Lee County, South Carolina Genealogy
Guide to Lee County, South Carolina ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for Confederate General Robert E. Lee (1807-1870).[3] The County is located in the north central region of the state.[4]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Lee County Courthouse
123 S. Main Street
Bishopville, SC 29010
Phone: 803-484-5341
Lee County Website
County Pronunciation
Hear it spoken[5]
Lee County, South Carolina Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1915 | 1902 | 1902 | 1902 | 1902 | 1902 | 1790 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[9]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- To view a cemetery list, see Lee County, South Carolina Cemeteries.
- National Cemetery Administration
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For all existing and online Federal population schedules of South Carolina, see South Carolina Census. See also USGenWeb Census Project, South Carolina, including links to transcribed files.
- 1829-1920 South Carolina, State and Territorial Censuses, 1829-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1910 | 25,318 | — |
| 1920 | 26,827 | 6.0% |
| 1930 | 24,096 | −10.2% |
| 1940 | 24,908 | 3.4% |
| 1950 | 23,173 | −7.0% |
| 1960 | 21,832 | −5.8% |
| 1970 | 18,323 | −16.1% |
| 1980 | 18,929 | 3.3% |
| 1990 | 18,437 | −2.6% |
| 2000 | 20,119 | 9.1% |
| 2010 | 19,220 | −4.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- St. Philip’s Church, Bradford Springs, South Carolina describes the parish records held by the South Carolina Historical Society.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Online Court Indexes and Records
Lee County has court records from 1902 that are held in the office of the Clerk of Court. Lee County was formed from Darlington, Kershaw and Sumter Counties so these also may need to be searched for records.
The South Carolina Archives and History Center has court records available on microfilm for Lee County.
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African Americans
Known plantations South Carolina Plantations:
- Black - also called Josey
- Josey - also called Black
- Plain Hill
- Rose Hill
- Smith's Grove - Lynchburg - also called Tanglewood
- Stirrup Branch - Bishopville
- Tall Oaks - Bishopville - also called S. McLendon House
- Tanglewood - Lynchburg - also called Smith's Grove
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Surname indexes to Leonardo Andrea's Files, Folders, Resources are available online, courtesy: The Andrea Files: South Carolina Genealogical Research. 
Learn more.
Bibliography
- The Darlington Flag (Lydia, SC) 1851-1852
- 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. FHL 929.273 L812b
- Smith - Smith, Jared M. The Legacy of J. Manly Smith, Sr.: First Sheriff of Lee County, South Carolina. Bishopville, S.C.: J.M. Smith, 1994. FHL 929.273 Sm61sjm; digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Because South Carolina was an agricultural state, many residents owned land. For earliest records, search 1) Charleston District, 2) your ancestor’s residential district, 3) neighboring districts, 4) the residential county, 5) neighboring counties. Not all districts and counties kept records. See also South Carolina Land and Property.
- 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.
Online Land Indexes and Records
The following charts show where you may best expect to find land records.
| Date | Government Office |
| 1902-present | Lee County |
| 1869-1902 | Kershaw County (new) |
| 1800-1868 | Kershaw District |
| 1791-1800 | Kershaw County (old) |
| 1785-1791 | Richland County |
| 1785-1791 | Lancaster County |
| 1785-1791 | Fairfield County |
| 1769-1785 | Camden District * |
| 1719-1769 | Charleston District |
| 1710-1719 | Proprietary Land Grants |
- Some Camden District records are included with Kershaw County records
| Date | Government Office |
| 1902-present | Lee County |
| 1868-1902 | Sumter County |
| 1801-1868 | Sumter District |
| 1800-1801 | Sumter District Records Lost * |
| 1792-1800 | Salem County Records Lost * |
| 1785-1800 | Claremont County Records Lost * |
| 1785-1800 | Claredon County Records Lost * |
| 1769-1785 | Camden District |
| 1719-1769 | Charleston District |
| 1710-1719 | Proprietary Land Grants |
- Sumter District records destroyed by fire 27 Nov 1801
| Date | Government Office |
| 1902-present | Lee County |
| 1868-1902 | Darlington County |
| 1806-1868 | Darlington Distict |
| 1800-1806 | Darlington District Records Burned |
| 1785-1800 | Darlington County Records Burned |
| 1769-1785 | Cheraws District |
| 1719-1769 | Charleston District |
| 1710-1719 | Proprietary Land Grants |
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
A brief history of Lee County online
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War
- 1861-1865 South Carolina Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 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)
Regiments. Lee County did not exist during the Civil War. During the Civil War, men from the area of Lee County mostly would have served in various regiments recruited in the counties of Darlington, Sumter and Kershaw . Counties were called districts during the Civil War.
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1800s-1999 Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry ($)
Historic
The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Lee 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.
- Bishopville Eagle (Bishopville, S.C.) 1888-1893.
