Sumter County, South Carolina Genealogy

United States

South Carolina

Sumter County

Guide to Sumter County, South Carolina Genealogy 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.

South Carolina Online Genealogy Records

Sumter County, South Carolina
Map
Location in the state of South Carolina
Location of South Carolina in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	1798
County Seat	Sumter
Courthouse

County Information

Description

The County was named for Thomas Sumter. The County is located in the central area of the state.

Sumter County, South Carolina Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1915	1911	1915	1795	1801	1774	1790
Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1915. General compliance by 1918.

County Courthouse

Sumter Courthouse

Sumter County Courthouse
13 E. Canal St.
Sumter, SC 29150

Clerk of Court
141 N. Main St.
Sumter, SC 29150
Phone: 803-436-2223
Court records

Register of Deeds
141 N. Main St.
Sumter, SC 29150
Phone: 803-436-2223
Land records

Probate Court
141 N. Main St.
Sumter, SC 29150
Phone: 803-436-2166
Probate and marriage records

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

History

General Thomas Sumter (1734-1832)

The county is named after General Thomas Sumter (1734-1832).

Parent County

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

County Pronunciation

1. Hear it spoken

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.

Record Loss

Sumter suffered a major loss of probate records and deeds, on 27 November 1801, when fire destroyed the residence of Sumter District Clerk of Court John Horan, in Stateburg. This fire also consumed the records of Clarendon, Claremont, and Salem counties.

Places/Localities

Populated Places

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:

Cities
Sumter
Towns
Mayesville	Pinewood
Unincorporated communities
Horatio	Wedgefield
Census-designated places
Cane Savannah Cherryvale Dalzell East Sumter Lakewood	Millwood Mulberry Oakland Oswego Privateer	Rembert Shiloh South Sumter Stateburg Wedgefield

Neighboring Counties

Calhoun | Clarendon | Florence | Kershaw | Lee | Richland

Resources

Research Guides

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

African Americans

Sumter County, South Carolina African Americans

Cemeteries

Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Tombstone Transcriptions in Print	List of Cemeteries in the county
Findagrave.com	Family History Library	Findagrave.com
SCGenWeb	WorldCat	Billion Graves
SCGenWeb Archives		FamilySearch Places
Billion Graves
See South Carolina Cemeteries for more information.

• To view a list, see Sumter County, South Carolina Cemeteries.
• National Cemetery Administration

Census

• 1829-1920 - South Carolina, State and Territorial Censuses, 1829-1920 at FamilySearch — index and images

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1800	3,571	—
1810	19,054	433.6%
1820	25,369	33.1%
1830	28,277	11.5%
1840	27,892	−1.4%
1850	33,220	19.1%
1860	23,859	−28.2%
1870	25,268	5.9%
1880	37,037	46.6%
1890	43,605	17.7%
1900	51,237	17.5%
1910	38,472	−24.9%
1920	43,040	11.9%
1930	45,902	6.6%
1940	52,463	14.3%
1950	57,634	9.9%
1960	74,941	30.0%
1970	79,425	6.0%
1980	88,243	11.1%
1990	102,637	16.3%
2000	104,646	2.0%
2010	107,456	2.7%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Sumter 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 Sumter 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: FHL Collection 1024517 - 1024518.

Published abstract:

• National Archives. Indexes to Manufactures Census of 1820. 1920; reprint, Knightstown, Ind.: Bookmark, 1977. FHL Collection 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. FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840; FHL Collection 2321; digital version at Google Books. See South Carolina, Sumter District on page 142.

1850

• Teel, Dorothy Owens and Three Rivers Historical Society. 1850 Census, Sumter District, South Carolina. Hemingway, S.C.: n.p., 1983. FHL Collection 975.769 X2t 1850

1860

• Teel, Dorothy Owens and Three Rivers Historical Society. 1860 Census, Sumter District, South Carolina. Hemingway, S.C.: n.p., 1983. FHL Collection 975.769 X2t 1860

1870

• Hughes, Nancy Phillips. 1870 Census Sumter County, South Carolina. Sumter, S.C.: Sumter County Genealogical Society, 1997. FHL Collection 975.769 X2h 1870

Church Records

Church of England

See also St. Mark's Parish.

