York County, South Carolina Genealogy

Guide to  ancestry, family history and genealogy court records, deeds, maps, immigration, maps, military records, newspapers, obituaries, plantations, probate records, slaves, local archives, libraries, museums, churches, cemeteries, and Civil War records.

County Courthouse
York County Courthouse 2 South Congress Street York, South Carolina 29745

Clerk of Court 1675 1G York Highway P.O. Box 649 York, SC 29745 Phone: 803-628-3036 Court and land records

Probate Court 1 East Liberty Street P.O. Box 219 York, SC 29745 Phone: 803-684-8513 Probate and marriage records

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

History
The county is named after York County, Pennsylvania. The county is the site of the Revolutionary War Battle of King's Mountain.

Agriculture
South Carolina's agricultural weakness was in its soil. Agriculture during the time was often associated with spirituality. Tilling and tending the earth was seen as a sacred trust from God. Many preachers in the Carolinas gave sermons linking the neglect of the soil and the lack of agricultural success, and blaming the farming struggle on a decrease in religiosity. This led to not only an economic crisis, but also a spiritual and mental crisis. Farmers whose land suffered in South Carolina were experiencing a major self-esteem blow because of the alleged connection between agriculture and spirituality.

Uncertainties in the cotton marked remained in a dejected state until 1850. The western states, however, were flourishing and the profit in the cotton market was booming. The farmland and soil was new and unpolluted, unlike the overworked soil of South Carolina. Many of the residents of South Carolina abandoned their farms and moved to Mississippi and Alabama where there were promises of better farm production. According to the 1850 census, 41% of all South Carolina natives had moved elsewhere, clearly because of the soil depletion of the area. If the Inman family was involved in the cotton market, their move between the years 1840 and 1850 from York County, South Carolina to Monroe County, Mississippi followed the typical migration pattern of destitute farmers.

County Pronunciation

 * 1) Hear it spoken

Parent County
1785--York County was created in 1785 from Pickney District. County seat: York

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating South Carolina county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation South Carolina County Boundary Maps" (1682-1987) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Because the jurisdictions in South Carolina changed so frequently, below is a table of records and the jurisdiction they were kept in based on time period:

Record Loss

 * 1890 Lost census

Populated Places
For further information (and links) on these populated places, please go to Populated Places, York County, South Carolina

Neighboring Counties
Cherokee | Chester | Cleveland County, North Carolina | Gaston County, North Carolina | Lancaster | Mecklenburg County, North Carolina | Union

Research Guides

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

African Americans
United States African Americans South Carolina African Americans

Known plantations South Carolina Plantations:


 * Allison - Hickory Grove
 * Brattonsville - McConnells
 * Brookwood
 * Hillhouse - McConnells
 * Love - Hickory Grove
 * McElwee House
 * Mount Gallant - Rock Hill
 * Newport
 * Springfield - Fort Mill
 * Springsteen - Rock Hill
 * Strawberry Hill - Rock Hill
 * Thomson
 * Tickton Hall
 * Turkey Creek
 * Wherry
 * White House - Rock Hill
 * Williamson - McConnells

Cemeteries

 * To view a cemetery list, see York County, South Carolina Cemeteries.
 * National Cemetery Administration

Census
1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of York 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 York County, SC census assignments, including links to transcribed files The USGenWeb Census Project®

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, York District on page 144.

1850
Census takers uncharacteristically recorded the birth town or county of residents this census year.

The returns have been published by local experts:


 * Owens, Jo Roberts and Ruth Dickson Thomas. 1850 Federal Census, York District, South Carolina: Schedule 1, Free Inhabitants; Schedule 2, Slave Inhabitants; Schedule 3, Mortality. York, S.C.: n.p., 1987. 975.743 X2o 1850

Church
LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Catawba
 * Rock Hill
 * York
 * Newport

Court
York County has court records from 1786 that are held in the office of the Clerk of Court. York County was a part of the Camden District from 1785 - 1791 and the Pinckney District from 1791 - 1800. The records of Camden District courts are housed in Kershaw County with the Clerk of Court. The records of the Pinckney District courts are housed in York County.

