Colleton County, South Carolina Genealogy

United States South Carolina Colleton County

Guide to  ancestry, family history and genealogy court records, deeds, maps, immigration, maps, military records, newspapers, obituaries, plantations, probate records, slaves, local archives, libraries, museums, churches, cemeteries, and Civil War records.


 * Not to be confused with the Colleton County that existed 1682-1768.
 * Not to be confused with the Colleton County that existed 1785-1791.

County in South Carolina.

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

County Courthouse
Colleton County Courthouse 101 Hampton Street Walterboro, SC 29488

Colleton County Probate Court 188 N. Walter Street P.O. Box 1036 Walterboro, SC 29488 Phone: 843-549-7216 Marriage and probate records

Colleton County Clerk of Court 101 Hampton Street P.O. Box 620 Walterboro, SC 29488 Phone: 843-549-5791 Court and land records

Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday

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

Parent County/Boundary Changes

 * 1682 - Colleton created as one of the original Proprietary Counties of South Carolina.
 * 1706 - Parishes created within the borders of Berkeley County included St. Bartholomews and St. Pauls.
 * 1717 - St. George Dorchester Parish created frm the St. Pauls Parish within Colleton's borders.
 * 1733 - County boundaries extended inland.
 * 1734 - St. Johns Colleton Parish created from St. Pauls Parish within Colleton's borders.
 * 1769 - Counties eliminated in favor of Districts. Colleton became a part of Charleston District.
 * 1785 - A new version of Colleton County (covering a different area) created within Charleston District. Never became functional.
 * 1800 - Non-functioning Colleton County abolished. Colleton District created from Charleston (with different boundaries).
 * 1816 - Colleton gained from Charleston District.
 * 1868 - Colleton and all other districts became counties.
 * 1897 - Dorchester created from Berkeley and Colleton Counties.
 * 1911 - Charleston gained from Colleton County.
 * 1919 - Bamberg gained from Colleton County.
 * 1920 - Bamberg gained from Colleton County.
 * 1975 - Colleton gained from Charleston County.
 * 1987 - Colleton gained from Charleston County.

For more information as well as maps of Colleton 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 Colleton County is Walterboro.

County Pronunciation
.

Record Loss
Records were evacuated to Columbia in February 1865, where fire destroyed them. Virtually no pre-1865 records survived. Deeds have suffered heavy losses.

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

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

African Americans
Colleton County, South Carolina African Americans

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

Census
1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Colleton 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.

1800


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

1810


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

1820


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

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

DNA
DNA has been collected from men claiming descent from the following Colleton 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 Colleton, South Carolina at World Connect, results in more than 20,000 entries.

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

Message Boards

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

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 Colleton County:


 * Some deeds for Colleton County may be found in Barnwell County.

Deeds
Antebellum deed books are lost; however, a guide has been published to help researchers study the pre-Civil War period:


 * McElligott, Carroll Ainsworth and Ronald J. McElligott. A Guide to the Pre-Civil War Land Records of Colleton County, South Carolina: Abstracts of Land Records Executed Prior to 1 January 1866 from the Direct Index to Deeds, 1865-1974. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 2000. 975.795 R2m

Plats For State Land Grants 1784-1868 For information about the State Land Grants, see State Land Grants

Local Histories

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

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Colleton County for European settlers included:


 * Atlantic Ocean about 1670
 * Fort Moore-Charleston Trail about 1716
 * Charleston-Savannah Trail (an extension of the King's Highway) late 1730s

French and Indian War

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

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, Colleton County, p. 184. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Revolutionary War

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

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 Colleton County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies and regiments that were formed with many men from Colleton County:


