (Columbia, South Carolina); Daughters of the American Revolution, General John Barnwell Chapter (South Carolina); Daughters of 1812 (South Carolina). Manning Collection, Barnwell County, South Carolina records, 1717-1965. Columbia, South Carolina: South Carolina Library, 1988.


 * Film 1840509. Family histories (cont.) Index Vol. 9 Family index [i.e. table of cont.] Family histories: 1730-1945. Index Vol. 10 Contents Daughters of War of 1812, elig. 1812-1916 for membership; rosters of men who served in War of 1812 rendering civil or military service.


 * Short history of South Carolina Daughters of 1812 Members of the state org. of the Daughters of 1812 Index of rosters a few items back Vol. 11 Family Index (i.e. table of contents). Family histories (to p. 187): 1735-1961.

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

Regiments. Civil War service men from Barnwell 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 Barnwell County:


 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company C
 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Sharpshooters, Company A (also known the Union Light Infantry and German Fusiliers); Company B (also known as the Sumter Guards); and Company C (also known as the Charleston Sharpshooters and Palmetto Guards)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company C (also known as Edgefield Rangers) and Company K (had been Company D of 1st South Carolina Cavalry Battalion)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (Hagood's),
 * - 1st Company A - ( also know as Bamburg Guards or Glover Guards)
 * - 1st Company D - ( also known as the St. Matthews Rifles and the Keitt Guards)
 * - Company E - (At Reorganization was known as Wee Nee Volunteers or Williamsburg Volunteers)
 * - 1st Company F -
 * - Company G - (also known as the Johnson Guards)
 * - 1st Company H -
 * - 1st Company I - (possibly known as the Republican Blues)
 * - 1st Company K - (also known as the Bamberg Guards)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (McCreary's) (1st Provisional Army), Company A (also known as Gregg's Guards)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Mounted Militia in the following companies:
 * - Bostick's Company (also known as Allendale Guards)
 * - Evan's Company (also known as Palmetto Rangers)
 * - Johnson's Company (also known as Savannah River Guards)
 * - Martin's Company (also known as Calhoun Minute Men or Red Oak Rangers)
 * - Percival's Company (also known as Pickens Rangers)
 * -2nd Battalion, South Carolina Reserves, Company D
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company A (also known as the Boykin Mounted Rangers and Hampton Scouts)
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina State Troops Junior Reserves (State Militia), Company D, Company F, and Company H
 * - 2nd Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry Reserves,
 * - Company F - (also known as the Savannah River Guard or Guards)
 * - Barnwell Dragoons ( also called Lawton's Company, South Carolina Volunteers)
 * - Calhoon Minute Men (also known as the Calhoon Mounted Men and Martin's Company, South Carolina Volunteers)
 * - A few Barnwell men in Beaufort District Troop (also known as Captain J. H. Howard's Company)
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina State Troops (6 months 1863-64), Company E and Company K
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Artillery, Company A, Company B, Company E, Company G, and Company H
 * - 3rd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry,
 * - Company D (also known as the Barnwell Dragoons)
 * - Company F (also known as the St. Peter's Guards)
 * - Company I (also known as the Rebel Troops), a few from Barnwell
 * - Company K (also known as Savannah River Guards and Captain Thomas H. Johnson's Company)
 * - 5th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Ferguson's), Company I
 * - 7th Battalion, South Carolina Infantry (Nelson's) (Enfield Rifles), Company E
 * - 8th Battalion, South Carolina Reserves (Stalling's), Company C
 * - 11th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (9th Volunteers), Company E
 * - 11th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves(90 days 1862-63), Company A, Company F, and Company L
 * - 14th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company H
 * - 14th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company D
 * - 14th Regiment, South Carolina Militia, Company A and Company B
 * - 17th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company G and Company H
 * - Aiken's Mounted Infantry, South Carolina

Newspapers
Historic

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


 * Barnwell County Times (Blackville, S.C.) 1871-1875.
 * Barnwell Sentinel (Barnwell, S.C.) 185?-1925.
 * Palmetto Sentinel (Barnwell, S.C.) 1852-1860.
 * The Allendale Enterprise (Allendale, Barnwell Co., S.C.) 1889-1892.
 * The Barnwell County Banner (Barnwell, S.C.) 1986-current.
 * The Barnwell Journal (Blackville, S.C.) 1869-18??.
 * The Barnwell People (Barnwell, S.C.) 1884-1925.
 * The Barnwell People-Sentinel (Barnwell, S.C.) 1925-current.
 * The Blackville News (Blackville, S.C.) 1876-187?.
 * The Fairfax Enterprise (Fairfax, Barnwell Co., S.C.) 1892-1908.
 * The New Sentinel (Barnwell, S.C.) 1902-1904.
 * The People (Barnwell, S.C.) 1877-1884.
 * The Williston Way (Williston, S.C.) 1921-1992.

