Sumter County, South Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
Sumter County was named for Thomas Sumter. The county is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Sumter County Courthouse 215 North Harvin Street Sumter, SC 29150 Phone: 803-436-2227 Sumter 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 list, see Sumter County, South Carolina Cemeteries.
 * National Cemetery Administration

Census Records

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

1820 Manufactures The original manufactures schedules for South Carolina are kept at the NARA, Washington, D.C. FS Library copies: 1024517 - 1024518.
 * National Archives. Indexes to Manufacturers Census of 1820, 1964.

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 Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C.: Blair and Rives, 1841. 973 X2pc 1840; . Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See South Carolina, Sumter District on page 142.

1850
 * Teel, Dorothy Owens and Three Rivers Historical Society. 1850 Census, Sumter District, South Carolina. Hemingway, S.C.: n.p., 1983. 975.769 X2t 1850

1860
 * Teel, Dorothy Owens and Three Rivers Historical Society. 1860 Census, Sumter District, South Carolina. Hemingway, S.C.: n.p., 1983. 975.769 X2t 1860

1870
 * Hughes, Nancy Phillips. 1870 Census Sumter County, South Carolina. Sumter, S.C.: Sumter County Genealogical Society, 1997. 975.769 X2h 1870

Church Records
Church of England See also St. Mark's Parish.
 * Burgess, James M. Chronicles of St. Mark's Parish, Santee Circuit, and Williamsburg Township, South Carolina. Columbia, S.C.: Charles A. Calvo, Jr., Printer, 1888. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust.
 * Church of the Holy Cross, Stateburg, South Carolina describes the parish records held by the South Carolina Historical Society.

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

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records Sumter County has court records from 1795 that are held in the office of the Clerk of Court. Sumter County was formed from Clarendon, Claremont and Salem Counties in 1800 and was a part of the Camden District from 1785 - 1800. The records of the Camden District courts are housed in Kershaw County with the Clerk of Court.There was a record loss in 1801 which destroyed records of Clarendon and Old Claremont Counties. The records are fragmented. The South Carolina Archives and History Center has court records available on microfilm for Sumter County. The FamilySearch Library collection includes books and microfilm regarding court records for Sumter County.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans Sumter County, South Carolina African Americans