- Bishopville Enterprise (Bishopville [S.C.]) 1886-1888.
- Lee County Messenger (Bishopville, S.C.) 1923-1982.
- Lee County Observer (Bishopville, S.C.) 1977-current.
- Lee County Vindicator (Bishopville, Lee County, S.C.) 1902-1902.
- The Leader and Vindicator (Bishopville, S.C.) 1902-1923.
- The Mirror (Bishopville, S.C.) 1896-1897.
University of South Carolina Library Catalog
- Historical Newspapers of South Carolina at University of South Carolina Libraries - not complete
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
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 more information and links, see South Carolina Periodicals.
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Various types of records are created throughout the probate process of settling estates and property, usually after death. These may include, wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions. For further information see probate records in South Carolina 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.
- Early probate records of Lee County may be found in records of Camden and Cheraws District, which are both extinct. They may also be found in the now-defunct Craven County. See James C. Pigg's compilation of Cheraw[s]/Chesterfield District wills, 1750-1865 & Abstracts from the Court of Common Pleas, 1823-1869 for some Lee County probate records, formerly recorded in Cheraws District. FHL Book 975.763 P2pj
- 1670-1980 South Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1670-1980 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
- 1671-1977 South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images Only
- 1732-1964 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images Only
- 1782-1866 South Carolina, Will Transcripts 1782-1866 at Findmypast — index, ($) — $, index
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Tax-related records are kept by the offices of the county Assessor, Auditor, Sheriff, and Treasurer. Taxes were levied on real and personal property and can help establish ages, residences, and relationships. See South Carolina Taxation for online resources and suggestions.
Online Tax Indexes and Records
- South Carolina Department of Archives and History tax lists for Lee County.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Birth, marriage, and death records were not recorded by South Carolina until the 1900s, thus leaving a lack of vital records created by Civil authorities. See South Carolina Vital Records for online resources and suggestions.
Birth[edit | edit source]
State-wide birth registration did not begin until 1915. For records after 1915, see the South Carolina Vital Records page.
- 1766-1900 South Carolina, Delayed Birth Certificates, 1766-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
- 1915-1917 South Carolina, U.S., Births, 1915-1917 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
In South Carolina, Probate Courts issued and still keep marriage licenses from 1 July 1911 to the present. Licenses were not required before 1911. 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. Statewide registration of marriages started in July, 1950. See South Carolina Vital Records for indexes and more information.
Marriages - Indexes and Records
- 1911-1950 Lee County, South Carolina Marriage Registers, 1911-1950 [13] FHL Collection - records
- 1911-1950 Lee County, South Carolina Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950 [14] FHL Collection - 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[edit | edit source]
State-wide death registration began in 1915. For information and online records, see the South Carolina Vital Records page.
Deaths - Indexes and Records
- 1816-1990 South Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1816-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1821-1969 South Carolina, U.S., Death Records, 1821-1969 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1915-1943 South Carolina, Deaths, 1915-1943 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
- 1915-1965 South Carolina Deaths, 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.
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Lee County. For state-wide library facilities, see South Carolina Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Camden South Carolina Family History Center
- Columbia South Carolina Family History Center
- Florence South Carolina Family History Center
- Sumter South Carolina Family History Center
- Richland County Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Lee County. For state-wide library facilities, see South Carolina Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Lee County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see South Carolina Societies.
- Lee County South Carolina Historical Society
208 North Dennis Avenue
Bishopville, SC 29010
803-484-6146
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Lee County, SCGenWeb
- Lee County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Old Darlington District Chapter
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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[edit | edit source]
- South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Lee County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ South Carolina Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ South Carolina Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ "List of counties in South Carolina," Wikipedia.
- ↑ "Lee County, South Carolina" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Lee_County,_South_Carolina_Genealogy." accessed 27/06/2019
- ↑ Voice of Phillip Stalvey, resident of Myrtle Beach, S.C. (2011).
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Lee County, South Carolina. Page 611-615 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 607-608.
- ↑ South Carolina Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), South Carolina .At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Lee County, South Carolina," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_County,_South_Carolina, accessed 27 December 2019.
- ↑ Schweitzer, George K. , South Carolina Genealogical Research (Knoxville, Tennessee: s.p. 1985), 39-42, FHL book 975.7 D27s
- ↑ Schweitzer, George K. , South Carolina Genealogical Research (Knoxville, Tennessee: s.p. 1985), 39-42, FHL book 975.7 D27s
- ↑ Schweitzer, George K. , South Carolina Genealogical Research (Knoxville, Tennessee: s.p. 1985), 39-42, FHL book 975.7 D27s
- ↑ Lee County, South Carolina Marriage Registers, 1911-1950, Salt Lake City, UT: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2002.
- ↑ South Carolina. Probate Court (Lee County), Lee County, South Carolina Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950, Salt Lake City, UT: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2001.