• Burgess, James M. Chronicles of St. Mark's Parish, Santee Circuit, and Williamsburg Township, South Carolina. Columbia, S.C.: Charles A. Calvo, Jr., Printer, 1888. Digital version at Google Books; FHL Collection 908980 Item 9
• Church of the Holy Cross, Stateburg, South Carolina describes the parish records held by the South Carolina Historical Society.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Sumter

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

Court

Sumter County has court records from 1795 that are held in the office of the Clerk of Court. Sumter County was formed from Clarendon, Claremont and Salem Counties in 1800 and was a part of the Camden District from 1785 - 1800. The records of the Camden District courts are housed in Kershaw County with the Clerk of Court.  There was a record loss in 1801 which destroyed records of Clarendon and Old Claremont Counties. The records are fragmented.

The South Carolina Archives and History Center has court records available on microfilm for Sumter County.

The Family History Library collection includes books and microfilm regarding court records for Sumter 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

• [Andrews] Andrews, Robert W. The Life and Adventures of Capt. Robert W. Andrews, of Sumter, South Carolina: Extending Over a Period of 97 Years Replete with Startling Situations and Interesting Incidents. Together with Reminiscences of the War of 1812, and the Recent Unpleasantness Between the North and South. Boston: E.P. Whitcomb, 1887. FHL 6082606
• [Atkinson] Andrea, Leonardo. "Folder No. 25. James Atkinson of Sumter Co.," Genealogical Folders in the Leonardo Andrea Collection. MSS. Microfilmed 1974. FHL Film 954525.
  
• [Birchmore] Phelps, Dallas LeRoy. Birchmore Families of Sumter County, South Carolina. Camden, S.C.: D.L. Phelps, 1996. FHL 2055408 Item 5
• [Bradford] Gottschalk, Kathrine Cox. Descendants of John Bradford, Sr. of Sumter District, South Carolina. Typescript, microfilmed 1976. FHL 929.273 B727g
• [Brunson] Brunson, Ray D. and Jean Brunson. Brunson Descendants of John and Hannah Brownson of South Carolina Notes on Brunsons of St. Mark's Parish/Old Sumter District, South Carolina, Brunsons from South Carolina to Other States, the Sons of John and Hannah Brownson. Lafayette, La.: R. & J. Brunson, 1991. FHL 929.273 B838brj
• [Coker] Thigpen, Cynthia Jones. "Thomas Coker of Wilcox County, Alabama," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 33, No. 1 (Winter 2005):19-27. FHL Book 975.7 B2sc v. 33
• [Cooper] Andrea, Leonardo. Cooper. Typescript, National Library, D.A.R. Microfilmed 1971. FHL Film 873024 Item 10.
  
• [DuBose] Paunov, Catherine Pennington. "Captain David DuBose," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 29, No. 2 (Spring 2001):72-78. FHL Book 975.7 B2sc v. 29
• [Durant] Andrea, Leonardo. Durant. Typescript, Polk County Historical Library, Bartow, Fla. Microfilmed 1975: FHL Film 978080 Item 2.
  
• [Fullwood] Fullwood, Michael D. The Fullwood Family Being a Genealogy of the Fullwood Family in the United States and Its English Antecedents and the Pedigree of the Author Including All Collateral Families. Ancram, N.Y.: M.D. Fullwood, 1992. FHL Book 929.273 F959fmd.
  
• [Geddings] Record Book of Edward Geddings of Privateer and Sumter, South Carolina and His Descendants Geddings, McLeod, Jennings, Parker, Pritchard, Turner and Treasure. MSS., microfilmed 1975. FHL 928039 Item 14
• [Guignard], Arney R. Planters and Business Men: The Guignard Family of South Carolina, 1795-1930. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, 1957. FHL Book 929.273 G942c.
  
• [Haynsworth] Haynsworth, Hugh Charles. Haynsworth-Furman and Allied Families (Including Ancestry and Descendants of Sarah Morse Haynsworth). Sumter, S.C.: Osteen Publishing Co., 1942. FHL Book 929.273 H334h.
  
• [Holloman] McCaskill, Ollie Andrew and Dixie Miller McCaskill. The Holloman Genealogy of North and South Carolina, 1811-1983. Irmo, S.C.: A. & D. McCaskill, 1983. FHL Book 929.273 H727m.
  
• [Houston] Glenn, Thomas Allen. William Churchill Houston, 1746-1788 ... Norristown, Pa.: T.A. Glenn, 1903. FHL Film 1760317.
  
