Chesterfield County History and Information

Chesterfield County was named for the English statesman Lord Chesterfield (1694-1773). The county seat is the town of Chesterfield, but the oldest town in the county is Cheraw, which was settled around 1748. The county was formed in 1785, but until 1800 it was part of the larger Cheraws District. Welsh settlers from Pennsylvania and Delaware moved into this region in the mid-eighteenth century, and they were later joined by Scotch-Irish and English.

Cheraw was a center for transportation along the Great Pee Dee River, but most of the county is agricultural. General Sherman's troops passed through this area during the Civil War, briefly occupying the towns of Cheraw and Chesterfield. Cheraw State Park, founded in 1934, is the oldest of the state parks. Jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993) was a native of Chesterfield County. (Source: South Carolina State Library)

For information on early counties and districts, consult The Formation of Counties in South Carolina. The Official County Website is located at ? .

• Chesterfield County, South Carolina History Books at Amazon.com.
• Search Historical Newspapers from South Carolina (1783 - 1975 ) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
• Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
• Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.

Chesterfield County Court Records

See Also South Carolina Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

Chesterfield County Clerk of Court has Court Records from 1823 and is located at Courthouse, 200 W. Main St. Chesterfield 29709 ; Phone: 843-623-2574.

The Clerk of Court consist of The Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions. The Court of Common Pleas is the court of general jurisdiction over civil cases in Chesterfield County, excepting those cases in which the amount or value of property in dispute is less than $7,500. Cases involving money or property totaling less than $7,500 are heard in Small Claims Magistrates' Courts. The Court of General Sessions is the court of general jurisdiction over criminal cases in Chesterfield County, excepting most misdemeanor cases, which are usually adjudicated in the Magistrates' Courts.

Chesterfield County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1911 , Probate Records from 1865 and is located at Courthouse, 200 W. Main St. Chesterfield 29709 ; Phone: 843-623-2376.

Probate Court has original jurisdiction over actions concerning the issuance of marriage licenses, the estate of a deceased person, the will of an individual, the estate of a minor or incapacitated person, trusts, and involuntary commitments.

South Carolina had no law requiring marriage licenses or registration unti 1 July 1911. Licenses are on file with the judge of probate in each county. Prior to 1911, marriages were legal if performed according to canonical law; common law marriages also were recognized. Many churches recorded marriages, but when compared with the vast number of marriages that took place, the number of documented marriages is small. Marriage settlements, made by a widow and her second husband to protect the heirs of her first husband, and pre-marital agreements, not necessarily involving widows, were popular for a while. These records date from about 1760 to about 1890 and may be found in county conveyance books or the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and on microfilm at the FHL. Newspapers accounts of marriages from 1732 to the present are a primary source of marriage documentation (see Newspapers).

Chesterfield County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1861 and is located at Courthouse, 200 W. Main St. Chesterfield 29709 ; Phone: 843-623-2574. The Register Of Deeds Office records land titles, leins and other documents related to property transaction in Chesterfield County. The Register Of Deeds Office must assure that all recorded documents comply with the requirements of federal and state recording statutes and are available for public review.

Below is a list of online resources for Chesterfield County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Chesterfield County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Chesterfield County, South Carolina Court Books at Amazon.com
• South Carolina Marriages, 1641-1965
• South Carolina Marriage Notices, 1732-1801
• South Carolina Baptist Marriages, 1835-65
• South Carolina Baptist Deaths and Marriages, 1866-87
• Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
• Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.

Chesterfield County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in South Carolina

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! There were no South Carolina birth or Death certificates before January 01, 1915.

Chesterfield County Health Department has vital records and is located at 203 North Page Street
Chesterfield, S.C. 29709, Phone: (843) 623-2117. This office can search for birth and death records from January 01, 1915. Marriage records prior to 1950 may be available from the Probate Judge in the county where the license was issued. Divorce records since April 1949 should be available from the County Clerk in the county where the petition was filed (See Chesterfield County Court Records for Address and Phone number)

South Carolina DHEC, Division of Vital Records is located at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201; telephone # (803) 898-3630, fax #: (803) 799-0301.

The fee to search for a birth, Marriage or Death certificate is $12.00, which includes one certified copy of the certificate or a "Certificate of Failure to Find." There were no South Carolina birth or Death "certificates" before January 01, 1915. You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

For each additional copy of the certificate ordered at the same time, the fee is $3.00. Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to "S.C. DHEC, Division of Vital Records." Please do not send cash. Fees are non refundable. Additional fees of $5.00 are required for expedited service. The expedite fee guarantees a response leaving the Division of Vital Records within three (3) working days. A response can be in the form of a letter, a telephone call, or a certification being mailed.

Mail all Applications to: S.C. DHEC, Division of Vital Records is located at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates or Death Certificates. Ordering Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

There are a few online vital record databases which include: South Carolina Baptist Deaths and Marriages, 1866-87 and South Carolina Baptist Marriages and Deaths, 1835-65 which are a collection of marriage and death notices is derived from Baptist newspapers in South Carolina. Also there is the South Carolina Death Index, 1915-1949 & 1850-52 from the South Carolina DHEC.

Below is a list of online resources for Chesterfield County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Chesterfield County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

• VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek’s order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
• Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
• Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
• Chesterfield County, South Carolina Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
• South Carolina Marriages, 1641-1965, these sources include newspapers, church records, and pension applications
• South Carolina Newspaper Marriage Notices, 1732-1801, from one of the first newspapers in the state, the South Carolina Gazette.
• Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.

