Darlington County, South Carolina Genealogy

United States  South Carolina  Darlington County

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

County Courthouse
Darlington County Courthouse 1100 Courthouse Square Darlington, SC 29532

Darlington County Probate Court 1 Public Square, 2nd Floor, Room 208 Darlington, SC 29532 Phone: 834-398-4310 Marriage and probate records

Darlington County Clerk of Court 1 Public Square, Room B-4 Darlington, SC 29532 Phone: 843-398-4330 Court records and register of deeds.

History
Tradition indicates that the Darlington County was named after the town of Darlington in Durham County, England. Other possible sources of the name include Colonel Darlington of the Revolutionary War. In 1736 and 1737, two large land grants along the Pee Dee River were set aside to attract Welsh Baptists from Delaware to settle in the region. A large percentage of present day Darlington County lie within the limits of these two large land grants. Learn more about the history of Darlington County from the South Carolina State Library or from Carolana.com.

Parent County/Boundary Changes

 * 1785 - Thirty-three counties were created within existing South Carolina Districts. Darlington County was created within Cheraws District.
 * 1800 - Darlington was re-christened a district and Cheraws District was abolished.
 * 1868 - Darlington and all other districts became counties.
 * 1888 - Florence created from Clarendon, Darlington, Marion, and Williamsburg Counties.
 * 1889 - Darlington gained from Florence County.
 * 1898 - Lee created from Darlington, Kershaw, and Sumter Counties.
 * 1899 - Lee County abolished when the creation act was declared unconstitutional.
 * 1902 - Lee recreated from Darlington, Kershaw, and Sumter Counties.

For more information as well as maps of Darlington County through time, see South Carolina County Maps and Atlases.

County Seat
The county seat of Darlington County is Darlington.

County Pronunciation
.

Record Loss
A courthouse fire on 19 March 1806 destroyed most of Darlington's records with the exception of early probate files; this fire also destroyed the early records of Cheraw judicial district. The negligence of a local district ordinary also resulted in the subsequent destruction of a portion of loose probate papers.

Neighboring Counties
Chesterfield | Florence | Kershaw | Lee | Marlboro

Research Guides

 * South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Darlington County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
 * Andrews, John L., Brent H. Holcomb, Horace Fraser Rudisill et al. Eleven Guidelines for Beginning and Continuing South Carolina Genealogical Research, Documenting Your Confederate Ancestors in South Carolina, &amp;, Darlington County, S.C. Genealogical Research. Audio tapes. Hartsville, S.C., 1997.

African Americans
United States African Americans South Carolina African Americans

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

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

1800

 * Ham, Rembert V. 1800 Darlington District, South Carolina Census. Jacksonville, Fla.: R.V. and Mrs. Ham, 1974. 975.766 X2h 1800

1810

 * Foxworth, W.K. 1810 Darlington District, South Carolina Census. 1997. 975.766 X2d 1810

1820

 * Foxworth, W.K. 1820 Darlington District, South Carolina Census. 1997. 975.766 X2d 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.]

1830

 * Foxworth, W.K. 1830 Darlington District, South Carolina Census. 1997. 975.766 X2d 1830

1840

 * Foxworth, W.K. 1840 Darlington District, South Carolina Census. 1998. 975.766 X2d 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. 973 X2pc 1840;  2321; digital version at Google Books. [See South Carolina, Darlington District on page 143.]

1850

 * Altman, Peggy B. 1850 Census of Darlington County, South Carolina. 975.766 X2c 1850
 * Rudisill, Horace Fraser. 1850 Occupational Census of Darlington County, South Carolina. Darlington, S.C.: Darlington County Historical Commission, 2000?. 975.766 X2rh 1850

1860

 * Rudisill, Horace Fraser. 1860 Census of Darlington District, South Carolina. Hemingway, S.C.: Three Rivers Historical Society (South Carolina), n.d. 975.766 X2r 1860

1870

 * Hewitt, Janet Dean. 1870 Census of Darlington County. Florence, S.C.: J. Hewitt, 2001. 975.766 X2hj 1870

1880

 * Darlington County Historical Commission. 1880 Census Index of Darlington District, South Carolina. 975.766 X22c 1880
 * Hewitt, Janet Dean. 1880 Census, Darlington County. 2 vols. 2000. 975.766 X2hj 1880 v. 1

1900

 * Foxworth, W.K. and Janet Dean Hewitt. 1900 Census, Darlington County. 2 vols. 975.766 X2f 1900 v. 1

Church of England (Anglican, Episcopal)
See St. David's Parish, South Carolina

Methodist
The following Darlington County church records have been indexed on the International Genealogical Index:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Darlington
 * Hartsville
 * Society Hill

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

Genealogy
More than 45 genealogies have been published about Darlington County families. To view a list, visit Darlington County, South Carolina Genealogy.

