Barnwell County, South Carolina Genealogy

United States South Carolina  Barnwell County

Quick 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 South Carolina County Maps and Atlases.

County Seat
The county seat of Barnwell County is Barnwell.

County Pronunciation
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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 Family History Archives;

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

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. 975.77 X2j

1810

 * Jarrell, Lawrence E. Early Barnwell, South Carolina Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. 975.77 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 Charleston County residents. FamilySearch has not independently verified the lineages of those tested.

Genealogy
More than 40 genealogies have been published about Barnwell County families. To view a list, visit Barnwell County, South Carolina Genealogy.

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 show 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. The years 1789 to 1851 have been microfilmed: 23282 ff.

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.

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 Caroliniana Library, Manning Collection (Columbia, South Carolina); Daughters of the American Revolution, General John Barnwell Chapter (South Carolina); Daughters os 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 Caroliniana Library, Manning Collection (Columbia, South Carolina); Daughters of the American Revolution, General John Barnwell Chapter (South Carolina); Daughters os 1812 (South Carolina). Manning Collection, Barnwell County, South Carolina records, 1717-1965. Columbia, South Carolina : South Caroliniana 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 ser.

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 Caroliniana Library, Manning Collection (Columbia, South Carolina); Daughters of the American Revolution, General John Barnwell Chapter (South Carolina); Daughters os 1812 (South Carolina). Manning Collection, Barnwell County, South Carolina records, 1717-1965. Columbia, South Carolina : South Caroliniana 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 ser.
 * Short history of South Car. 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 cont.] Family histories (to p. 187) ...... 1735-1961

Civil War
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 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 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), Companies E and K
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Artillery, Company B
 * - 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)
 * - 14th Regiment, South Carolina Militia, Company A and B
 * - 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 Barwell County Courthouse in South Carolina. WIlls 1787-1865 and index 1779-1950.

Inventroies, 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 typescrip at Barnwell County courthouse in Barnwell, South Carolina.

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

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.

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
 * 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


 * 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.

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