Chesterfield County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for South Carolina

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Federal Population Schedules that exist for South Carolina are 1790, 1800 (Part of the 1800 census for Richland District is missing), 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. The first federal census was taken in 1790. The 1850 census of York and Lexington districts indicates county of birth as well as state for each person. There are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms

Below is a list of online resources for Chesterfield County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Chesterfield County Census Records by clicking the link below:

• Chesterfield County, South Carolina Census Books at Amazon.com
• Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.

Chesterfield County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

South Carolina Antique Maps & Atlases has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for South Carolina and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for South Carolina showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for South Carolina showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps. The South Carolina Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Chesterfield County Maps. Email us with websites containing Chesterfield County Maps by clicking the link below:

• Chesterfield County, South Carolina Map Books at Amazon.com
• Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

Chesterfield County Military Records

See Also Military Records in South Carolina

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Chesterfield County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Chesterfield County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Chesterfield County, South Carolina Military Books at Amazon.com
• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 from the State of South Carolina (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 from the State of South Carolina.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files from the State of South Carolina (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• Southern Claims Commission from the State of South Carolina (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of South Carolina (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of South Carolina (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from South Carolina units, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier.
• Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons ("Amnesty Papers"), 1865-67 from the State of South Carolina (The National Archives): NARA M1003. View, Print Copy & Save Original Applications for pardon submitted to President Andrew Johnson, 1865-67, by former Confederates excluded from earlier amnesty proclamations.
• Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.

Chesterfield County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

With the exception of a single tax list from 1733 and occasional lists of tax collectors, no colonial tax records of South Carolina have survived. Parishes and townships functioned as tax districts until 1800; circuit court districts and their counties also functioned as tax districts from 1785–1800. Many of these tax lists are incomplete, the known tax lists, 1783–99, are as follows:

• Christ Church Parish, 1784, 1786, 1788, and 1793–99
• Prince Frederick's Parish, 1784 and 1786
• Prince George's Parish, 1786–87
• Prince William's Parish, 1798
• St. Andrew's Parish, 1784–85, 1787, 1789, 1791, and 1795
• St. Bartholomew's Parish, 1783–87 and 1798
• St. Helena's Parish, 1798
• St. James Goose Creek, 1796
• St. John's Berkeley Parish, 1793
• St. Luke's Parish, 1798–99
• St. Paul's Parish, 1783, 1785–96, and 1798–99
• Ninety-Six District, 1787
• OrangeburghDistrict, 1787
• Lancaster County in Camden District, 1797
• Lexington County in Orangeburgh District, 1788.

Directories for the city of Charleston date from 1782. These directories may help locate a Charleston ancestor who does not appear in other records. They are housed at the Charleston Library Society

• Jury List - The jury lists include men eligible to serve on juries and were compiled from tax lists. The Jury Lists of South Carolina, 1778–1779  is accepted as proof of the identity of Revolutionary War patriots. The best available substitutes for colonial tax lists are jury lists.
• Voter Registration Lists - Voter registration lists, 1867, 1868, and 1898 are another valuable substitute for tax records. The lists from 1867 and 1868 are particularly useful for Black American research because the newly freed slaves registered to vote; many blacks make their first appearance in the voter registration lists. Although voter registration was conducted by counties, the originals of the 1867, 1868, and 1898 lists are at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History; counties maintained copies for their records.

Most districts/counties have some tax records dating from 1800 to the present, with the majority of tax records dating from 1865. A fairly complete series from 1824, mostly of the Low Country districts, is available at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has originals of most extant tax lists, and microfilmed copies of county tax records are available at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and the FHL.

Below is a list of online resources for Chesterfield County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Chesterfield County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Chesterfield County, South Carolina Tax Books at Amazon.com

Chesterfield County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other South Carolina Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Chesterfield County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Chesterfield County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• South Carolina Genealogical Society Chesterfield District Chapter
  Post Office Box 167, Chesterfield, South Carolina 29709 ; (843) 623-2244,Email
• South Carolina Archives & History Center, 8301 Parklane Road; Columbia, SC 29223; Tele: (803) 896-6100, Fax: (803) 896-619
• SC State Library - South Carolina Reference Room
• The South Carolina Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 492, Columbia, SC 29202-0492
• The South Carolina Historical Society, The Fireproof Building, 100 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401; Phone 843.723.3225, fax 843.723.8584
• Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
• Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.

Chesterfield County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in South Carolina

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

The WPA and the DAR have compiled major collections of South Carolina tombstone inscriptions. Most South Carolina counties have historical or genealogical societies that have compiled cemetery records. See addresses for local historical and genealogical societies. Cemetery records are frequently published in the major genealogical periodicals of South Carolina

There are many churches and cemeteries in Chesterfield County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Chesterfield County Tombstone Transcription Project. The South Carolina Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches and cemeteries free for viewing or download here.

Below is a list of online resources for Chesterfield County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Chesterfield County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers throughout the world.
• Chesterfield County, South Carolina Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Chesterfield County, South Carolina Church Books at Amazon.com

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Chesterfield County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Chesterfield County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Search for Local South Carolina Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local South Carolina Researcher!
• Chesterfield County, South Carolina Family Books at Amazon.com
• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• Sites on USGenweb: [ Chesterfield County ] [ South Carolina ] [ Main Page ]
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• The South Carolina Family Group Sheet Project
• Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
• Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
• Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.

Extended History

 

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