• [Jones] Terrar, Edward. Family History Information About Charles H. Jones (1833-1895) and Elizabeth Margaret David Jones (1831-1887) and Related Watts/David/Stafford/Macon/Brown/Benson Families in Sumter County, South Carolina. Silver Spring, Md.: E. Terrar, 1988. FHL 929.273 J712t
• [Kelley] Kelley, Mary Sutherland. Simon Kelley Sr. 1787-1852 and Descendants. Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint Company Publishers, 2006. FHL Book 929.273 K287km.
  
• [Lee] Lee, Richard D. Lees, Whites, McCords and Doziers. Typescript, 1901. FHL Fiche 6018484.
  
• [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
• [McKenzie] Brown, Gerald D. Descendants of Daniel and Rebecca McKenzie Old Williamsburg/Sumter Districts of South Carolina. Hemingway, S.C.: Three Rivers Historical Society, 1995. FHL 929.273 M199b
• [Mellett] Mellett Family Records. MSS. FHL Film 835121 Item 2.
  
• [Pettypool] Hartsough, Carolyn S. "The William Pettypool Family of Southside Virginia: Lineage Reconstruction Based on Current Review of Evidence," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 47, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2003):57-75; Vol. 47, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2003):139-146. Digital version at American Ancestors ($); FHL Book 975.5 B2vg.
• [Player] Player, Hubert E. Player Genealogical Records, 1759-1974. MSS. Microfilmed 1979: FHL Film 1036346 Item 1.
  
• [Prescott] Prescott, Adell Taylor. The Ancestors and Descendants of Benjamin Prescott of North Carolina and Sumter District, South Carolina Born ca.1752, Died Prior to 1830. Greenville, N.C.: A.T. Prescott, 1980. FHL 929.273 P921pb
• [Vaughan] Vaughan, Terry. Bloodgames: The Story of the Vaughans, a Southern Family, and Its Neighbors. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1998. FHL Book 929.273 V465vt.
  
• [Watts] True, Charles Wesley. Alexander McIntosh Watts & Martha Dandridge Spann. Hamilton, Texas: C.W. True, 1997. FHL Book 929.273 W349t.
  
• [Welch] Welch, Brian E. Welch Records in Sumter District and Other Areas of South Carolina. Columbia, S.C.: B.E. Welch, 1995. FHL 929.273 W442wb
• [West] Scott, Karen West. Genealogy and Family History of the William Nelson West (1775-1846) Family. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1998. FHL Book 929.273 W52sk.

• Compton, Thomas Heflin. A Record of the Brunson-Capps-Tisdale & Johnson Families of Crenshaw County, Alabama. Inverness, Fla.: T.H. Compton, 1983. FHL Book 929.273 B838c. Treats several Sumter County families

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 Sumter County:

Tracing Land Currently in Sumter County with Parent Counties and Districts

Date	Government Office
1868-Present	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

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

• Gregorie, Anne King. History of Sumter County, South Carolina. Sumter, S.C.: Library Board of Sumter County, 1954. FHL Collection 975.769 H2g.

Review:

1. by Jack Kenny Williams in The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 56, No. 1 (Jan. 1955):56-57. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Maps

• FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

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

• Camden-Charleston Path 1732

Military

Revolutionary War

• "Jasper Redden McCoy, Revolution, Scapo Swamp exploit legend, SC," Periodical Bay Area Genealogical Society Newsletter, February 2005, Volume 4, Issue 6. Bay Area Genealogical Society: Houston, TX.
• "Pensioners census, 1840," Sumter Black River Watchman, October 2003, Volume 19, Issue 7. Sumter County Genealogical Society: Sumter, SC.
• "Adam Cusack execution, 1780," Sumter Black River Watchman, September 2002, Issue 6. Sumter County Genealogical Society: Sumter, SC.
• "Loyalists," Sumter Black River Watchman, March 2000. Sumter County Genealogical Society: Sumter, SC

War of 1812

• 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. FHL Collection 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. See Vol. 5, South Carolina, Sumter County, p. 189. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.

Civil War

Online Records

• 1861-1865 - South Carolina Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 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)
• "Sumter County Military Information". USGenWeb Project- Sumter County, South Carolina. Internet site. Lists brief histories and rosters of officers and soldiers in Civil War military units that were from Sumter County.