Genealogies

 * [Andrews] Andrews, Robert W. The Life and Adventures of Capt. Robert W. Andrews, of Sumter, South Carolina: Extending Over a Period of 97 Years Replete with Startling Situations and Interesting Incidents. Together with Reminiscences of the War of 1812, and the Recent Unpleasantness Between the North and South. Boston: E.P. Whitcomb, 1887.
 * [Atkinson] Andrea, Leonardo. "Folder No. 25. James Atkinson of Sumter Co.," Genealogical Folders in the Leonardo Andrea Collection. MSS. Microfilmed 1974..
 * [Birchmore] Phelps, Dallas LeRoy. Birchmore Families of Sumter County, South Carolina. Camden, S.C.: D.L. Phelps, 1996. Item 5
 * [Bradford] Gottschalk, Kathrine Cox. Descendants of John Bradford, Sr. of Sumter District, South Carolina. Typescript, microfilmed 1976.
 * [Brunson] Brunson, Ray D. and Jean Brunson. Brunson Descendants of John and Hannah Brownson of South Carolina Notes on Brunsons of St. Mark's Parish/Old Sumter District, South Carolina, Brunsons from South Carolina to Other States, the Sons of John and Hannah Brownson. Lafayette, La.: R. &amp; J. Brunson, 1991.
 * [Coker] Thigpen, Cynthia Jones. "Thomas Coker of Wilcox County, Alabama," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 33, No. 1 (Winter 2005):19-27.
 * [Compton] Thomas Heflin. A Record of the Brunson-Capps-Tisdale &amp; Johnson Families of Crenshaw County, Alabama. Inverness, Fla.: T.H. Compton, 1983. . Treats several Sumter County families
 * [Cooper] Andrea, Leonardo. Cooper. Typescript, National Library, D.A.R. Microfilmed 1971..
 * [DuBose] Paunov, Catherine Pennington. "Captain David DuBose," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 29, No. 2 (Spring 2001):72-78.
 * [Durant] Andrea, Leonardo. Durant. Typescript, Polk County Historical Library, Bartow, Fla. Microfilmed 1975:.
 * [Fullwood] Fullwood, Michael D. The Fullwood Family Being a Genealogy of the Fullwood Family in the United States and Its English Antecedents and the Pedigree of the Author Including All Collateral Families. Ancram, N.Y.: M.D. Fullwood, 1992..
 * [Geddings] Record Book of Edward Geddings of Privateer and Sumter, South Carolina and His Descendants Geddings, McLeod, Jennings, Parker, Pritchard, Turner and Treasure. MSS., microfilmed 1975. Item 14
 * [Guignard], Arney R. Planters and Business Men: The Guignard Family of South Carolina, 1795-1930. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, 1957..
 * [Haynsworth] Haynsworth, Hugh Charles. Haynsworth-Furman and Allied Families (Including Ancestry and Descendants of Sarah Morse Haynsworth). Sumter, S.C.: Osteen Publishing Co., 1942..
 * [Holloman] McCaskill, Ollie Andrew and Dixie Miller McCaskill. The Holloman Genealogy of North and South Carolina, 1811-1983. Irmo, S.C.: A. &amp; D. McCaskill, 1983..
 * [Houston] Glenn, Thomas Allen. William Churchill Houston, 1746-1788 ... Norristown, Pa.: T.A. Glenn, 1903..
 * [Jones] Terrar, Edward. Family History Information About Charles H. Jones (1833-1895) and Elizabeth Margaret David Jones (1831-1887) and Related Watts/David/Stafford/Macon/Brown/Benson Families in Sumter County, South Carolina. Silver Spring, Md.: E. Terrar, 1988.
 * [Kelley] Kelley, Mary Sutherland. Simon Kelley Sr. 1787-1852 and Descendants. Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint Company Publishers, 2006..
 * [Lee] Lee, Richard D. Lees, Whites, McCords and Doziers. Typescript, 1901..
 * [Locklair] Brown, Gerald D. A Genealogy of a Locklair Family Mainly of the Old Sumter District of South Carolina - Present Day Sumter and Lee Counties. Hemingway, S.C.: Three Rivers Historical Society, 1995.
 * [McKenzie] Brown, Gerald D. Descendants of Daniel and Rebecca McKenzie Old Williamsburg/Sumter Districts of South Carolina. Hemingway, S.C.: Three Rivers Historical Society, 1995.
 * [Mellett] Mellett Family Records. MSS..
 * [Pettypool] Hartsough, Carolyn S. "The William Pettypool Family of Southside Virginia: Lineage Reconstruction Based on Current Review of Evidence," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 47, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2003):57-75; Vol. 47, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2003):139-146. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($);.
 * [Player] Player, Hubert E. Player Genealogical Records, 1759-1974. MSS. Microfilmed 1979:.
 * [Prescott] Prescott, Adell Taylor. The Ancestors and Descendants of Benjamin Prescott of North Carolina and Sumter District, South Carolina Born ca.1752, Died Prior to 1830. Greenville, N.C.: A.T. Prescott, 1980.
 * [Vaughan] Vaughan, Terry. Bloodgames: The Story of the Vaughans, a Southern Family, and Its Neighbors. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1998..
 * [Watts] True, Charles Wesley. Alexander McIntosh Watts &amp; Martha Dandridge Spann. Hamilton, Texas: C.W. True, 1997..
 * [Welch] Welch, Brian E. Welch Records in Sumter District and Other Areas of South Carolina. Columbia, S.C.: B.E. Welch, 1995.
 * [West] Scott, Karen West. Genealogy and Family History of the William Nelson West (1775-1846) Family. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1998..

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records 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.

The following chart shows where you may best expect to find land records. *Sumter District records destroyed by fire 27 Nov 1801

Local Histories
The county is named after General Thomas Sumter (1734-1832).


 * Gregorie, Anne King. History of Sumter County, South Carolina. Sumter, S.C.: Library Board of Sumter County, 1954. 975.769 H2g.
 * Review:
 * by Jack Kenny Williams in The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 56, No. 1 (Jan. 1955):56-57. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

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 Sumter County for European settlers included:
 * Camden-Charleston Path 1732

Military Records
Revolutionary War
 * "Jasper Redden McCoy, Revolution, Scapo Swamp exploit legend, SC," Periodical Bay Area Genealogical Society Newsletter, February 2005, Volume 4, Issue 6. Bay Area Genealogical Society: Houston, TX.
 * "Pensioners census, 1840," Sumter Black River Watchman, October 2003, Volume 19, Issue 7. Sumter County Genealogical Society: Sumter, SC.
 * "Adam Cusack execution, 1780," Sumter Black River Watchman, September 2002, Issue 6. Sumter County Genealogical Society: Sumter, SC.
 * "Loyalists," Sumter Black River Watchman, March 2000. Sumter County Genealogical Society: Sumter, 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. Online at: Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Vol. 5, South Carolina, Sumter County, p. 189. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.

