South Carolina Census Records -  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

See Also Researching in Census Records - What is the name, age, sex, color, occupation, and birthplace of each person residing in this house? Which of these individuals attended school or was married within the year? Who among them is deaf and dumb, blind, insane, “idiotic,” a pauper, or a convict? Is there anyone in the household over twenty years of age who cannot read and write? What is the name of the slave owner? How many slaves belong to the owner? What is the tribe of this Indian? What were the places of birth of the person’s parents? In what year did this person immigrate to the United States and, if naturalized, what was the year of naturalization? For answers to these and other questions, researchers look to census records......

   South Carolina did not conduct any full colonial censuses. Fragments of state census returns available at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.The original returns are found at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. The 1829 state census of Fairfield and Laurens districts are extant. The 1839 state census of Kershaw and Chesterfield districts are extant. The population returns for the 1869 state census are complete except for Clarendon, Oconee, and Spartanburg Counties. The 1875 state census returns are available for Clarendon, Newberry, and Marlboro Counties, as are partial returns for Abbeville, Beaufort, Fairfield, Lancaster, and Sumter counties

   There are many other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in the state of South Carolina. There areIndustry 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.

• South Carolina Census, 1790-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 Federal Census Index; 1800 Federal Census Index; 1810 Federal Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1850 Slave Schedule; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1860 Slave Schedule; 1890 Veterans Schedule; Colonial Probate Index; Early Census Index.

Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"

   There are numerous ways to determine the location in which to concentrate research for an ancestor. One of the most popular and productive is the census.
Alice Eichholz, Ph.D., In Ancestry’s Red Book: American State,County and Town Sources

    Since 1790, the U.S. government has taken a nationwide population count every ten years. Unique in scope and often surprisingly detailed, the census population schedules created from 1790 to 1920 are among the most used of records created by the federal government. Over the course of two centuries the United States has changed significantly, and so has the census. From the six basic questions asked in the 1790 census, the scope and categories of information have changed and expanded dramatically.

   Early censuses were essentially basic counts of inhabitants; but as the nation grew, so did the need for statistics that would reflect the characteristics of the people. In 1850, the focus of the census was radically broadened. Going far beyond the vague questions previously asked of heads of households, the 1850 census enumerators were instructed to ask the age, sex, color, occupation, birthplace, and other questions regarding every individual in every household. Succeeding enumerations solicited more information; by 1920, census enumerators asked twenty-nine questions of every head of household and almost as many questions of everyone else in the residence. (Only a very small segment of the 1890 census remains; a fire in the Commerce Department destroyed the vast majority of the original records for that year. Because of privacy considerations, census records less than seventy-two years old are not available to the general public; thus, the 1920 census is the most recent available to the public.)

   Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do the U.S. federal censuses. The population schedules are successive “snapshots” of Americans that depict where and how they were living at particular periods in the past. Once home sources and library sources have been exhausted, the census is often the best starting point for further genealogical research. Statewide indexes are available for almost every census; they are logical tools for locating individuals whose precise place of residence is unknown. While some inaccuracies are to be expected in census records, they still provide some of the most fascinating and useful pieces of personal history to be found in any source. If nothing else, census records are important sources for placing individuals in specific places at specific times. Additionally, information found in the census will often point to other sources critical to complete research, such as court, land, military, immigration, naturalization, and vital records.

   The importance of census records does not diminish over time in any research project. It is always wise to return to these records as discoveries are made in other sources because, as you discover new evidence about individuals, some information that seemed unrelated or unimportant in a first look at the census may take on new importance.

   When you can’t find family, vital, or religious records, census records may be the only means of documenting the events of a person’s life. Vital registration—the official recording of births, deaths, and marriages—did not begin until around 1920 in many areas of the United States, and fires, floods and other disasters since have destroyed some official government records. When other documentation is missing, census records are frequently used by individuals who must prove their age or citizenship status (or that of their parents) for Social Security benefits, insurance, passports, and other important reasons.