Regiments. Civil War service men from Sumter County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were formed in Sumter County or from many of its men:

- 1st Battalion, South Carolina Sharpshooters, Company A (also known the Union Light Infantry and German Fusiliers) and Company B (also known as the Sumter Guards)

- 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Artillery, Company D

- 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (2nd Palmetto Regiment), Company D (also known as Sumter Guards and Sumter Volunteers)

- 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Light Artillery (Palmetto Battalion), Company C (also known as the Wilson Light Artillery, Culpepper's Light Artillery and Culpeper Battery), Company E (also known as the Yeadon Light Artillery), Company G (also known as the DeSaussure Light Artillery and the DePass Light Battery), and Company K (also known as Richardson's Company)

- 4th Regiment, South Carolina State Troops, Company I

- 5th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Ferguson's), Company H

- 5th Battalion, South Carolina Reserves (Brown's), Company B

- 6th Battalion, South Carolina Infantry (Byrd's), Company B and Company C

- 6th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Aiken's Partisan Rangers) (1st Partisan Rangers), Company H and Company I

- 7th Battalion, South Carolina Infantry (Nelson's) (Enfield Rifles), Company E

- 7th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry , Company D, Company F, Company H, and Company I

- 8th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves

- 9th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company D and Company F

- 14th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry, Company A

- 19th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company D and Company E

- 20th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company A and Reorganized Company G

- 23rd Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (Hatch's Coast Rangers), Company K

- Garden's Company, South Carolina Light Artillery (Palmetto Light Battery)

World War II

• World War II Service Personnel 1942

Newspapers

Historic

The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Sumpter 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 Post (Columbia, S.C.) 1977-current.
• Evening News (Sumter, S.C.) 1895-1896.
• Semi-Weekly Watchman (Sumter, S.C.) 1863-1863.
• Sumter Gazette and Constitutional Advocate (Sumterville [i.e. Sumter], S.C.) 1830-1833.
• The Banner of Freedom (Sumter, S.C.) 18??-18??.
• The Black River Watchman (Sumterville, S.C.) 1850-1855.
• The Defender (Sumter, S.C.) 1903-1913.
• The Freeman (Sumter, S.C.) 1891-1906.
• The Item (Sumter, S.C.) 1987-current.
• The Peoples Informer (Sumter, S.C.) 1936-1941.
• The Recon Record (Sumter, S.C.) 1957-195?.
• The Spirit of the Times (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1884.
• The Samaritan Herald (Sumter, S.C.) 1909-1942.
• The Southern Whig (Sumterville [Sumter], S.C.) 1832-1834.
• The Sumter Advance (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1892.
• The Sumter Banner (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855.
• The Sumter Daily Item (Sumter, S.C.) 1894-1987.
• The Sumter Dispatch (Sumter, S.C.) 1860-1861.
• The Sumter Gazette (Sumterville, S.C.) 1845-1845.
• The Sumter Herald (Sumter, S.C.) 1892-1952.
• The Sumter News (Sumter, S.C.) 1866-1873.
• The Sumter News (Sumter, S.C.) 1967-1981.
• The Sumter Watchman (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881. Search online at Chronicling America.
• The True Southron (Sumter, S.C.) 1873-1881.
• The Watchman and Southron (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930. Search online at Chronicling America.
• Tri-Weekly Watchman (Sumter, S.C.) 1860-1863.

Current

• The Item (Sumter, S.C.) Online edition.

For a history of Sumter newspaper presses, see:

• Stubbs, Thomas McAlpin. "The Fourth Estate of Sumter South Carolina," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 54, No. 4 (Oct. 1953):185-200. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

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:

• The South Carolina Historical Magazine
• Sumter Black River Watchman FHL Collection

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. Estate records for Sumter County from 1800 to 1963 also available on microfilm.

Search for probate records for Sumter County in the court of ordinary, the probate court, and the court of equity. Some estate records for the probate court are also available on microfilm through the Family History Library, including some miscellaneous estate records, 1784-1960. FHL Film 216930

• Sumter County Wills, Bk A, 1774-1782 (transcripts). See names of testators.  South Carolina Pioneers
• Sumter County Wills, 1783-1815 (transcripts). See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers
• Sumter County Wills, 1816-1822 (transcripts). See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers
• Sumter County Wills, Bk D-1, 1823-1836 (transcripts). See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers
• Sumter County Wills, Bk M, 1836-1840 (transcripts). See names of testators. South Carolina Pioneers

Online Probate Records

• 1670-1980 - South Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1670-1980 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
• 1671-1977 - South Carolina Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes 1671-1977 at FamilySearch — images
• 1732-1964 - South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers 1732-1964 at FamilySearch — images
• 1782-1866 - South Carolina, Will Transcripts 1782-1866 at findmypast — $, index

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 tax lists for Sumter County.
• The tax evaluation treasurer's report for district 17, dated 1960 to 1961 survives. Copies: FHL Film 355726.
• State Equity Records, 1784, Sumter Black River Watchman (Feb. 2001).

