Chester County, South Carolina Genealogy

United States  South Carolina  Chester County

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

County Courthouse
Chester County Courthouse 140 Main Street Chester, SC 29706 Phone: 803-385-2605

Chester County Probate Court 1476 J.A. Cochran Bypass P.O. Box 580 Chester, SC 29706 Phone: 803-385-2604 Marriage and probate records

Clerk of Court 140 Main Street P.O. Box 580 Chester, SC 29706 Phone: 803-385-2605 Deeds and court records

Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday

History
The county was named after the town of Chester, Pennsylvania.

Parent County
1798--Chester County was created in 1798 from Camden District. County seat: Chester 

Boundary Changes
"Rotating Formation South Carolina County Boundary Maps" (1682-1987) may be viewed for free at the My South Carolina Genealogy website. They rely on AniMap 3.0 software.

Neighboring Counties

 * Fairfield
 * Lancaster
 * Union
 * York

Research Guides

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

African Americans
United States African Americans South Carolina African Americans


 * Heinegg, Paul. "'Other Free' Heads of Household in the 1790 South Carolina Census, by County," Free African Americans.com. [Includes free blacks in Chester County.]
 * Berry, Faye. 1820 Census, Chester District, South Carolina. 1985. 975.747 X2b 1820 [Includes 14 "Free Persons of Colour."]

The white slaveowning Presley family kept a record of their slaves' births from 1826 to 1856. A copy is available at the Family History Library:

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

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

1820

 * Berry, Faye. 1820 Census, Chester District, South Carolina. 1985. 975.747 X2b 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 versions at Google Books. [See South Carolina, Chester District on page 144.]

1850

 * Myer, Lois C. Chester County, South Carolina Census 1850, 1870 and 1880. 599050 Item 1

1870

 * Myer, Lois C. Chester County, South Carolina Census 1850, 1870 and 1880. 599050 Item 1

1880

 * Myer, Lois C. Chester County, South Carolina Census 1850, 1870 and 1880. 599050 Item 1

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
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 Chester, South Carolina at World Connect, results in more than 30,000 entries.

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

Several Chester County families are discussed in the following collections:


 * Hartness, George Bowman. By Ship, Wagon, and Foot to York County, S.C. Columbia, S.C.: G.B. Hartness, 1966. ["A compilation of historical information on the following families who were among the earliest white settlers of York, Chester, Winnsboro, and Kershaw Counties, South Carolina: Hartness, Ash, Burris, Bowen, Whitley, Mitchell, Carson, Thomas, Neil, Irvin, Chesnut, Curley, Sutton, McClain, Waggoner, Eakins, Johnsey, and including a chapter on the Hartness family who settled in New York State."]
 * Myer, Lois C. Descendants of Dr. Alexander Rosborough and Mary Hemphill in Chester Co., South Carolina: Descendants of James Strong and Elizabeth of Chester Co. South Carolina; Descendants of James Brice and Jane Wilson of Antrim Co. Ireland and Fairfield Co., South Carolina; Descendants of Andrew Hemphill and Isabelle McKeown of Chester Co., South Carolina; Descendants of William Maffatt and Barbara Chesnut of Chester Co. South Carolina; Descendants of James Knox and Elizabeth Craig of Tennessee; Descendants of William Gaston and Miss Lemon of Clough Water, Ireland and Chester Co., South Carolina; More Roseborough and Gaston Family Records. Typescript. Microfilmed 1969.