The South Carolina Archives and History Center has court records available on microfilm for York County, dating as early as the late 1700's.

The Family History Library collection includes books and microfilm regarding court records for York County.

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 25 genealogies have been published about York County families. To view a list, visit York 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 York County:

* Records before 1772 may be found in North Carolina counties Tryon, Mecklenburg and Anson ** Some early Camden District records may be found in Kershaw County

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.

York County Land Warrants 1807-1816 South Carolina Pioneers

Local Histories

 * Moore, Maurice Augustus and Elmer Oris Parker. Reminiscences of York. (Greenville, South Carolina : A Press, c1981). 105 pages. Maurice Augustus Moore's life 1795-1871 with a brief history previous to his birth. Book found at and Other Libraries.

Migration
Early migration routes to and from York County for European settlers included:


 * Occaneechi Path pre-historic
 * Lower Cherokee Traders' Path pre-historic
 * Catawba and Northern Trail pre-historic
 * Fall Line Road about 1735 (overlapped Occaneechi Path)
 * Great Valley Road (south fork) 1740s (overlapped Occaneechi Path)
 * Upper Road about 1783 (overlapped Lower Cherokee Traders' Path)

Military
Many veterans have lived in York County over the years. The Battle of King's Mountain has generated a great deal of interest in York County military history. York County, South Carolina Military discusses the area's military records and histories.

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 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)
 * York County South Carolina in the Civil War. Links for units with York County connections, pension list, census list, maps, etc.


 * - 1st Battalion, South Carolina Sharpshooters, Company A (also known the Union Light Infantry and German Fusiliers)
 * - 4th Regiment, South Carolina State Troop Junior Reserves, Company C, Company G, and Company K
 * - 5th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Ferguson's), Company K
 * - 6th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves (90 days 1862-63), Company D, Company E, and Company G
 * - 7th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves (90 days 1862-63), Company F and Company I
 * - 7th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company C and Company D
 * - 12th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company A, Company B, and Company H
 * - 13th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company H
 * - 17th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company C, Company E, Company F, and Company K
 * - 18th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company F, Company G, Company H, and Captain J. L. McMakin's Company

Other Resources
 * York County Board of Honor. Confederate Pension Records, 1896-1964. (Columbia, South Carolina: Filmed by the South Carolina Dept. of Archives and History, 1973). Prior to 1929 the Pension Board created the confederate pension records. Some years are mixed. 2 FHL Microfilms. Includes: Approved pension roll books 1896-1962, Pension application papers: veterans 1919-1940, Pension application papers: widows 1919-1938 and Pension list 1945-1964. Microfilm copies at
 * Gorski, Eddie L. Civil War abstracts from the Gaffney ledger: from the local newspaper. (Gaffney, South Carolina: E.L. Gorski, c1989-c1991). 2 volumes. These abstraction also contain some of those who were living in near by counties such as Union, York and Spartanburg"--Vol. 1, pref., 1st prelim. p. Names are in alphabetical order by surname. Vol. 2 includes information from the Union Times. Books found at
 * Owens, Jo Roberts and Ruth Dickson Thomas. Confederate Veterans Enrollment Book of York County, S.C., 1902. (Clover, South Carolina: Westmoreland Printers, 1983), 151 pages Record was copied from the original Confederate Veterans Enrollment Book which was, in 1893, located in the Judge of Probate's Office, York County Court House, York, South Carolina. Book found at the and Other Libraries.
 * Hart, Joseph Everett. Supplement to Confederate Veterans Enrollment Book of York County, S. C., 1902: additional information about some of the veterans (the index in the Confederate veterans enrollment book may be used for this supplement), (York, South Carolina: [s.n.], 1984), 48 pages. Book found at the and Other Libraries.
 * Thomas, Samuel N.Jr and Paul C. Whitesides.Under The Leaves of the Palmetto: York County's Confederate Veterans. ( McConnells, S.C.: York County Historical Commission, ©1996.). 2 Volumes. This work is a compilation of names and unit information, when know, of those who served between 8161-1865. Book found at the and Other Libraries.