How to Find Census Records
   All available federal census schedules (those made from 1790 to 1920) have been microfilmed and are available at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.; at the National Archives’ regional archives; at the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church) in Salt Lake City and LDS family history centers throughout North America, “The Family History Library and Its Centers”); at many large libraries; in genealogical society libraries; and through companies that lend microfilmed records. Some state and local agencies have census schedules for the state or area they serve. Generally, microfilm copies may be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Starting With the Census
   It is usually best to begin a census search in the most recently available census records (1920) and to work from what is already known about a family. With any luck, birthplaces and other clues found in these more recent records will point to locations of earlier residence.

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South Carolina Church Records - South Carolina church records play an important role in genealogical research, in the absence of early marriage and vital records. Some of South Carolina's church records are on microfilm at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and the FHL.

See Also Research In State Church & Cemetery Records - Church records rank among the most promising of genealogical records available. Indeed, for periods before the advent of civil registration of vital statistics (a very late development in many American states), church records rank as the best available sources for information on specific vital events: birth, marriage, and death. They are also among the most under-used major records in American genealogy. Part of the reason lies in the number of denominations-there are hundreds of them. Identifying and locating the records of these various churches makes even professional genealogists hesitate......

These are some of the various denominations:

Baptist - The Baptist church is contemporary South Carolina's largest religious group, despite the fact that it was not established there until 1783. There are two online collections of notices derived from Baptist newspapers in South Carolina. They are South Carolina Baptist Deaths and Marriages, 1866-87 & South Carolina Baptist Marriages and Deaths, 1835-65

Lutheran - Lutherans also established themselves in South Carolina during the eighteenth century with the arrival of German and Swiss settlers. Early Evangelical Lutheran records are excellent genealogical resources.

Church of England - The Church of England was established as the official state-supported church of South Carolina in 1706, with responsibility for recording births, christenings, marriages, and burials. Between 1706 and 1778, twenty-five parishes were established, including two for the Huguenots, who were allowed to use a French version of the Book of Common Prayer. All of the extant parish registers have been published; most have appeared in The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine or in book form. The Church of England parishes created in 1706 recorded christenings, marriages, and burials, and these registers can serve as vital records for much of the colonial period.

Quakers - Quakers settled in South Carolina early; the first group was joined by emigrants from Ireland in the 1750s and by Quakers from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia after 1760.

French Huguenots - French Huguenots began to settle permanently in South Carolina in 1685 when land grants were issued along the shoreline. While most of the group's early records have been lost, some publications speak of early members and their families.

Presbyterian - Presbyterians established their denomination in South Carolina during the early eighteenth century and later became associated with the Reformed Presbyterian Church.

Roman Catholic - The first Roman Catholic parish was established at Charleston in 1789. Known for keeping excellent records of christenings, marriages, and burials, the church has preserved its registers. 

Methodists - Methodists arrived in South Carolina about the same time as the Baptists (1783). Methodist records include conference records, membership lists, and historical and biographical information.

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. Cemetery records are frequently published in the major genealogical periodicals of South Carolina.

South Carolina Cemetery Records - 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. Schweitzer has addresses for local historical and genealogical societies. Cemetery records are frequently published in the major genealogical periodicals of South Carolina (see Periodicals)

   Cemetery records and gravestone inscriptions are a rich source of information for family historians. Cemetery and other sources of information associated with death include:

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South Carolina Land Records - Land in South Carolina was granted by headright and bounty grants. The prospective grantee first petitioned the Grand Council for a warrant . The petition had to be made in person by the head-of-household; he had to give his name, the number of acres requested, and the location of the land. While there was no requirement to request all of the land due to the family, the household had to have as many persons as claimed. Petitions occasionally include names and ages of spouses and children or other genealogically valuable information. The date of petition or application is often called the precept, warrant, or pursuant date. The petitions are found at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

See Also Researching in Land Records - Land records provide two types of important evidence for the genealogist. Prior to the Civil War, more than eighty-five percent of all Americans owned or leased land. Therefore, almost every researcher, whether a seasoned professional or weekend hobbyist, has required land records to document the existence, association, or movement of an individual or ancestral family. Most beginning genealogists underestimate the importance of using land records to pin persons to specific locales. In the South, which has far fewer vital records than New England, the land records are even more crucial to genealogical success. For answers to these and other questions, researchers look to Land records......

