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South Carolina Public Records
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To Search Public and Vital Records -
Vital records are records of life events important enough that
some level of government acquires, organizes, and preserves
them. While the term "vital records" is often applied
to a wide variety of life events... Read
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South Carolina Vital Records
A law mandating registration of all births and deaths in South Carolina
was signed into law on 1 September 1914. Actual registration began
in 1915, and South Carolina achieved 90-percent compliance within
a few years. South Carolina had no law requiring marriage licenses
or registration until 1911, though many earlier records were recorded
on the county level.
For birth and death records in the last fifty years and marriage records
from 1 July 1950, write:
South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control, Bureau
of Vital Statistics, J. Marion Sims Building, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia,
SC 29201-1797
For birth and death records from 1915 to "50
years ago," write:
South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 1430 Senate Street,
P.O. Box 11669, Capitol Station, Columbia, SC 29211-1669
For marriage records prior to 1950, write to the
probate judge of the county in question.
South Carolina Land Records
South Carolina is a state-land state. Lands were generally acquired
from the state/colony or from other individuals. Petitions for land
are found at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History
in Records of the Grand Council, 1671–1692 (two volumes) and
Records of His Majesty's Council (twenty-seven volumes), which cover
the entire colonial period. These twenty nine volumes are in chronological
order but are unindexed; thus, the precept date is required to locate
the petition. See also Alexander S. Salley, Jr., and R. N. Olsberg,
eds., Warrants for Land in South Carolina, 1672–1721 (Columbia:
University of South Carolina Press, 1977), and Alexander S. Salley,
Jr., Records of the Secretary of the Province and the Register of
the Province of South Carolina, 1671–1675 (Columbia: Historical
Commission of South Carolina, 1944). Recorded plats also contain
important information, including the precept date necessary to locate
the original petition. They are indexed in the "Combined Alphabetical
Index" located at the state archives.
Another important land record is the memorial. From 1731 through
1775, those who had obtained land were tasked with preparing a memorial
attesting to the location, quantity, names of adjacent land owners,
and the boundaries of the land. Memorials also included a chain
of title, often from the original patentee to the current owner.
Original memorials are located at the South Carolina Department
of Archives and History and are indexed in the "Combined Alphabetical
Index." Some have been microfilmed and are available at the
FHL.
Lands were transacted between individuals through deeds, often called
mesne conveyances, or conveyances in South Carolina, and are recorded
in the office of the Register of Mesne Conveyance. Original records
are found in each county's clerk of court office, and microfilmed
copies of most pre-1865 records are available at the South Carolina
Department of Archives and History and the FHL.
South Carolina Court Records
Court records include probate records, guardianship, naturalization,
and a wide variety of other sources. All contain information about
individuals within the area. Court of Common Pleas, Orphan's Court,
Probate Court, District Court, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and
other titles are among those encountered. To study more about court
records in general, see "Research in Court Records," by
Arlene H. Eakle, in Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking,
eds. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, rev. ed. (Salt
Lake City: Ancestry, 1997).
South Carolina Military Records
Leonardo Andrea compiled a list of soldiers who served in various
military capacities between 1715 and 1772 in South Carolina Colonial
Soldiers and Patriots (Columbia, S.C.: 1952). See also Murtie June
Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 1732–1774 (Baltimore:
Genealogical Publishing Co., 1986). South Carolinians were heavily
involved in the Revolutionary War on both sides. Patriots who served
in the Continental Line may be found by examining the National Archives
microfilm publications which are available at the South Carolina
Department of Archives and History and the FHL. A recent compilation
of Patriot records is Bobby Gilmer Moss, comp., Roster of South
Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution (Baltimore: Genealogical
Publishing Co., 1983). See also Alexander S. Salley, Jr., comp.,
South Carolina Provincial Troops in Papers of the First Council
of Safety, 1775 (1900–02; reprint; Baltimore: Genealogical
Publishing Co., 1977). Loyalists may be found in Murtie June Clark,
Loyalists in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War, 3 vols.
(Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981). See also South Carolina
Royalist Troops, Muster Rolls, 1777–1783, on two microfilm
reels at the South Caroliniana Library in Columbia.
The National Archives has service records, pension files, and indexes
to the War of 1812 service and pension records. See also Virgil
D. White, comp., Index to War of 1812 Pension Files, 3 vols. (Waynesboro,
Tenn: National Historical Publishing Co., 1989). Extensive manuscript
and microfilmed records of South Carolina units and soldiers of
the War of 1812 are at the South Caroliniana Library in Columbia.
See the National Archives microfilm publications Compiled Service
Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from
the State of South Carolina; Index to the Compiled Service Records
of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State
of South Carolina; and (Service) Records Relating to Confederate
Naval and Marine Personnel. These three series are available at
the National Archives and the South Carolina Department of Archives
and History. See also Alexander S. Salley, Jr., comp., South Carolina
Troops in Confederate Service, 3 vols. (Columbia, S.C.: R. L. Bryan,
1913–14, 1930). References to South Carolina regimental histories
are found in C. E. Dornbusch, comp., Military Bibliography of the
Civil War, vol. 2 (New York: New York Public Library, 1967), 84–90.
For further information, consult James C. Neagles, U.S. Military
Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources (Salt Lake City: Ancestry,
1994).
Additional Sources
Holcomb, Brent Howard. A Guide to South Carolina Genealogical Research
and Records. Columbia, S.C.: the author, 1986.
Coté, Richard N., comp. Local and Family History in South
Carolina: A Bibliography. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press,
1981.
Moore, John Hammond. Research Materials in South Carolina. Columbia,
S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, 1967.
South Carolina Vital
Records:
Event: Birth or death
Cost of copy: $12.00
Address:
Office of Public Health Statistics and Information Systems
South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Remarks: State office has had records since January
1915. City of Charleston births from 1877 and deaths from 1821 are
on file at Charleston County Health Department. Ledger entries of
Florence City births and deaths from 1895 to 1914 are on file at
Florence County Health Department. Ledger entries of Newberry City
births and deaths from the late 1800's are on file at Newberry County
Health Department. These are the only early records obtainable.
Additional copies of the same birth records ordered at the same
time of certification are $3.00.
Check or money order should be made payable to Department
of Health and Environmental Control. Personal checks are accepted.
To verify current fees, the telephone number is (803) 898-3630.
Search All South Carolina Records
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Event: Marriage (State)
Cost of copy: $12.00
Address:
Office of Public Health Statistics and Information Systems
South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Remarks: Records since July 1950.
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Event: Marriage (county)
Cost of copy: Varies
Address: See remarks
Remarks: Records since July 1911. Probate Judge in
county where license was issued.
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Event: Divorce (State)
Cost of copy: $12.00
Address:
Office of Public Health Statistics and Information Systems
South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Remarks: Records since July 1962.
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Event: Divorce (county)
Cost of copy: Varies
Address: See remarks
Remarks: Records since April 1949. Clerk of county
where petition was filed.
Search All South Carolina Records
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