Pickens County, South Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for the Revolutionary soldier, Brigadier General Andrew Pickens. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Pickens County Courthouse 214 East Main Street Pickens, SC 29671 Phone: 864-898-5857 Pickens 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

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

Census Records

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

Federal

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

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

1840 Revolutionary War Pensioners
 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C.: Blair and Rives, 1841. ; digital version at Google Books. See South Carolina, Pickens District on page 143.

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

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

1890 1890 United States Census 1890.

Church Records
Baptist
 * Secona - records (1795-1938, 1944-1970) available on microfilm at the University of NC Davis Library.

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Pickens County has court records from 1823 that are held in the office of the Clerk of Court. Pickens County was created from Pendleton County which was a part of the Washington District from 1795 - 1800 and a part of the Ninety-Six District from 1785 - 1795. Pendleton County was abolished in 1826 and the records were transferred to Anderson County. The records ofAnderson County are held in the office of the Clerk of Court for that county. The records for the Ninety-Six District courts are housed in Abbeville County with the Clerk of Court.
 * The South Carolina Archives and History Center has court records available on microfilm for Pickens County and Pendleton District.
 * The Family History Library collection includes books and microfilm regarding court records for Pickens County and for Anderson County.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans United States African Americans South Carolina African Americans Known Pickens County Plantations:
 * Megginson, W.J. Black Soldiers in World War I: Anderson, Pickens and Oconee Counties, South Carolina; with a Discussion of Pensions for Civil War Slave Labor. Seneca, S.C.: Oconee County Historical Society, 1994.
 * Sheriff, G. Anne Campbell. 1850 Federal Slave Census of Pickens District, South Carolina Eastern Division (Present-day Pickens County). Central, S.C.: G.A. Sheriff, 1991.
 * Sheriff, G. Anne Campbell. 1860 Federal Slave Census of Pickens District, South Carolina 5th Regiment (Present-day Pickens County). Central, S.C.: G.A. Sheriff, 1989.
 * Sheriff, G. Anne Campbell, Parcho Baker and Forest Acres Elementary School (Easley, S.C.). Black History in Pickens District, South Carolina. 2 vols. Easley, S.C.: Forest Acres Elementary School, 1991-1993.
 * Cedar Rock
 * Fort Hill - Clemson University
 * Hanover - house originally in Berkeley County
 * Hopewell
 * Keowee
 * Orchard
 * Sleepy Hollow - Pendleton
 * Wisteria - Pickens

Genealogies

 * [Blassingame] Lafo, Susan, Phyllis Harrison, Barbara Bleades, and Larry Tyner. "Blassingame Myths and Facts," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 26, No. 2 (Spring 1998):70-76.
 * [Bolding] Lesley, Agnes Bolding. Bolding Family, Jonathan Lee Bolding 1806-1879, A Pioneer Citizen of the Pea Ridge Section of Pickens County, South Carolina: A History of His Life and Times and of His Many Descendants. Pickens, S.C.: A.B. Lesley, [1956?].
 * [Bowen] Bowen, John McGowan. The Bowen Family, with McGowan and Brooks Lineage, of George's Creek, Pickens County, South Carolina. Atlanta, Ga.: J.M. Bowen, 1962.
 * [Bowen] South Carolina Genealogical Society. Old Pendleton Chapter. Bowen: Pickens County, South Carolina, Family Lines. n.p.: South Carolina Genealogical Society. Old Pendleton Chapter, 200-?.
 * [Brooks] Bowen, John McGowan. The Bowen Family, with McGowan and Brooks Lineage, of George's Creek, Pickens County, South Carolina. Atlanta, Ga.: J.M. Bowen, 1962.
 * [Chastain] Chastain, Victor T. Chastains of Pickens County, South Carolina, 1790-1986: Ten Shilling Bell. Pickens, S.C.: V.T. Chastain, 1986.
 * [Chastain] South Carolina Genealogical Society. Old Pendleton Chapter. Chastain Family: Pickens County, South Carolina. n.p.: South Carolina Genealogical Society. Old Pendleton Chapter, 2002.
 * [Davis] Mentzel, Laura W. Davis Families of the Savannah River Valley: Containing a Record of the Descendants of Van and Harmon Davis from 1725-1978, Covering the Counties of Newberry, Anderson, Pickens, Oconee Counties of South Carolina; Habersham, Franklin, Hart, Stephens, Polk, Paulding, Gwinnett Counties of Georgia. Salt Lake City, Utah: Hobby Press, 1978.
 * [Gillespie] Trimble, David B. Buchanan and Gillespie of Southwest Virginia. Austin, Texas: D.B. Trimble, 1992. Available at.
 * [Kelley] South Carolina Genealogical Society. Old Pendleton Chapter. Kelley Family: Pickens County, South Carolina. n.p.: South Carolina Genealogical Society. Old Pendleton Chapter, 2002.
 * [Langston] Parker, Suzanne Jameson. "Are These the Sons-in-Law &amp; Grandson of William Jameson Sr. &amp; His Wife Margaret of Pendleton District South Carolina?" The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 37, No. 1 (Winter 2009):3-11.
 * [McGowan] Bowen, John McGowan. The Bowen Family, with McGowan and Brooks Lineage, of George's Creek, Pickens County, South Carolina. Atlanta, Ga.: J.M. Bowen, 1962.
 * [Mauldin] South Carolina Genealogical Society. Old Pendleton Chapter. Mauldin Family: Pickens County, South Carolina. 3 vols. 2002.
 * [Prince] Prince, Vivian Christine, Frances Prince Gaddy, and Louis R. Prince. Prince - The Descendants of William Prince (1788-1869) of Union County and Pickens County, South Carolina. n.p.: V.C. Prince, F.P. Gaddy, and L.R. Prince, 1985.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records The following chart show where you may best expect to find land records.
 * Anderson County deeds include the records of former Pendelton District/County