Deeds
Some early deeds have been lost. Surviving records, which are kept at the county courthouse, begin in the year 1806. The years 1806 to 1869 have been microfilmed:.

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

 * Gregg, Alexander. History of the Old Cheraws : Containing an Account of the Aborigines of the Pedee, the First White Settlements, their Subsequent Progress, Civil Changes, the Struggle of the Revolution, and the Growth of the Country Afterward, Extending from About A.D. 1730 to 1810 with Notices of Families and Sketches of Individuals   (Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Pub. Co., 1967 ), 629 pages. Book at
 * Ervin, Eliza Cowan. Darlingtoniana : A History of People, Places and Events in Darlington County, South Carolina (Spartanburg, South Carolina : Reprint Co., 1997, c1964), 507 pages. Book found at and Other Libraries

General

 * "Twenty-ninth regiment divisions, 1834," Darlington Flag, Spring 2000, Volume 12, Issue 2. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "Capt. John Hitchcock co. muster roll, 1759-60," Darlington Flag Summer 1994, Volume 6, Issue 3. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "Lide's Co. expedition to Ft. Prince George, 1759," Darlington Flag, Spring 1994, Volume 6, Issue 2.Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "Militia roll, 1847," Darlington Flag, Summer 1991, Volume 3, Issue 3.Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "Militia muster roll, 1847," Darlington Flag, Spring 1991, Volume 3, Issue 2. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.

French and Indian War

 * "Weaver's co. to Ft. Prin. Geo.," Darlington Flag Spring 1995, Volume 7, Issue 2. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, 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, Darlington County, p. 184. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
 * "Capt. Bigham's Co., muster roll, 1812," Three Rivers Chronicle, March 1996, Volume 17, Issue 1. Three Rivers Historical Society : Hemingway, SC.
 * "Muster roll, 1812," Darlington Flag, Winter 1991, Volume 3, Issue 1. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "War of 1812 muster roll, Darlington dist.," Darlington Flag, Fall 1990, Volume 2, Issue 4. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "War of 1812 muster roll, Darlington dist.," Darlington Flag, Summer 1990, Volume 2, Issue 3. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "War of 1812 muster roll, Darlington dist.," Darlington Flag, Spring 1990, Volume 2, Issue 2. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "War of 1812 muster roll, Darlington dist.," Darlington Flag, Winter 1990, Volume 2, Issue 1. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "Militia records of war of 1812," South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Winter 1985, Volume 13, Issue 1. Brent Holcomb : Columbia, SC. Book 975.7 B2sc.

Revolutionary War

 * "Militia petition, 1792," Darlington Flag, Spring 1999, Volume 11, Issue 2. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "Geo. King claim, 1837," Darlington Flag, Summer 1998, Volume 10, Issue 3. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.
 * "Tories hanged in 1779," Darlington Flag, Spring 1993, Volume 5, Issue 2. Old Darlington District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Hartsville, SC.

Civil War
Civil War service men from Darlington 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 Darlington County or from many of its men.


 * - 4th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Rutledge's)
 * - Company A (may have been known as Charleston Light Dragoons)
 * - Company E
 * - 7th Battalion, South Carolina Reserves (Ward's), Company A - Roster


 * Brunson, Joseph Woods. Pee Dee Light Artillery of Maxcy Gregg's (Later Samuel McGowan's) Brigade, First South Carolina Volunteers (infantry) C. S. A., a Historical Sketch and Roster (University, Alabama : Confederate Pub., c1983), 60 pages. Includes rosters of the three Pee Dee infantry companies (from Darlington, Horry and Marion counties) which were supported by the Pee Dee artillery. The battery was officially Company D of the 1st South Carolina regiment. Book found at and Other Libraries.
 * South Carolina Genealogical Society. Old Darlington District Chapter. War Between the States Veterans (Hartsville, South Carolina : Old Darlington District Chapter, SCGS, c2002), 293 pages. Photographs, priviate and personal information on Civil War veterans. In addition to today's Darlington County, the District also included parts of today's Florence and Lee counties. Neighboring counties are also represented. Book found at and Other Libraries.