   After receiving a warrant, the prospective grantee carried it to a surveyor who surveyed the land and drew a plat, or map, of its boundaries. Recorded plats have important information including: the precept date, necessary to locate the original petition; the survey (or certified) date; the recording date; and a full description of the land, including watercourses and location.

   When the plat was returned to the Surveyor General's office, the prospective grant was checked against other plats to ensure that only one person was claiming the same land. If there were no problems, grant papers were sent to the Governor for his signature and seal. 

   The boundary between South Carolina and North Carolina was first surveyed in 1772, and a final agreement was reached in 1815. Land previously thought to be in Mecklenburg and Tryon counties, North Carolina, was found to be in South Carolina. Records of both Carolinas should be examined for colonial inhabitants of the area encompassed by present-day Cherokee, Greenville, Spartanburg, and York Counties.

• Headrights and Bounty Grants - Headrights were the “right” to free land of every “head” settling in the colony. Settlers who arrived with the first fleet were authorized headrights of 150 acres for every male aged sixteen and above and a hundred acres for every female and every male aged under sixteen. Heads-of-household could claim land for their slaves and servants as well as family members. Settlers who arrived after the first fleet and before 1756 were given fifty acres for each member of the household. After 1755, heads-of-household could receive a hundred acres plus an additional fifty acres for every other member of the household.
• Quitrent -  Once the land was finally granted, the owner was responsible for paying a quitrent. The first quitrent had to be paid within two years on headright grants and within ten years on bounty land grants. The quitrent was a land tax that had its roots in English manorial society where “the land obligations due the manor, such as plowing and haying the lord's land, were computed to an annual money payment. Upon payment, the obligations were `quit' for the year.” 
• 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 . Some memorials are on microfilme at the FHL.
• Mesne Conveyances -  In South Carolina, deeds are often called mesne conveyances, or conveyances, 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

State-land state surveyed in indiscriminate metes and bounds. A proprietary colony from 1670 to 1719 and a royal colony from 1719 to 1775, South Carolina’s gradual separation from North Carolina was recognized by parliament in 1729 and confirmed by the partial running of their dividing line in 1735. Subsequent segments were later run ever farther west, and many settlers unexpectedly found themselves inhabitants of the neighboring colony. Each colony made some grants in the other’s territory. South Carolina had headright grants, which are sometimes in council journals from the 1749 to 1773 period. No other recorded land warrants survive.

  The colonial and state surveys/plats and grants are in the state archive and have been microfilmed. There are separate series with indexes for the proprietary, royal, and state periods. Land office business was suspended all through the 1720s, South Carolina having expelled the proprietary government in 1719. The situation was resolved when George II bought out the proprietors in 1729. In 1731, a more regularized processing of land titles was implemented, with the proprietary titles and claims to be registered as “memorials.” In 1744, this memorializing of land titles was required of all titles granted from 1731, a system that helped the government identify quitrent obligations. Five manuscript volumes of quitrents exist for the 1733-to-1774 period.

   South Carolina land records created before the revolution may refer to the counties of Colleton, Craven, Berkeley, and Granville; these were nonfunctioning but useful as geographical locators. Deeds and mortgages were recorded only at Charleston until 1769–72; and until 1785, such records from local courthouses continued to be sent to and stored in Charleston. Pre-1719 records are at the state archive in Columbia. From 1785 to 1799, there were first seven and then nine “old” districts, where conveyances were stored. About 1799 these large districts were abolished and conveyances were recorded and stored at twenty-four small “new” districts. (These districts have been called counties since 1868.) The need, until about 1769–72, to go to Charleston to record conveyances, the turmoil of the revolution from 1775 to 1783, and the loss of many “old” district records means South Carolina deeds created before 1800 are very incomplete. The original tracts in the up-country vicinity of the Broad, Tyger, and Enoree rivers have been platted and published as Union County Historical Foundation, Land Grant Maps (Union, S.C.: A Press, 1976). South Carolina passed a bounty-land act and established a small military reserve. A unique land source is the state’s Reconstruction attempt to buy land for black freedmen. Some records exist showing whites selling to the project and blacks buying.