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 Sumter 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 - South Carolina, Delayed Birth Certificates, 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 Sumter 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 and Records

• 1862-1878 - Newspaper Abstracts from the Southern Christian Advocate by Sumter County, SC USGenWeb page - abstracts
• 1911-1950 (index to 1967) - Sumter County, South Carolina Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950; Indexes, 1911-1967 FHL Collection - index and records
  
• 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 Sumter 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

• Sumter District Death Notices and Obituaries by Sumter County, SC USGenWeb page - index
• 1816-1990 - South Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1816-1990 at FamilySearch — index
• 1862-1878 - Newspaper Abstracts from the Southern Christian Advocate by Sumter County, SC USGenWeb page - abstracts
• 1915-1965 - South Carolina Deaths, 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.

Archives, Libraries, and Museums

Libraries

Sumter County Library System

The Sumpter County Library system consists to a main library in downtown Sumpter, two branches, and a bookmobile.

Downtown - Main Library
Address:
111 North Harvin Street
Sumter, South Carolina 2915

Telephone: 803.773.7273
Fax: 803.773.4875
Hours: Monday - Tuesday 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, Wednesday - Saturday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, Sunday 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm

The South Carolina Room of the Downtown Library contains over 2500 items pertaining to the history, culture and government of South Carolina. Items of particular interest are histories of Sumter County and works of non-fiction, prose and poetry by current and former Sumter County and area residents. The room is available all hours the Downtown branch is open. Visit the Reference Desk for access.

Westmark Branch
Address:
180 W. <g class="gr_ gr_50 gr-alert gr_spell ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="50" data-gr-id="50">Wesmark</g> Boulevard
Sumter, South Carolina 29150
Telephone: 803.469.8110
Fax: 803.469.8347
Hours: Monday - Tuesday 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, Wednesday - Saturday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, Sunday 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm

South Sumter Branch
Address:
337 Manning Avenue
Sumter, S.C. 29150
Telephone: 803.775.7132 (voice and fax)
Hours: Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Family History Centers

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.

• Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator

Local Centers and Libraries

• Sumter South Carolina Family History Center

1770 Highway 15 S
Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina, United States
Phone: 803-481-8300
Hours: Hours vary. Call ahead.

Museums

Sumter County Museum Complex

The Sumter County Museum is a private non-profit institution whose mission is to promote the history of Old Sumter District through the preservation and exhibition of objects, manuscripts, and documents, which relate the story of this area of South Carolina. The museum campus includes the Williams-Brice House (1916), the Heritage Education Center (2003) and the Carolina Backcountry Homestead.

Sumter County Museum
Address:
122 North Washington Street
P.O. Box 1456
Sumter, South Carolina 29151-1456
Telephone: 803-775-0908
Hours: Thurs-Sat 10:00-5:00 Closed Holidays

The Museum's Archives houses records related to the history of the old Sumter District (present day Sumter, Lee, and Clarendon counties) and, after 1868, Sumter County. Records include over 30,000 photographic images, postcards, personal letters, scrapbooks, business records, plats, and maps. The Archive is also home to W. A. "Mayor Bubba" McElveen's Archive and the papers of historian Myrtis Ginn Osteen.

Housed in the Heritage Education Center at the museum, the Archive is accessible by appointment only. To make an appointment, call the museum is 803-775-0908. The physical address of the museum is the same as above.

Email the archivist at krichardson@sumtercountymuseum.org

Societies - Genealogical, Historical, Lineage 

Sumter County Genealogical Society
SCGS Chapter
P.O. Box 2543(mailing address)
Sumter SC 29151-2543

219 West Liberty Street (physical address)
Sumter SC 29150
803-774-3901

Sumter County Historical Society
P.O. Box 1456
Sumter SC 29150
source: Society Hill

Websites

• Sumter County, SC History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
• Sumter County SCGenWeb
• FamilySearch Catalog
• Sumter County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
• The "Turks" of Sumter County, South Carolina
• South Carolina Pioneers South Carolina Pioneers

References

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Family History Library

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