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 Pickens County for European settlers included: Early migration routes to and from Pickens County for European settlers included:
 * Old Cherokee Path pre-historic
 * Lower Cherokee Traders' Path pre-historic
 * Old South Carolina State Road 1747
 * Upper Road about 1783 (overlapped Lower Cherokee Traders' Path)

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

War of 1812
 * List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. ; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, South Carolina, Pickens County, p. 188. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

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

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

Regiments. Civil War service men from Pickens County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were formed in Pickens County or from many of its men.
 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company F
 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Rifles, Company B, Company C, Company E
 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Sharpshooters, Company A (also known the Union Light Infantry and German Fusiliers)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company F (also known as Allen (or Ellen) Hussars) and Company K (had been Company D of 1st South Carolina Cavalry Battalion)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina State Troops Junior Reserves (State Militia), Company D
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Rifles (Orr's), Company A (also known as Kowee Riflemen), Company C (also known as Mountain Boys), Company E (also known as Oconee Riflemen), and Company F (also known as Blue Ridge Rifles)
 * - 2nd Battalion, South Carolina Reserves, Company C (also known as the Spartan Rangers, the Spartanburg Rangers and the Spartan Rangers Independent Cavalry Reserves), Company F, Company H (also known as Captain Kay's Detachment, South Carolina Mounted Reserves and the Palmetto Mounted Infantry)
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina State Troops Junior Reserves (State Militia), Company I, Captain J.C. Cary's Company, Captain Thomas H. Russell's Company, and Captain Daniel Lester's Company
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Rifles, Company B, Company C, Company D, Company E, Company F, Company H, Company I, and Company K
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Militia
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company F (also known as Easley's Cavalry)
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company A (possibly called Captain Easley's Company)
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Light Artillery (Palmetto Battalion), Company G (also known as the DeSaussure Light Artillery and the DePass Light Battery) and Company K (also known as Richardson's Company)
 * - 4th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Rutledge's), Company C
 * - 4th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company E (also known as Calhoun Mountaineers), Company H (also known as Twelve Mile Volunteers), Company I (also known as Pickens Guards), and Company K (sometimes listed as Company I) (also known as Fort Hill Guards)
 * - 5th Battalion, South Carolina Rifles, Company B, Company C, Company D, and Company E
 * - 6th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Aiken's Partisan Rangers) (1st Partisan Rangers), Company A, Company H, and Company K
 * - 7th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company G
 * - 10th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company B
 * - 12th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company G and Company K
 * -13th Battalion, South Carolina Infantry (4th) (Mattison's), Company C
 * - 16th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (Greenville Regiment), Company G
 * - 16th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company A
 * - 20th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company K and Reorganized Company A
 * - 37th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Dunn's Battalion, Partisan Rangers) (Confederate). Company B.