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)
 * "Sumter County Military Information". USGenWeb Project- Sumter County, South Carolina. Internet site. Lists brief histories and rosters of officers and soldiers in Civil War military units that were from Sumter County.

Regiments. Civil War service men from Sumter 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 Sumter County or from many of its men:
 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Sharpshooters, Company A (also known the Union Light Infantry and German Fusiliers) and Company B (also known as the Sumter Guards)
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Artillery, Company D
 * - 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (2nd Palmetto Regiment), Company D (also known as Sumter Guards and Sumter Volunteers)
 * - 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Light Artillery (Palmetto Battalion), Company C (also known as the Wilson Light Artillery, Culpepper's Light Artillery and Culpeper Battery), Company E (also known as the Yeadon Light Artillery), 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 State Troops, Company I
 * - 5th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Ferguson's), Company H
 * - 5th Battalion, South Carolina Reserves (Brown's), Company B
 * - 6th Battalion, South Carolina Infantry (Byrd's), Company B and Company C
 * - 6th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Aiken's Partisan Rangers) (1st Partisan Rangers), Company H and Company I
 * - 7th Battalion, South Carolina Infantry (Nelson's) (Enfield Rifles), Company E
 * - 7th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company D, Company F, Company H, and Company I
 * - 8th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves
 * - 9th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company D and Company F
 * - 14th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company A
 * - 19th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company D and Company E
 * - 20th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company A and Reorganized Company G
 * - 23rd Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (Hatch's Coast Rangers), Company K
 * - Garden's Company, South Carolina Light Artillery (Palmetto Light Battery)

World War II
 * World War II Army Casualties at National Archives

Newspapers

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

Historic The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Sumpter 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.
 * Black Post (Columbia, S.C.) 1977-current.
 * Evening News (Sumter, S.C.) 1895-1896.
 * Semi-Weekly Watchman (Sumter, S.C.) 1863-1863.
 * Sumter Gazette and Constitutional Advocate (Sumterville [i.e. Sumter], S.C.) 1830-1833.
 * The Banner of Freedom (Sumter, S.C.) 18??-18??.
 * The Black River Watchman (Sumterville, S.C.) 1850-1855.
 * The Defender (Sumter, S.C.) 1903-1913.
 * The Freeman (Sumter, S.C.) 1891-1906.
 * The Item (Sumter, S.C.) 1987-current.
 * The Peoples Informer (Sumter, S.C.) 1936-1941.
 * The Recon Record (Sumter, S.C.) 1957-195?.
 * The Spirit of the Times (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1884.
 * The Samaritan Herald (Sumter, S.C.) 1909-1942.
 * The Southern Whig (Sumterville [Sumter], S.C.) 1832-1834.
 * The Sumter Advance (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1892.
 * The Sumter Banner (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855.
 * The Sumter Daily Item (Sumter, S.C.) 1894-1987.
 * The Sumter Dispatch (Sumter, S.C.) 1860-1861.
 * The Sumter Gazette (Sumterville, S.C.) 1845-1845.
 * The Sumter Herald (Sumter, S.C.) 1892-1952.
 * The Sumter News (Sumter, S.C.) 1866-1873.
 * The Sumter News (Sumter, S.C.) 1967-1981.
 * The Sumter Watchman (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881. Search online at Chronicling America.
 * The True Southron (Sumter, S.C.) 1873-1881.
 * The Watchman and Southron (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930. Search online at Chronicling America.
 * Tri-Weekly Watchman (Sumter, S.C.) 1860-1863.

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

Current For a history of Sumter newspaper presses, see:
 * The Item (Sumter, S.C.) Online edition.
 * Stubbs, Thomas McAlpin. "The Fourth Estate of Sumter South Carolina," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 54, No. 4 (Oct. 1953):185-200. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Periodicals