Message Boards


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

Bibliography


 * [Boyd] Perry, Max. The Descendants of the Robert Boyd and the Charles Boyd Families of Chester County, South Carolina. Midland, Texas: M. Perry, 1987.
 * [Crawford] Veach, Mary Frances Thomas. Sorting the Waxhaw Crawfords a Compendium of Research on the Crawfords &amp; Related Families Starting Out in the Counties of York, Chester, &amp; Lancaster, South Carolina Before the Revolution. Elverta, Calif.: M. Veach, 1993. ; digital version at Family History Archives.
 * [Cureton] Perry, Max. Descendants of the Cureton Families of York and Chester Counties of South Carolina: Including Genealogical Briefs of the Stewart, Webb and Heath Families. Midland, Texas: M. Perry, 2001.
 * [Edwards] Stevens, Robert J. and William Henry Edwards. Captain Bill: The Records and Writings of Captain William Henry Edwards (and Others), Company A, 17th Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, Confederate States of America, a History and Genealogy of Chester County, S.C. in Five Volumes. 5 vols. Richburg, S.C.: Chester District Genealogical Society, 1985.
 * [Faris] Faris, David. The Faris Family of Washington County, Indiana: A Genealogy of the Descendants of William Farrie; Born in County Antrim, Ireland about the Year 1745; Settled on Rocky Creek, Chester County, South Carolina in 1772; Died as William Faries on Turkey Creek, York County, South Carolina in 1805: Including the Principal Families of Baird, Devinney, Ervin, Faries, Faris, Finley, Loudon, McIntyre, Martin, Steuart, Taggart, Tippin &amp; Woods. Philadelphia, Pa.: D. Faris, 1984.
 * [Graham] Kell, Katherine Tolle and Philip James Graham. David Graham of Chester County, South Carolina and His Descendants, 1772-1989. Birmingham, Mich.: K.T. Kell, 1990.
 * [Harper] Reynolds, Troy Harper. Robert Harper, Revolutionary Soldier of Catholic Presbyterian Church, Chester, South Carolina, 1742-1801. 1980.
 * [Kelsey] Kelsey, Mavis P. and Mary Randolph Wilson Kelsey. Samuel Kelso/Kelsey, 1720-1796, Scotch-Irish Immigrant and Revolutionary Patriot of Chester County, South Carolina, His Origin, Descendants and Related Families Including Newly Published Information on Mills, Gill, Pagan, Wylie, Morrow, Jones, Sealy, Jaggers, Reeves, Mauldin, Moore, Stevenson, McAlexander and Other Families: with Membership Register (1837-1947) and Tombstone Inscriptions of the Wesley Methodist Chapel, Red Banks, Marshall County, Mississippi. Houston, Texas: M.P. Kelsey, 1984.
 * [Lynn] Lynn, E. Elizabeth. Descendants of John (Linn) Lynn, County Antrim, Ireland and Chester County, South Carolina, 1738-1830. Montreat, N.C.: E.E. Lynn, 1983.
 * [McFadden] Skinner, William Thomas. Descendants of Ulster: McFadden Settlers of Chester County, South Carolina 1710-2004. Charlotte, N.C.: W.T. Skinner, 2002.
 * [McGriff] Hill, Joseph Edward. Colonel Patrick McGriff of Chester County, South Carolina, and Montgomery County, Georgia: His Children and Grandchildren and Some Others Named McGriff. Leesburg, Fla.: J.E. Hill, 1973.
 * [McLure] Butt, Mary McLure, Sarah Porter Carroll, and Jane Catherine Poulton. While the Cotton Blooms: A Pre Civil War History of the Family of John William McLure of Chester and Union Counties, S.C., Including the History of the Church of the Nativity, the Diary of Jane Poulton, Letters from the McLure Family Collection. Greenville, S.C.: A Press Printing Co., 1990.
 * [Patton] White, William Boyce. Genealogy of Two Early Patton Families of York, Chester, and Lancaster Counties, South Carolina. Roanoke, Va.: W.B. White, 1996.
 * [Peden] Myer, Lois C. Descendants of John Peden and Peggy McDill of Ireland and Chester Co., South Carolina: Also Lines of James Peden, Morton, and Morrow; Descendants of Samuel Martin and Jane Hightower through Robert Martin and His Wives, Rebecca and Mary. Typescript. Microfilmed 1969. Item 1
 * [Plaxco] Mendenhall, Samuel Brooks and William Boyce White. Plaxco-Robinson Being an Account of Two of the Ancient Presbyterian Families of Upper South Carolina (Particularly Situated in York and Chester Counties). Richmond, Va.: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1958.
 * [Porter] Leigon, William, Faye Leigon, Stewart Porter, and Blake Williams. The Porters of Fishing Creek: A History of the Porter Family Which Lived in Chester County, South Carolina During the Revolutionary War Period with an Account of Some of Their Descendants and Allied Families. Truth or Consequences, N.M.: W. &amp; F. Leigon, 1987.
 * [Robinson] Mendenhall, Samuel Brooks and William Boyce White. Plaxco-Robinson Being an Account of Two of the Ancient Presbyterian Families of Upper South Carolina (Particularly Situated in York and Chester Counties). Richmond, Va.: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1958.
 * [Service] Ahart, Barbara Joan Allen. John Service, 1727-1807 of Chester County, South Carolina: The Story of "Wee Johnny Service" and His Family. Canon City, Colo.: B. Ahart, 2000. ; digital version at Family History Archives.