Newspapers
Historic

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


 * Hartsville Messenger (Hartsville, S.C.) 1908-current.
 * The Builder (Darlington, S.C.) 1924-1926.
 * The County Messenger (Darlington, S.C.) 1898-1907.
 * The Daily Index (Darlington, S.C.) 1896-1896.
 * The Daily Observer (Darlington, S.C.) 1912-1912.
 * The Daily Record (Darlington, S.C.) 1896-1896.
 * The Darlington County Tribune (Hartsville, S.C.) 1972-1979.
 * The Darlington Democrat (Darlington, S.C.) 1868-1871.
 * The Darlington Flag (Darlington C.H., S.C.) 1851-1861.
 * The Darlington Herald (Darlington, S.C.) 1890-1895.
 * The Darlington Index (Darlington C.H., S.C.) 1871-187?.
 * The Darlington News (Darlington, S.C.) 1875-1909.
 * The Darlington Press (Darlington, S.C.) 1906-1909.
 * The Darlington Southerner (Darlington, S.C.) 1859-1883.
 * The Darlington Vindicator (Darlington, S.C.) 1884-1886.
 * The Darlingtonian (Darlington, S.C.) 1895-1902.
 * The Family Friend (Darlington, S.C.) 1857-1857.
 * The Hartsville Messenger (Hartsville, S.C.) 1893-1898.
 * The Hartsville News (Hartsville, S.C.) 1938-1938.
 * The New Era (Darlington, S.C.) 1865-1866.
 * The New Era (Darlington, S.C.) 1903-1906.
 * The News and Press (Darlington, S.C.) 1909-current.
 * The Pee Dee Watchman (Darlington Court House, S.C.) 1877-1879.
 * The Reform Sentinel (Darlington, S.C.) 1893-1895.
 * The Society Hill News (Society Hill, S.C.) 1910-1911.

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:


 * Darlington Flag
 * 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.

Estate, Wills and Letters of Administration, 1791-1895; index, 1791-1905. Darlington County, South Carolina. Darlington Couty, South Carolina, Judge of Probate.

Published abstracts

 * [1783-1787] General Tax Collection List, Parish of St. David, 1783-1787, Darlington Flag, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Winter 2008).
 * [1801] Tax Executions, 1801, Darlington Flag, Vol. 13, No. 4 (Fall 2001).
 * [1803] Tax Executions List of Sundry Persons, 1803, Darlington Flag, Vol. 13, No. 3 (Summer 2001).
 * [1814] Tax Executions, 1814, Darlington Flag, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Winter 2002).
 * [1821] Tax Executions, 1821, Darlington Flag, Vol. 13, No. 2 (Spring 2001).
 * [1823] Tax List, 1823, M, Darlington Flag, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Spring 1996).
 * [1824] Tax Returns, 1824, Darlington, Darlington Flag, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Spring 1994).
 * [1824] Darlington Tax Returns, 1824, Darlington Flag, Vol. 13, No. 4 (Fall 2001).
 * [1847] Tax Executions, 1847, Darlington Flag, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Spring 2002).
 * [1857-1860] Tax Executions, 1857-1860, Darlington Flag, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Summer 2003).
 * [1861-1863] Darlington Tax Executions, 1861-1863, Darlington Flag, Vol. 15, No. 4 (Fall 2003).

The Soldier's Board of Relief levied an annual tax which was used for the relief of families of soldiers who had volunteered in the service of South Carolina or the Confederacy. Published abstracts:


 * [1863-1864] Confederate Tax Returns, 1863-1864, Darlington Flag, Vol. 17, No. 4 (Fall 2005); Vol. 18, No. 1 (Winter 2006); Vol. 18, No. 2 (Spring 2006); Vol. 18, No. 3 (Summer 2006); Vol. 18, No. 4 (Fall 2006); Vol. 19, No. 1 (Winter 2007); Vol. 19, No. 2 (Spring 2007)
 * [1863-1864] Woods, Samuel Alexander, Horace W. Rudisill, and Walter DuBose Woods. Papers of the Soldiers' Board of Relief, Darlington District, 1863-1864. Columbia, S.C.: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 197-..