 * The South Carolina Historical Magazine
 * Sumter Black River Watchman

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records The South Carolina Department of Archives and History hasmicrofilms 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 records for Sumter County from 1800 to 1963 also available on microfilm. Search for probate records for Sumter County in the court of ordinary, the probate court, and the court of equity. Some estate records for the probate court are also available on microfilm through the FamilySearch Library, including some miscellaneous estate records, 1784-1960.
 * Sumter County Wills, Bk A, 1774-1782 (transcripts). See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers
 * Sumter County Wills, 1783-1815 (transcripts). See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers
 * Sumter County Wills, 1816-1822 (transcripts). See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers
 * Sumter County Wills, Bk D-1, 1823-1836 (transcripts). See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers
 * Sumter County Wills, Bk M, 1836-1840 (transcripts). See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers
 * 1670-1980 South Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1670-1980 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1671-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images Only
 * 1732-1964 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images Only
 * 1737-1964 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964 at Ancestry - images ($)
 * 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 Sumter County.
 * The tax evaluation treasurer's report for district 17, dated 1960 to 1961 survives. Copies:.
 * State Equity Records, 1784, Sumter Black River Watchman (Feb. 2001).

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
Online Marriage Records and Indexes
 * 1862-1878 Newspaper Abstracts from the Southern Christian Advocate by Sumter County, SC USGenWeb page - abstracts
 * 1911-1950 (index to 1967) - Sumter County, South Carolina Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950; Indexes, 1911-1967 - index and records
 * There are several online marriage indexes containing miscellaneous marriage records found insome counties of South Carolina listed on the South Carolina Vital Records page.

Death
Online Death Records and Indexes
 * Sumter District Death Notices and Obituaries by Sumter County, SC USGenWeb page - index
 * 1816-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1821-1969 South Carolina, U.S., Death Records, 1821-1969 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1862-1878 Newspaper Abstracts from the Southern Christian Advocate by Sumter County, SC USGenWeb page - abstracts
 * 1915-1943 South Carolina, Deaths, 1915-1943 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
 * 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.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Columbia South Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Florence South Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Sumter South Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Norwegian American Genealogical Center & Naeseth Library - an affiliate library
 * Richland County Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Sumter County Library System Website The Sumpter County Library system consists of a main library in downtown Sumpter, two branches, and a bookmobile. Downtown - Main Library Address: 111 North Harvin Street Sumter, South Carolina 2915Website Telephone: 803.773.7273 Fax: 803.773.4875 Hours: Monday - Tuesday 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, Wednesday - Saturday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, Sunday 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm The South Carolina Room of the Downtown Library contains over 2500 items pertaining to the history, culture and government of South Carolina. Items of particular interest are histories of Sumter County and works of non-fiction, prose and poetry by current and former Sumter County and area residents. The room is available all hours the Downtown branch is open. Visit the Reference Desk for access. Westmark Branch Address: 180 W Westmark Blvd Sumter, South Carolina 29150 Telephone: 803.469.8110 Fax: 803.469.8347 Hours: Monday - Tuesday 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, Wednesday - Saturday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, Sunday 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm South Sumter Branch Address: 337 Manning Avenue Sumter, S.C. 29150 Telephone: 803.775.7132 (voice and fax) Hours: Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Museums
Sumter County Museum Complex Website The Sumter County Museum is a private non-profit institution whose mission is to promote the history of Old Sumter District through the preservation and exhibition of objects, manuscripts, and documents, which relate the story of this area of South Carolina. The museum campus includes the Williams-Brice House (1916), the Heritage Education Center (2003) and the Carolina Backcountry Homestead. Sumter County Museum Address: 122 North Washington Street P.O. Box 1456 Sumter, South Carolina 29151-1456 Telephone: 803-775-0908 Hours:Website The Museum's Archives houses records related to the history of the old Sumter District (present day Sumter, Lee, and Clarendon counties) and, after 1868, Sumter County. Records include over 30,000 photographic images, postcards, personal letters, scrapbooks, business records, plats, and maps. The Archive is also home to W. A. "Mayor Bubba" McElveen's Archive and the papers of historian Myrtis Ginn Osteen. Housed in the Heritage Education Center at the museum, the Archive is accessible by appointment only. To make an appointment, call the museum is 803-775-0908. The physical address of the museum is the same as above. Email the archivist at krichardson@sumtercountymuseum.org

Societies

 * Sumter County Genealogical Society SCGS Chapter P.O. Box 2543 Sumter, SC 29151 (803) 774-3901 Email: [mailto:SumterGenSoc@aol.com SumterGenSoc@aol.com ] Website Facebook
 * Sumter County Historical Society P.O. Box 1456 Sumter, SC 29151 Website

Websites

 * Sumter County SCGenWeb
 * Sumter County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * The "Turks" of Sumter County, South Carolina
 * South Carolina Pioneers 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: Sumter County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.