Edgefield County, South Carolina Genealogy

United States  South Carolina  Edgefield County

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

County Courthouse
Clerk of Court Court and Land records on-line documents and index at landaccess.com

Probate Court Probate and marriage records

Contact: Edgefield County, South Carolina 124 Courthouse Square Edgefield, SC 29824 Phone: 803-637-4000 Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday

History
The county takes its name from the fact that it is located on the edge of the state.

Parent County
1785--Edgefield County was created in 1785 from District 96. County seat: Edgefield 

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
Aiken | Columbia County, Georgia | Greenwood | McCormick | Richmond County, Georgia | Saluda

Research Guides

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

African Americans
United States African Americans South Carolina African Americans


 * Burton, Vernon. "Race and Reconstruction: Edgefield County, South Carolina," Journal of Social History, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Autumn, 1978), pp. 31-56. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Edgefield County, S.C. African American Cemeteries: With Additional Church History Documentation; Contains Cemetery Surveys, with Historical Information on Each Church. Edgefield, S.C.: Old Edgefield District Genealogical Society, 2002.
 * Heinegg, Paul. "'Other Free' Heads of Household in the 1790 South Carolina Census, by County," Free African Americans.com. [Includes free blacks in Edgefield County.]
 * Taylor, Tonya A. Browder. Free Persons of Color, Edgefield District, South Carolina, from the Federal Census Records, 1790-1860: With Additional Documentation from Various Georgia Counties, 1819-1820. Johnston, S.C.: Old Edgefield Pub. Co., 2003.

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

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

1790

 * McClendon, Carlee T. The First Federal Census, 1790, the Second Federal Census, 1800, Edgefield County, South Carolina. 1959. 975.737 X2p 1790-1800

1800

 * McClendon, Carlee T. The First Federal Census, 1790, the Second Federal Census, 1800, Edgefield County, South Carolina. 1959. 975.737 X2p 1790-1800

1820

 * Jarrell, Lawrence E. 1820 Edgefield District, South Carolina Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. 975.737 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, Edgefield District on page 142.]

1850

 * Buff, L.H. The Edgefield District (SC) 1850 Census. Lexington, S.C.: Lexington Genealogical Association, 2000. 975.737 X2b 1850

1860

 * McKinney, Margaret Vaughan. Edgefield County, South Carolina 1860 Census. Augusta, Ga.: Augusta Genealogical Society, n.d. 975.737 X2m 1860

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 25 genealogies have been published about Edgefield County families. To view a list, visit Edgefield County, South Carolina Genealogy.

Deeds
The original Edgefield County deed books are kept at the county courthouse. The years 1787 to 1866 have been microfilmed:. The first 41 books have been published:


 * [1786-1796] Hendrix, Ge Lee Corley. Edgefield County, South Carolina, Abstracts of Deed Books 1-12, 1786-1796. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1985. 975.737 R2h v. 1
 * [1796-1826] Wells, Carol. Edgefield County, South Carolina Deed Books [Books 13-41, 1796-1826]. Multivolume. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1997-2007.

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.

Local Histories

 * Burton, Orville Vernon. In My Father's Are Many Mansions: Family and Community in Edgefield, South Carolina. Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina Press, 1985. 975.737/E1 H6b [Burton analyzes census data on every resident of Edgefield County between 1850 and 1880.]
 * Chapman, John Abney. History of Edgefield County from the Earliest Settlement to 1897. Newberry, S.C.: Elbert H. Aull, Publisher and Printer, 1897. Digital version at Internet Archive.

Migration

 * Dumont, Louise M. "Migrants from Edgefield County, S.C. 1842-1852," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 57, No. 2 (June 1969):105-108. 973 B2ng v. 57

General

 * "Brigade orders, headquarters, 1834," Quill, July 2007, Volume 23, Issue 4. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter : Edgefield, SC.
 * "Reorganization of the Upper Battalion of the 10th Regiment of SC Militia, 1834," Quill, May 2007, Volume 23, Issue 3. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter : Edgefield, SC.
 * "Troops from district, 1836," Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History, July 1996, Volume 10, 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. 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, South Carolina, Edgefield County, pp. 184-185. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
 * "Pension list," Annals of Edgefield District, December 1986, Issue 4. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter, South Carolina : Edgefield, SC.

Revolutionary War

 * "Elizabeth Marshall Martin fam., Rev. War experiences, SC," Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History, February 2004, Volume 18, Issue 1. Piedmont Historical Society : Spartansburg, SC.
 * "Soldiers from 96 dist., Stono Ferry ba.," Quill, November 2002, Volume 18, Issue 6. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter : Edgefield, SC
 * "Sam. Walker bio., soldier," Quill, July 2002, Volume 18, Issue 5. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter : Edgefield, SC
 * "Incidents in co., c. 1780," Quill November 2001, Volume 17, Issue 6. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter : Edgefield, SC.
 * "Cloud's Creek massacre, 1781," Quill July 1999, Volume 15, Issue 4. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter : Edgefield, SC.
 * "Pension applications, 1835," Roots and Branches, July 1999, Volume 20, Issue 2. Tusaloosa Genealogical Society c/o Mary Sinclair : Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
 * "Royalist regiment refugees," Quill, May 1997, Volume 13, Issue 3. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter : Edgefield, SC.
 * "Ryan's co., SC militia payroll, 1779," Genealogical Roots and Branches, December 1995, Volume 16, Issues 3-4. Old Ninety-Six Chapter, SCGS : Greenwood, SC.
 * "Edgefield in the Rev. War," Quill, June 1995, June 1992, May 1992. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter : Edgefield, SC.
 * "James McDavid intent fraud," Quill February 1995. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter : Edgefield, SC.
 * "Revolutionary pensioners, Edgefield," Quill, May 1992. Old Edgefield District Archives Chapter : Edgefield, SC.
 * "Butler co., SC volunteers, 1782 muster roll," Carolinas Genealogical Society Bulletin, Fall 1970, Volume 7, Issue 2. Carolinas Genealogical Society : Monroe, NC. Book 975 B2c.
 * Sheahan, John J. Military markers and data : cemeteries located in Edgefield County, South Carolina. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1996. Film 1598370 item 6.