Newspapers
Historic

The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for York 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 Views (Columbia, S.C.) 1977-current.
 * Clover Herald (Clover, S.C.) 1928-current.
 * Encyclopedia (Yorkville, S.C.) 1825-1826.
 * Farmer's Miscellany (Yorkville, S.C.) 1844-1850.
 * Fort Mill Times (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current.
 * Journal of the Times (Yorkville, S.C.) 1835-1837.
 * Pioneer and Commercial Register (Yorkville, S.C.) 1826-1829.
 * Republican Whig Democrat (McElweesville, S.C.) 1841-18??.
 * The Catawba Index (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1897-1897.
 * The Catawbian (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-1893.
 * The Clarion (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1889-1890.
 * The Evening Herald (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1911-1986.
 * The Fort Mill News (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1890-1892.
 * The Grange (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1873-187?.
 * The Herald (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1986-current.
 * The Indian Land Chronicle (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1859-1859.
 * The Journal (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1901-1904.
 * The Lantern (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1872-187?.
 * The New Era (Yorkville, S.C.) 1904-1907.
 * The People's Advocate (Yorkville, S.C.) 1825-18??.
 * The Pioneer (Yorkville, S.C.) 1824-1826.
 * The Palmetto Post (Clover, S.C.) 1919-1926.
 * The Pinckney Whig (Yorkville [i.e. York], S.C.) 1833-1834.
 * The Pioneer and Yorkville Weekly Advertiser (Yorkville, S.C.) 1823-1824.
 * The Record (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1904-1930.
 * The Remedy (Yorkville, S.C.) 1851-1853.
 * The Rock-Hill Chronicle (Rock-Hill, York District, S.C.) 185?-18??.
 * The Rock Hill Herald (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1877-1911.
 * The Rock Hill Messenger (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1896-1921.
 * The Rock Hill Post (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1949-1951.
 * The Weekly News (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1887-1889.
 * The Weekly Sun (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1897-1897.
 * The Working Christian (Yorkville, S.C.) 1869-1877.
 * The York Enterprise (Yorkville, S.C.) 1888-1893.
 * The York Observer (Rock Hill, S.C.) 1981-current.
 * The Yorkville Compiler (Yorkville, S.C.) 1840-1841.
 * The Yorkville Remedy (Yorkville, S.C.) 1853-1854.
 * The Yorkville Yeoman (Yorkville, S.C.) 1893-1903.
 * York District Chronicle (Yorkville, S.C.) 1858-1???.
 * York News (York, S.C.) 1913-1918.
 * Yorkville Citizen (Yorkville, S.C.) 1854-1856.
 * Yorkville Enquirer (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-current.
 * Yorkville Miscellany (Yorkville, S.C.) 1851-1854.

Current


 * The Herald (Rock Hill, S.C.) Online edition.

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:


 * Broad River Notebook

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. Will books and other estate records for York County, 1787-1950, are available on microfilm, with an index that covers 1787-1969.

Probate records for York County may be found in the court of ordinary (for York District), the probate court, and the court of equity. Will records for the probate court and court of ordinary are also available on microfilm through the Family History Library for 1770-1950. Wills probated prior to 1868 were processed in the court of ordinary.


 * York County Wills, 1816-1839 (transcripts). (South Carolina Pioneers)

Online Probate Records
 * 1670 – 1980 South Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1670-1980 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1671 – 1977 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1732 – 1964 at FamilySearch — images


 * See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers

Taxation
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, relationships, and the year an individual died or left the area. They can be used as substitutes for missing or destroyed land and census records.


 * South Carolina Department of Archives and History for York County.
 * Taxation in County, 1865-1871, Broad River Notebook, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Mar. 1997).

Original sources
Various nineteenth-century tax records survive and are held at the county courthouse, including:


 * 1864-1868 - Record book, 1864-1868. Copies at: and SCDAH.
 * 1869-1875, 1890 - Tax duplicate books, 1869-1875, 1890. Copies at and SCDAH.
 * 1889-1938 - Delinquent tax sales book, 1889-1938. Copies at: and SCDAH.