   Land and property records are a big key to solving difficult research problems. South Carolina's colonial land records are among the most complete of thirteen original colonies, probably because all records were maintained in Charleston, and Charleston was not destroyed during the Revolutionary War.   

The Register Mesne Conveyance Office has its origins in colonial South Carolina, under the state's Office of the Secretary and Register of the Province. Some records of real estate transactions date back to the 1670s. Continuous records begin in 1719. In 1731, a separate land registry began to show all real property transactions for the entire state. In 1839, the Clerk of Circuit Court was declared as the RMC in each of the state's districts except for Charleston and Georgetown. When South Carolina RMC offices were abolished in 1896, only Charleston and Greenville retained their offices. Outside of these two counties, the duties devolved upon the Clerks of Court.

• Land Records from All States
• Search County Property Records
• Search County Land Patents

Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"

   Prior to the Civil War, more than eighty-five percent of all Americans owned or leased land. Therefore, almost every researcher, whether a seasoned professional or weekend hobbyist, has required land records to document the existence, association, or movement of an individual or ancestral family. While many researchers may feel a sense of historical excitement when finding an ancestor in a land deed, many also fail to understand the importance of such a document and how land can be used to make vital links between generations; they are not aware that it can bridge distant origins and help solve even the most difficult problems. E. Wade Hone, In Land and Property Research in the United States

U.S. House of Representative Private Claims, Vol. 1, Vol. 2 or Vol. 3

   The right to own land has always been one of the great incentives for living in the United States. Yet researchers often overlook the importance of land records as a source of family history information. Written evidence of people’s entitlement goes back in time further than virtually any other type of record family historians might use.

   Land records meet the needs of researchers in different ways and contain a variety of genealogical and historical data. They are a major source of information for many family histories and provide primary source material for local history as well. They are closely related to probate and other official court records and should be investigated in connection with them. Land and property are leading issues in the settlement of estates, and the majority of civil cases in the courts deal with real and personal property. Although land records rarely yield vital statistics, in many instances they provide the only proof of family relationships. Often they include the names of heirs of an estate (including daughters’ married names and a widow’s subsequent married name) and refer to related probates and other court cases by number and court name. In some places where other records are scarce, the land records take on extra importance. Occasionally these documents disclose former residences and more often provide the new address of the grantors or heirs at the time of the sale of the property.

   Land records provide two types of important evidence for the family historian. First, they often document family relationships. Second, they place individuals in a specific time and place, allowing the researcher to sort people and families into neighborhoods and closely related groups. One of land records’ most important qualities is that they are sometimes the only records that allow us to distinguish one person of a common name from another.

   The National Archives has bounty-land warrant files, donation land entry files, homestead application files, and private land claim files relating to the entry of individual settlers on land in the public land states. There are no land records for the original thirteen states or for Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Hawaii. Records for these states are maintained by state officials, usually in the state capital. Searching for the record of a particular land grant from the federal government requires contacting both the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Archives (NARA).

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South Carolina Military Records - South Carolina's military history began in 1670 when the Spanish attacked “Old Town.” Frequent battles with the Spanish, French, and Indian tribes continued throughout the colonial period. Unfortunately, few records have survived to tell of the participants and the nature of their involvement. Mention of South Carolina soldiers may be found in works dealing with specific wars of a national or regional scope.
South Carolina Military Books at Amazon.com

See Also Researching in Military Records - 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.......

The site U.S. Wars list conflicts dating from earliest to 1865. Wars covered that are availibele are:

Revolutionary War - Revolutionary War. South Carolinians were heavily involved in the Revolutionary War on both sides. Although some records were destroyed, the Revolutionary War resources for South Carolina are quite rich. See also South Carolina in the revolutionary War, Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution

Search Revolutionary War 1775-83 Service Records, Rejected Pensions, Loyalists Records, 1775-1783 Pay Rolls, Courts-Martial, Officers, Pension Index, 1841 Pensioner Census

   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. Original pension records are available at the National Archives, but a published index is widely available.