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

Newspapers

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

Historic The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Pickens County, South Carolina on their Chronicling America website. For publication details, including dates of publication, frequency, preceding and succeeding titles, and to find out which libraries have holdings, click on the newspaper title.
 * Highland Sentinel (Calhoun Anderson Dist. [i.e., Calhoun], S.C.) 1840-1843.
 * Keowee Courier (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current.
 * The Carolina Times (Easley, S.C.) 1924-1925.
 * The Clemson News (Clemson, S.C.) 1941-1941.
 * The Easley Messenger (Easley, S.C.) 1883-1891.
 * The Easley Progress (Easley, S.C.) 1902-1972.
 * The Easley Progress (Easley, Pickens County, S.C.) 1978-current.
 * The Monitor (Liberty, S.C.) 1959-current.
 * The People's Journal (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903.
 * The Pickens Sentinel (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903.
 * The Pickens Sentinel (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-current.
 * The Pickens Sentinel-Journal (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1911.
 * The Progress (Easley, Pickens County, S.C.) 1972-1978.
 * The Tri-City Sentinel (Central, S.C.) 1980-1980.

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

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has microfilms or typescripts of wills, inventories, bills of sale, power of attorneys, bonds, notes, administrations, judgments, and sales records. They have placed Will Transcriptions for 1782 to 1855 online. Index searchable by name, and images are available. Estate records for  County, 1828-1865 available on microfilm, with an index that covers 1828-1956.
 * Probate records for Pickens County may be found in the court of ordinary, probate court, and the court of equity. Estate records for the probate court, 1829-1884, available on microfilm through the Family History Library, with an index covering 1828-1956.

Early probate records for Pickens County may be found in Anderson District records. See probate index for these early records at:
 * Chandler Ballard. W.P.A. will transcripts of Pendleton District &amp; Anderson County, S.C., 1790-1857. Walterboro, South Carolina: J.C. Ballard, (1995?).
 * Pickens County Wills, Book A, 1828-1863 (transcripts). See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers
 * Index to Pickens County Wills, 1828-1862 South Carolina Pioneers
 * 1670-1980 South Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1670-1980 at Ancestry.com — index and 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

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

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

Vital Records
Birth, Marriage, and Deaths Substitutes - Indexes


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

Birth

 * 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
Marriage Substitutes - Indexes
 * 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
Online Death Records and Indexes
 * 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.

Family History Centers

 * Anderson South Carolina Family History Center
 * Greenville South Carolina Family History Center
 * Seneca South Carolina Family History Center
 * Spartanburg South Carolina Family History Center


 * Greenville County Library System - an affiliate library
 * High Point Public Library - an affiliate library
 * York County Libraries - Clover - an affiliate library

Libraries
Pickens County Library System
 * Captain Kimberly Hampton Memorial Library 304 Biltmore Road Easley, South Carolina 29640
 * Telephone: Headquarters: 864-850-7077 Reference: ext 112
 * Hours: Mon-Thurs 9:00am-9:00pm, Fri-Sat 9:00am-6:00pm, Sun 2:00pm-6:00pm
 * Collection: The Mary Oates Gregorie Historical Room houses a non-circulating collection of local family histories, newspapers, photographs and other genealogy and history resources.

The Pickens County Library System has three additional branches:
 * Central-Clemson Regional Branch
 * 105 Commons Way
 * Central, SC 29630
 * Telephone: 864-639-2711
 * Hours: Mon-Thurs 9:00am-9:00pm, Fri 9:00am-6:00pm, Sat 9:00am-4:00pm, Sun 2:30pm-5:30pm


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


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

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

Research Resources Website Library Catalog Website

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

Library Catalog Website

Pendleton District Commission Research Room and Special Collections
 * PO Box 565
 * 120 History Lane (temporarily)
 * Pendleton, SC 29670

Facebook Website
 * Collection: Local and family history books, genealogical reference materials, cemetery surveys, periodicals, photographs, and both family and local history files, correspondence, business records, family bibles, and scrapbooks for Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties.

Societies

 * Old Pendleton District South Carolina Genealogical Society Chapter P.O. Box 603 Central, SC 29630-0603 E-mail: [mailto:claytonroom@swi.edu claytonroom@swi.edu] Website
 * Old Pendleton District includes Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties.


 * Pickens County Historical Society P.O. Box 775 Pickens, SC 29671 864.878.1322 E-mail: [mailto:pickenscohistory@gmail.com pickenscohistory@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Pickens County SCGenWeb
 * Pickens County at Our Family Tree
 * South Carolina Pioneers


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