Deeds
The original Chester County deed books are kept at the county courthouse. They have been microfilmed for the years 1785 to 1867: 23320 ff. See also Cross Index, A-Z, 1776-1866: 364840. Deed Books A to F have been published:


 * [1785-1799] Holcomb, Brent H. Chester County, South Carolina, Deed Abstracts - Volume I: Deed Books A-F: 1785-1799 [1768-1799]. Columbia, S.C.: SCMAR, 2005. 975.747 R2h
 * [1786-1793] Thomas, Elizabeth Wood. Chester County, South Carolina Deed Book C, 1786-1793. Pass Christian, Miss.: Willo Institute of Genealogy, 1966. 975.747 R2t

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

 * Collins, Anne Pickens. A Goodly Heritage : History of Chester County, South Carolina (Columbia, South Carolina : Collins Pub., c1986), 354 pages. History of Chester County from the earlist to about 1986. Book at and Other Libraries
 * Editors: Collins, Ann Pickens &amp; Louise Gill Knox. Heritage History of Chester County, South Carolina   (Chester, South Carolina : [Chester County Heritage Committee], c1982-1995 ), v.1 499 pages; v. 2 288 pages. History of Chester County from early to 1982. Includes many family histories. Books at ,975.747 H2h v. 2, and Other Libraries

General

 * "Fishing Creek cemetery, soldiers of past wars," Chester District Genealogical Society Bulletin, June 2001, Volume 25, Issue. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b.
 * "Soldiers buried in Old Purity graveyard," Chester County Genealogical Society Bulletin, September 1979, Volume 2, Issue 3. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b.

War of 1812

 * "Soldiers," Branching Out From Saint Clair County, Illinois, May 2000, Volume 27, Issue 3. Marissa Historical and Genealogical Society : Marissa, Illinois.
 * "War of 1812 soldiers," Chester County Genealogical Society Bulletin, March 1979, Volume 2, Issue 1.Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b
 * "Chester in War of 1812," Chester County Genealogical Society Bulletin, December 1978, Volume 1, Issue 4. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b
 * 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, Chester County, p. 183. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Revolutionary War

 * "Sarah Jenkins Rev. War pension application, widow of John Jenkins, 1840," Chester District Genealogical Society Bulletin, December 2006, Volume 30, Issue 4. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b.
 * "John Craig recalls Revolutionary War in York and Chester, from 1839," Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History, May 2006, Volume 20, Issue 2. Piedmont Historical Society : Spartansburg, SC 29304.
 * "John Craig recalls partisan warfare, 1776-1781," Chester District Genealogical Society Bulletin, June 2005, Volume 29, Issue 2. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b.
 * "Battlefield at Fish Dam Ford, 1780," Old Newberry District Quarterly Winter 2005, Volume 14, Issue 4. Old Newberry District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society : Newberry, SC.
 * "Jane Thomas in Revolutionary War history," Chester District Genealogical Society Bulletin, March 2004, Volume 28, Issue 1. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b.
 * "John Bishop, Revolutionary War vet, d. 1852," Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History, May 2003, Volume 17, Issue 2. Piedmont Historical Society : Spartansburg, SC.
 * "Battle of Beckhamville," Chester District Genealogical Society Bulletin, September 2002, Volume 26, Issue 3. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b.
 * "Battle of Williamson's plantation," York County Genealogical and Historical Society Quarterly, June 2002, Volume 14, Issue 1, March 2002, Volume 13, Issue 4 and December 2001, Volume 13, Issue 3. York County Genealogical and Historical Society : Rock Hill, SC.
 * "David Hopkins ltr., 1780," Chester District Genealogical Society Bulletin, June 2001, Volume 25, Issue 2. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Chester County Genealogical Society:Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b.
 * "Fishing Creek cemetery, Revolutionary soldiers," Chester District Genealogical Society Bulletin, June 2001, Volume 25, Issue 2. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b.
 * "War Pensions," Branching Out From Saint Clair County, Illinois, May 2000, Volume 27, Issue 3. Marissa Historical and Genealogical Society : Marissa, Illinois.
 * "Revolutionary pensioners, 1818 and 1832," Chester County Genealogical Society Bulletin, June 1983, Volume 6, Issue 1. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b.
 * "Revolutionary War pensions," Georgia Genealogical Magazine, Fall 1979, Issue 74. Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. :Greenville, NC. Book 975.8 B2go.
 * "Battle of Hucks defeat," Chester County Genealogical Society Bulletin, June 1979, Volume 2, Issue 2. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b.
 * "Revolutionary war pensions, 1840," Chester County Genealogical Society Bulletin, Spring 1978, Volume 1, Issue. Chester County Genealogical Society : Richburg, SC. Book 975.74 D25b.
 * Collins, Anne Pickens. A goodly heritage : history of Chester County, South Carolina. Columbia, South Carolina : Collins Pub., c 1986. Book 975.747 H2c Fiche 6010905
 * Strange, Mary Wylie and Old Catholic presbyterian Church (Chester County, South Carolina). The revolutionary soldiers of Catholic Presbyterian Church, Chester County, South Carolina. [S.I.: s.n.], 1978. Book 975.747 D2s Film 1036399 item 2.