  South Carolina militia units that participated in the Revolutionary War are not included in the service records listed above.

For Loyalist troops see South Carolina Royalist Troops, Muster Rolls, 1777–1783, on two microfilm reels at the South Caroliniana Library in Columbia

Many South Carolinians can be found in the Accounts Audited of Claims Growing Out of the Revolution at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

Stub Indents are another important resource. When South Carolina paid claims for goods, services, or damages from the Revolutionary War, they were paid with certificates called indents. Rather like stub checkbooks, the certificates were in two parts: one part was issued to the claimant as compensation; the other part was a stub on which pertinent information, such as the claimant's name, the nature of the claim, and the amount paid was recorded. The state retained the stub of the indents, and they are found at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Office of the Commissioners of the Treasury, Stub Indents and Indexes, 1779–1791, 22 vols.

Below is a list of online resources for South Carolina in the Revolutionary War. Email us with websites containing information on South Carolina in the Revolutionary War by clicking the link below:

• 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.

War of 1812 - War of 1812. The National Archives has service records, pension files, and indexes to the War of 1812 service and pension records. Extensive manuscript and microfilmed records of South Carolina units and soldiers of the War of 1812 are at the South Caroliniana Library in Columbia.

Search War of 1812 Service Records and Miscellaneous Canadian Records

Civil War -    The military personnel records of the Confederate States of America, along with other confederate records captured by the Union Army, were taken to Washington and preserved by the War Department. Consequently, service records for South Carolina Confederate soldiers can be found in the National Archives. 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.

Search Civil War Soldiers, Service Records, Regiments, General Officers, Battle Summaries, Pension Index: 1861-1934, CSA Field Officers and the War of the Rebellion

South Carolina enacted a pension law for indigent Confederate veterans in 1888. Subsequent revisions in 1895, 1896, 1900, 1903, and 1910 added widows of veterans and all veterans who gave service in any Confederate state. A complete revision in 1919 established the Confederate Pension Department and County Pension Boards. Virtually all veterans and their widows qualified for pensions, but everyone receiving or wishing to receive a pension had to reapply. The reapplications are at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and are indexed in the “Card File Index of 1919–1926 South Carolina Confederate Pension Applications” at the Department.

Below is a list of online resources for South Carolina in the Civil War. Email us with websites containing information on South Carolina in the Civil War by clicking the link below:

• 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.

Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"

   Military and pension records are among the most useful sources available to genealogists because of the detail they offer. These records are important because they may provide an ancestor’s date of birth, place of residence, the names and addresses of family members, and other details that can round out a picture of his or her life. Judith Prowse Reid, Head, Local History and Genealogy, Library of Congress

   Military records have originated at the federal, state, and local levels. Whether created in time of war or in time of peace, these records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served in the military forces of the United States. Almost every American family, in one generation or another, has seen one or more of its members serve in America’s armed forces. From regimental histories, which provide blow-by-blow accounts of a unit’s participation in military actions, to the personal details contained in the service and pension files of individual men and women, military records provide valuable information concerning a large and significant portion of the American population. And because military records have been preserved and made available at and through a number of research institutions, much information awaits the well-prepared researcher.

How to Find Military Records
   To locate military records for any individual, it is essential to know when and where in the armed forces he or she served and whether that person served in the enlisted ranks or was an officer. (If you don’t have that identifying information, some potential solutions are discussed below.)
As in any research project, it is important to study carefully whatever is already known about the subject of interest. Families and communities frequently pass down stories of military heroes from generation to generation. In most cases, these stories retain some fact, but, with the passage of years and in the process of retelling, accuracy fades. At any rate, family stories should not be overlooked for clues at the start of a military search.

   When and where did the individual live? Did the family keep evidence of military service? Certificates, letters, journals, diaries, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, photographs, medals, swords, and other memorabilia kept in private collections may provide the basic facts needed to begin searching in military record collections.

Military Time Lines
   Creating a historical time line can be especially useful for determining if and when the subject might have served in the military. By compiling a chronological list of the known dates and places of residence of an individual from birth through adulthood, it is frequently easy to discover the possibility of military service. Was the individual the right age to be eligible for the draft or to serve voluntarily in the Civil War? Is it likely that the person served on the Northern rather than the Southern side, or vice versa? For records from the colonial period to more recent military engagements, the place of residence is key to finding an individual’s records.