 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina State Troops Junior Reserves (State Militia), Company I
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Mounted Militia,
 * - Campbell's Company (also known as Marion Scouts or Marion Troop)
 * - Earnest's Company (also known as Marion Rangers or Marion Troop)
 * - Green's Company (also known as Salkehatchie Guerrillas)
 * - D. B. Heyward's Company (also known as Marion Men of Combahee)
 * - King's Company (also known as St. Paul's Home Guard or St. Paul's Mounted Men)
 * - Oswald's Company (also known as Grey Riders of St. Bartholomew's)
 * - Scott's Company (also known as St. Paul Rangers)
 * - Smith's Company (also known as Beech Hill Rangers)
 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company E (also known as James D. Trezevant's Cavalry and Fort Motte Rangers) and Company I (also known as J.R.P. Cavalry and Round O Troop)
 * -2nd Battalion, South Carolina Reserves, Company C (also known as the Spartan Rangers, the Spartanburg Rangers and the Spartan Rangers Independent Cavalry Reserves)
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company B (also known as Beaufort Detachment, Hampton Legion, Beaufort District Troop, Beaufort Dragoons)
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina State Troops Junior Reserves (State Militia), Company F
 * - 2nd Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry Reserves, Company B (also known as the Marion Men of Combahee), Calhoon Minute Men (also known as the Calhoon Mounted Men and Martin's Company, South Carolina Volunteers), and possibly the Colleton Rangers
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina State Troops (6 months 1863-64), Company D and Company H
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company D (also known as the Wassamassaw Cavalry or Wassa Massaw Rangers)
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Light Artillery (Palmetto Battalion), Company F (also known as the Chestnut Light Artillery)
 * - 3rd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry,
 * - Company A (also known as the Marion Men of Combahee)
 * - Company B (also known as the Colleton Rangers)
 * - Company E (also known as the Calhoun Mounted Men or Calhoun Minute Men)
 * - Company F (also known as the St. Peter's Guards)
 * - Company I (also known as the Rebel Troops)
 * - 4th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Rutledge's), Company G
 * - 5th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Ferguson's), Company C
 * - 5th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves (90 days 1862-63), Company F
 * - 6th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Aiken's Partisan Rangers) (1st Partisan Rangers), Company B and Company H
 * - 7th Battalion, South Carolina Infantry (Nelson's) (Enfield Rifles), Company E
 * - 7th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company B and Company G
 * - 8th Battalion, South Carolina Reserves (Stalling's), Company B
 * - 10th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company C
 * - 11th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (9th Volunteers), Company B, Company G, Company H, and Company K
 * - 11th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves(90 days 1862-63), Company C, Company I, and Company K
 * - 16th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company B
 * - 24th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company C and Company E

Newspapers
Historic

The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Colleton County, South Carolina on their Chronicling America website. For publication details, including dates of publication, frequency, preceding and succeeding titles, and to find out which libraries have holdings, click on the newspaper title.


 * The Colleton and Beaufort Sun (Walterboro, S.C.) 1859-186?.
 * The Colleton Democrat (Walterboro, S.C.) 1877-1880.
 * The Colleton News (Walterboro, S.C.) 1908-1911.
 * The Colleton Press (Walterboro, S.C.) 1880-1890.
 * The Colleton Standard (Walterboro, S.C.) 1889-1890.
 * The Press and Standard (Walterboro, S.C.) 1890-current.
 * The Southern Star (Walterboro, S.C.) 1885-1887.
 * The Walterboro News (Walterboro, S.C.) 1873-1877.

Current

Colleton County Newspaper Index

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:


 * Rice Planter
 * 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.


 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Colleton County proved in London, see place-name index. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

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.


 * South Carolina Department of Archives and History tax lists for Colleton County.

Published abstracts:

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

Vital Records
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 Colleton 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.

Births and Birth Substitutes - Indexes


 * 1766-1900 - at FamilySearch — images
 * 1873-2011 - The Press and Standard Newspaper index online by the Colleton County Public Library - index, includes birth, marriage, and death notices

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 Colleton 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 and Marriage Substitutes - Indexes and Records


 * 1873-2011 - The Press and Standard Newspaper index online by the Colleton County Public Library - index, includes birth, marriage, and death notices
 * 1911-1951 - Colleton County, South Carolina Marriage Licenses, ca. July 1911-Jan. 1951  - records only
 * 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 Colleton 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 and Death Substitutes - Indexes and Records


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

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

Family History Centers

 * Walterboro South Carolina Family History Center

Museums

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

Societies - Genealogical, Historical, Lineage

 * Old St Bartholomew Chapter SCGS Mailing Address: 418 Wichman Street (mailing address) Walterboro SC 29488-2922 Physical address 609 Black Street Walterboro SC 29488
 * Colleton County Genealogical Society 125 Wade Hampton Ave Walterboro SC 29488 source: Society Hill

Web Sites

 * Colleton County, SC History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
 * Colleton County, SCGenWeb
 * Colleton County, South Carolina (Government Site) Includes Property and Tax Search for recent residents
 * Colleton County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Colleton County, South Carolina, courtesy: Carolana.com. Includes history.
 * Colleton County, South Carolina, courtesy: Carolana.com. Includes history.