Published abstracts

 * 1840 - Slaveholders Tax, 1840, York County Genealogical and Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 9, No. 3 (Dec. 1997).
 * 1858 - Tax Returns, 1858, York District, Broad River Notebook, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Mar. 1996).
 * 1864 - Tax List 1864, available online, courtesy: SCGenWeb.
 * 1865 - Tax List 1865, available online, courtesy: SCGenWeb.
 * 1866 - Tax List 1866, available online, courtesy: SCGenWeb.
 * 1867 - Yorkville Tax Schedule, 1867, York County Genealogical and Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Dec. 2000).
 * 1868 - Tax Return, 1868, includes taxes on gold watches and carriages, Broad River Notebook, a serial article in the following issues: (Sep. 1998); (Dec. 1998); (Mar. 1999); (Jun. 1999); (Sep. 1999).
 * 1869 - Tax, Piano owners in the county, 1869, Broad River Notebook (Sep. 1997).

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 York 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.


 * 1766-1900 - at FamilySearch — images

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 York 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


 * 1770-1869 - York County Marriages, 1770-1869, Implied in York County, South Carolina Probate Records by Barbara R. Langdon WorldCat - abstract
 * 1800s - All Names Copied from York County, South Carolina Newspapers, 1800's by Charles D. West
 * 1823-1865 - York, South Carolina, Newspapers Marriage and Death Notices, 1823-1865 by Brent H. Holcomb Available at Free-Ebooks.com.
 * 1856-1965 - Marriage Notices from the Yorkville Miscellany Newspaper, York County, South Carolina by the York County, South Carolina USGenweb page - abstract
 * 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 York 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


 * 1800s - All Names Copied from York County, South Carolina Newspapers, 1800's by Charles D. West
 * 1821-1955 - South Carolina Death Records, 1821-1955  available at Ancestry ($).
 * 1823-1865 - York, South Carolina, Newspapers Marriage and Death Notices, 1823-1865 by Brent H. Holcomb Available at Free-Ebooks.com.
 * 1856-1864 - Death Notices from the Yorkville Miscellany Newspaper, York County, South Carolina by York County, South Carolina USGenweb page - abstract
 * 1915-1965 - at FamilySearch — index and 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.

Libraries
York County Library

York County has a library system that includes five library locations and a bookmobile. There is a Local History area dedicated to local history and genealogy resources at the Main Library in Rock Hill. The county library contains a wealth of genealogy resources and local history resources about York County, South Carolina and the Catawba Indians. Their resources also include newspaper articles, typed manuscripts, photographs, and electronic databases. Many have been digitized and access is provided through the library's website. Of particilar interest to genealogists are their genealogy and history offerings.

Genealogy: Library patrons can access websites such as Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest Online. There are resources for African American genealogy, local cemetery listings, and more.

History The York County Library has newspaper articles, an obituary index, typed manuscripts, photographs, and electronic databases. Many if the historical records mentioned here are digitized and available through the library's website.

York County Library, Rock Hill Address: 138 East Black St. Rock Hill, SC 29730 Telephone: (803) 981-5858 Business Hours: Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.. Sunday (September - May): 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Clover Public Library Address: 107 Knox St. Clover, SC 29710 Telephone: (803) 222-3474 Business Hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Sunday: Closed

Fort Mill Public Library Address: 1818 2nd Baxter Crossing Fort Mill, SC 29708 Telephone: (803) 547-4114 Business Hours: Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Friday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Sunday: Closed

Lake Wylie Public Library Address: 185 Blucher Circle Lake Wylie, SC 29710 Telephone: (803) 831-7774 Business Hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Sunday: Closed

York Public Library Address: 21 East Liberty St. York, SC 29745 Telephone: (803) 684-3751 Business Hours: Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Sunday: Closed

Societies - Genealogical, Historical, Lineage
York County Historical Society P.O. Box 3061 Crs Rock Hill SC 29732 source: Society Hill

Family History Centers

 * Family History Centers in South Carolina

Websites

 * York County, SC History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
 * York County, SCGenWeb
 * York County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * South Carolina Pioneers South Carolina Pioneers
 * South Carolina Pioneers South Carolina Pioneers