Newspapers
Historic


 * Anti-Monarchist, and South-Carolina Advertiser (Edgefield Court House, S.C.) 1811-1819.
 * Edgefield Advertiser (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current.
 * Edgefield County Press (Edgefield, S.C.) 1977-1982.
 * The Edgefield Farmer (Edgefield, S.C.) 1892-1894.
 * Edgefield Informer (Edgefield C.H., S.C.) 1856-1856.
 * Edgefield Weekly Monitor (Johnston, Edgefield County, S.C.) 1877-1900.
 * Johnston News (Johnston, S.C.) 1903-1906.
 * Johnston News-Monitor (Johnston, Edgefield County, S.C.) 1906-1915.
 * The Carolinian (Edgefield Court House, S.C.) 1829-1836.
 * The Citizen-News (Johnston, S.C.) 1982-current.
 * The Edgefield Chronicle (Edgefield, S.C.) 1881-1925.
 * The Edgefield County News (Edgefield, S.C.) 1972-1982.
 * The Edgefield Hive (Pottersville [i.e., Edgefield], S.C.) 1827-1829.
 * The Edgefield Hive (Pottersville, S.C.) 1829-1830.
 * The Johnston Herald (Johnston, S.C.) 1923-1947.
 * The Pottersville Hive (Pottersville, S.C.) 1981-1981.
 * The Ridge Citizen (Johnston, S.C.) 1947-1982.
 * The South-Carolina Republican (Pottersville, Near Edgefield Ct. Hs., S.C.) 1824-1827.
 * The Weekly Monitor (Johnston, Edgefield County, 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:
 * Homeplace
 * Quill

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 organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Edgefield County wills. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:


 * Edgefield Will Books A and B: 1787-1818
 * Edgefield Will Book C: 1818-1831

Additional Edgefield County probate resources include:


 * Lesley Prey, comp. Edgefield County, South Carolina Wills, Books 1-2 [1836-1853] [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Available at Ancestry ($). Original data: Edgefield County, South Carolina Wills, Book D, 1-2. For more information, see.

Taxation
To learn more about using Edgefield's tax records, see:


 * Genealogy 101, Guide to Researching Tax Records, Homeplace, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Spring 2008).

Original sources
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History microfilmed a set of Returns of Edgefield County Personal Property covering the years 1869 and 1870. Copies:

Published abstracts

 * [1787] Holcomb, Brent H. Two 1787 Tax Lists from Ninety Six District, S.C. 1974.
 * [1865] Glenn, Tricia Price. 1865 Edgefield County Tax Returns. n.p.: n.p., 200-?.
 * [1865] Tax Returns, 1865, Homeplace, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Spring 2008).
 * [1865] County Tax Records, 1865, Quill, Vol. 18, No. 1 (Jan. 2002); Vol. 18, No. 2 (Mar. 2002); Vol. 18, No. 3 (May 2002); Vol. 18, No. 4 (Jul. 2002); Vol. 18, No. 5 (Jul. 2002); Vol. 18, No. 6 (Nov. 2002); Vol. 19, No. 1 (Jan. 2003); Vol. 19, No. 2 (Mar. 2003); Vol. 19, No. 3 (May 2003); Vol. 19, No. 5 (Sep. 2003); Vol. 19, No. 6 (Nov. 2003); Vol. 20, No. 1 (Jan. 2004); Vol. 20, No. 2 (Mar. 2004); Vol. 20, No. 3 (May 2004).
 * [1891] Browder, Tonya A., Malissa N. Browder, and Glenn R. Zimmerman. Edgefield County, S.C.: Sifting through the Ashes of the 1890 Census. Edgefield, S.C.: Old Edgefield Pub. Co., 2008. [Includes 1891 tax list and 1891 census of Edgefield village.]
 * [1892] Colored School Districts Taxable Poll List, 1892, Quill, Vol. 21, No. 4 (Jul. 2005).
 * [1919] Statistics on Wealth of People and Institutions, 1919, Quill, Vol. 25, No. 3 (May 2009).

Vital Records
Marriage


 * English, Elizabeth D. "Marriage and Death Notices from the Edgefield Hive: Jan.-Dec. 1830, Vol. 1," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 42, No. 1 (Jan., 1941), pp. 25-27. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Death


 * English, Elizabeth D. "Marriage and Death Notices from the Edgefield Hive: Jan.-Dec. 1830, Vol. 1," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 42, No. 1 (Jan., 1941), pp. 25-27. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Family History Centers
Family History Centers in South Carolina

Web Sites

 * Edgefield County, SCGenWeb
 * Edgefield County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Edgefield County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)