 * [1865] Freemen, Darlington Tax List, 1865, Darlington Flag, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Spring 2002).
 * [1864-1865] Freedman Returns, 1865, Darlington Flag, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Winter 1995); Vol. 7, No. 2 (Spring 1995); Vol. 7, No. 3 (Summer 1995); Vol. 7, No. 4 (Fall 1995); Vol. 8, No. 1 (Winter 1996).
 * List of Forfeited Lands During Reconstruction, Darlington Flag, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Winter 2001).
 * Letters for Tax Relief to Board of Equalization, Darlington Flag, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Winter 2001).

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 Darlington 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 Darlington 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


 * Extracts from Darlington, South Carolina Newspapers by Robert M. DeFee WorldCat - Index
 * 1851-1861 - Genealogical Extracts from the Darlington Flag: Miscellaneous Issues from 1851-1861 by Robert M. DeFee WorldCat - index
 * 1860-1876 - Extracts from Darlington, South Carolina Newspapers: the Civil War and Reconstruction by Robert M. Defee and John L. Andress, Jr. WorldCat - index
 * 1877-1879 - Genealogical Extracts from the Pee Dee Watchman, 1877-1878 &amp; the Darlington News, 1878-1879 by Robert M. DeFee WorldCat - index
 * 1885-1889 - Genealogical Extracts from the Darlington News, 1885-1889 by Robert M. DeFee WorldCat - index
 * 1890-1894 - Genealogical Extracts from the Darlington Herald, July 16, 1890 through November 2, 1894 by Robert M. DeFee WorldCat- index
 * 1890-1895 - Deaths and Marriages from the Darlington News, 1890-1895 WorldCat - index
 * 1911-1950 - Darlington County, South Carolina Marriage Licenses,1911-1950 - records only
 * 1941-1973 - Darlington County, South Carolina Marriage Registers, 1941-1973 - index and records
 * 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 Darlington 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


 * Extracts from Darlington, South Carolina Newspapers by Robert M. DeFee WorldCat - Index
 * 1851-1861 - Genealogical Extracts from the Darlington Flag: Miscellaneous Issues from 1851-1861 by Robert M. DeFee WorldCat - index
 * 1860-1876 - Extracts from Darlington, South Carolina Newspapers: the Civil War and Reconstruction by Robert M. Defee and John L. Andress, Jr. WorldCat - index
 * 1877-1879 - Genealogical Extracts from the Pee Dee Watchman, 1877-1878 &amp; the Darlington News, 1878-1879 by Robert M. DeFee WorldCat - index
 * 1885-1889 - Genealogical Extracts from the Darlington News, 1885-1889 by Robert M. DeFee WorldCat - index
 * 1890-1894 - Genealogical Extracts from the Darlington Herald, July 16, 1890 through November 2, 1894 by Robert M. DeFee WorldCat- index
 * 1890-1895 - Deaths and Marriages from the Darlington News, 1890-1895 WorldCat - index
 * 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.

Archives, Libraries, and Museums
Darlington County Library System The Darlington County Library System operates four branches with the administration offices located in Darlington.


 * Darlington Library Address: 204 N. Main St. Darlington, SC 29532 Phone: (843) 398-4940 Fax: (843) 398-4942 Hours: Monday -Thursday 9am-8pm, Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 10am-2pm, Sunday 2pm-5pm
 * Hartsville Library Address: 147 W. College Ave. Hartsville, SC 29550 Phone: (843) 332-5115 Fax: (843) 332-7071 Hours: Monday -Thursday 9am-8pm, Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 10am-2pm, Sunday 2pm-5pm
 * Lamar Library Address: 103 East Main St. Lamar, SC 29069 Phone: (843) 326-5524 Fax: (843) 326-7302 Hours: Monday - Thursday 10 am - 7 pm, Friday - 10 am - 5 pm,Saturday 10 am - 2 pm
 * Society Hill Library Address: 473 S. Main St. Society Hill, SC 29593 Phone: (843) 378-0026 Fax: (843) 378-0026 Hours: Monday-Thursday 12:00 - 2:30pm - 3pm 8pm, Friday 12:00 - 2:30pm - 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Societies - Genealogical, Historical, Lineage
Old Darlington Chapter SCGS P.O. Box 175 Hartsville SC 29551-1075 Darlington County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 175 Hartsville SC 29551 Source: Society Hill  Darlington County Historical Commission 204 Hewitt Street Darlington SC 29532 843-398-4710 Contact: DCHC1968J@Juno.com

Family History Centers
Family History Centers in South Carolina

Web Sites

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