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:


 * Carolina Genealogist
 * Georgia Genealogical Magazine
 * News and Journal
 * South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research

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

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

Wills, 1779-1950. South Carolina. Court of Ordinary (Winton District) Microfilm of originals in the Barnwell County Courthouse in South Carolina. WIlls 1787-1865 and index 1779-1950.

Inventories, Appraisements and Sale Books, 1808-1842. South Carolina, Court of Ordinary (Barnwell District) Microfilm made from originals.

Miscellaneous Probate Records, 1787-1958. South Carolina. Probate Court (Barnwell County). Microfilm of original and typescript at Barnwell County courthouse in Barnwell, South Carolina.

Court Minutes, 1819-1838. South Carolina. Court of Ordinary (Barnwell District). Microfilm made from originals. Includes index.

Barnwell County, South Carolina Estate Records, ca. 1909-1928. South Carolina, Probate Court (Barnwell County) microreproduction of original manuscripts at the South Carolina Dept. of Archives and History. Columbia, South Carolina.


 * Barnwell County Wills (abstracts) 1778-1810; 1811-1820; 1821-1840; 1841-1856 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.

Published tax records

 * 1787 - Tax List, 1787, Georgia Genealogical Magazine, No. 49 (Summer 1973).
 * 1787 - Tax List, 1787, Old Winton County, Carolina Genealogist, No. 11 (Summer 1972).
 * 1810 - "1810 Tax Return for Barnwell District," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Spring 1991):63-68; Vol. 19, No. 3 (Summer 1991):145-149.
 * 1870 - Assessor's Return of Taxable Real Property in Barnwell County Annexed by Aiken County, 1870, News and Journal, Vol. 24, No. 3 (2008).

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 Barnwell 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


 * 1804-1915 - Barnwell County Birth Index 1804-1915. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

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

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

Marriages - Indexes


 * 1764-1859 - Barnwell County Marriages, 1764-1859, Implied in Barnwell Co., S.C. Deeds by Barbara R. Langdon WorldCat - index
 * 1911-1959 - Barnwell County Marriage Index 1911-1959. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * There are several online marriage indexes containing miscellaneous marriage records found in some counties of South Carolina listed on the South Carolina Vital Records page.

Death
State-wide death registration began in 1915. For a copy of the death certificates from 1915 or later, contact the South Carolina Department of Health. The Barnwell 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 - Indexes and Records


 * 1911-1959 - Barnwell County Marriage Index 1911-1959. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 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.

Barnwell County Libraries

 * Barnwell County Library Address: 40 Burr Street Barnwell, SC 29812 Telehone: (803) 259-3612 Hours of Operation: Monday to Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Thursday 1000 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 to 2 :00 p.m., Sunday Closed The Barnwell County Library is part of the ABBE Regional System listed below. It shared an online catalog with the other libraries in the ABBE Regional Library System. You can subscribe to an email newsletter and select to receive information from the Barnwell branch among other places and subjects. To subscribe Click Here.

Other Barnwell County Libraries

The links below lead to the websites of the other libraries in Barnwell County. Each has its own hours and services, but all share the same catalog. The "Click 'n' Search" option allows you to select categories of records such as genealogy and history.


 * Blackville
 * Williston


 * ABBE Regional Library System A.B.B.E. Regional Library System (The Aiken-Bamberg-Barnwell-Edgefield Regional Library System) is headquaterred in Aiken county and serves the four South Carolina counties named in its title. It has 14 brances and a bookmobile. One of those branches is the Barnwell County Library.

Barnwell County Museums

 * Barnwell County Museum Address: P.O. Box 422 9726 Marlboro Avenue Barnwell, South Carolina 29812 Telephone: (803) 259-1916 This facility is primarily a site for viewing artifacts and participating in heritage programs. The Fuller House is currently being renovated to become the future home of the museum.The Barnwell County Museum is only one of several museums in the area.

Societies - Genealogical, Historical, Lineage
Aiken-Barnwell Genealogical Society (ABGS) P.O. Box 415 Aiken SC 29802 e-mail: [mailto:aikenbarnwellgenealogy@gmail.com aikenbarnwellgenealogy@gmail.com]

Family History Centers

 * Family History Centers in South Carolina

Websites

 * Barnwell County, SC History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
 * Barnwell County, SCGenWeb
 * Barnwell County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * South Carolina Pioneers South Carolina Pioneers
 * South Carolina Pioneers South Carolina Pioneers