Civil War
Contents: Enrollment book of confederate veterans 1861-1865 -- Honor roll of confederate veterans of Chester County 1861-1865 -- Pension lists for Chester County 1888-1965 -- Pension applications for confederate veterans and widows 1919-1926 -- Confederate Home inmate records 1909-1957 -- Applications for artificial limbs 1867-1908 -- Cross of Honor ledger 1907-1923, Chester chapter #232, United Daughters of the Confederacy -- Members, Chester chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy -- Confederate veterans ledger 1904-1905, Walker-Gaston camp 821, United Confederate Veterans - Minutes 1904, Walker-Gaston camp, United Confederate Veterans.Book at and Other Libraries.
 * Editors: Collins, Ann Pickens &amp; Louise Gill Knox. Heritage History of Chester County, South Carolina   (Chester, South Carolina : [Chester County Heritage Committee], c1982-1995 ), v.1 499 pages; v. 2 288 pages. History of Chester County from early to 1982. Includes many family histories. Civil War information is in volume 1, pages 486-495. Includes an alphabetical list of all confederate soldiers from chester county with their Regiment,or Battalin and Company. Books at, 975.747 H2h v. 2, and Other Libraries
 * Guevarra, Mark B., Christopher S. Prince. The Chester County Confederate Compendium : of Chester County, South Carolina  (Oviedo, Florida : Artworks Gallery and Studio, c2006), 361 pages.  Includes bibliographical references and index.

Newspapers
Historic


 * Chester Palmetto Standard (Chesterville, S.C.) 1850-185?.
 * Chester Reporter (Chester, S.C.) 1869-1971.
 * Chester Standard (Chester, S.C.) 1853-1869.
 * News and Reporter (Chester, S.C.) 1971-current.
 * Palmetto Standard (Chester, S.C.) 1851-185?.
 * Public Opinion (Chester, S.C.) 1891-1891.
 * The Chester News (Chester, S.C.) 1917-1971.
 * The Chester Bulletin (Chester, S.C.) 1882-1899.
 * The Daily South Carolinian (Columbia, S.C.) 1849-1867.
 * The Druggist (Chester, S.C.) 1886-1886.
 * The Great Falls Reporter (Chester, S.C.) 1955-current.
 * The Lantern (Chester, S.C.) 1897-1913.
 * The Palmetto Standard (Chester, S.C.) 1895-1???.
 * The Semi-Weekly News (Chester, S.C.) 1913-1917.
 * The Semi-Weekly Standard (Chester, S.C.) 1868-18??.
 * The State Bulletin (Chester, S.C.) 1879-1882.

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:


 * Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History

Probate
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.

The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Chester County probate records. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:


 * Chester County Probate Records Vol. A: 1785-1799

Published abstracts

 * [1874] Delinquent Lands, 1874, Upper South Carolina Genealogy and History, Vol. 19, No. 4 (Nov. 2005).

Family History Centers
Family History Centers in South Carolina

Web Sites

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