Evidence of Military Service in Hometown Records
   There are a number of public records that are potentially valuable in discovering the military history of a veteran. It has been a long-standing American tradition to foster patriotism by honoring local sons and daughters who have defended the ideals of their country. Hometown military heroes are frequently noted on public monuments, and local newspaper files may yield surprisingly detailed accounts of a community’s well-known and less-famous military personnel.

Military History
   Commercial enterprises and historically oriented groups and institutions have regularly published local histories. As a rule, these histories will include glowing accounts of the area’s involvement in military activities. Some volumes provide biographical sketches of military leaders, while others attempt to list all of the community’s participants in various military conflicts. Locally focused histories have been published at various times for virtually every state and county in the United States. Do not overlook them as an important research aid. P. William Filby’s A Bibliography of American County Histories is a list of five thousand such sources.

   In addition to the standard histories, local public libraries and historical societies usually preserve and make available other types of publications that document the military history of the geographical areas they serve. Historical agencies collect biographies, letters, diaries, journals, and all sorts of memorabilia from military units and servicemen and -women. The personal accounts found in some collections are a fascinating means of stepping back in time. Firsthand accounts afford a better understanding of the day-to-day drudgery, loneliness, fears, and satisfactions of military life.

Evidence of Military Service in Cemeteries
   Cemeteries provide yet another local source of information regarding individuals who served in the armed forces. Almost every cemetery in the United States contains some evidence of military events and veterans. Cemetery records and grave markers frequently identify military dead by name, rank, and unit designation. If a man or woman died elsewhere while in the service, the body was frequently brought home for burial; cemetery records often note the place and date of death.

Evidence of Military Service in Court Records
   Court records are yet another potential source for identifying those who served in the military. Most counties formally recorded and indexed the names of their citizens who were discharged from the military. In some local courts, “military discharges” will be found indexed separately, and in others the military records may be oddly interspersed with deeds, naturalizations, or other categories of documents. The contents of military records may vary greatly from one courthouse to another. Some will provide biographical information, while others may simply list names and the event or names and date of certificate issue.

Military Records in the National Archives
   Federal military documents that have been classified as archival material are in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration. Not all records created by military agencies are judged to be permanently valuable. Generally, only records of historical or administrative importance are kept.

   A wonderful array of federal military records are available in major libraries and archives and through microfilm rental programs. (Heritage Quest, a division of AGLL, Inc., PO Box 329, Bountiful, UT 84011-0329, is a source of rental microfilms.) With sufficient identifying information, you may request a search of the registers of enlistments or the compiled military service records. The minimum information required for a search is (1) the soldier’s full name, (2) the war in which he or she served or period of service, and (3) the state from which he or she served. For the Civil War, you must also indicate whether the person served in Union or Confederate forces. A separate copy of the form must be used for military service, pension, and bounty-land warrant applications. Submit requests for information about individuals who served in the military before World War I on NATF form 80 (Order for Copies of Veterans Records). Write to the National Archives and Records Administration, General Reference Branch, Washington, DC 20408 to obtain copies of NATF form 80. Always ask for “all records” for an individual.

   Make requests for information about U.S. Army officers separated from the service after 1912 on standard form 180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records) and send it to the Military Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132.

U.S. Military Records
   By far the most comprehensive study of military records and how to use them is found in James C. Neagles’s U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present. Neagles’s guide addresses primary and secondary military sources and accessibility, including the following information-rich sources:

Records of state militias and the National Guard
Records of the army, navy, and other branches of the U.S. military
Records of the military academies
Post-service records
Pensions
Bounty-land grants
Bonuses and family assistance
Soldier’s homes
Military burials
Military installations
Censuses of veterans
Conscription
Civilian affairs

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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 ninety percent compliance within a few years. Original copies of birth and death certificates are filed with the state, and copies can be obtained by writing to South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Office of Vital Records and Public Health Statistics, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201.

See Also Researching in Vital Records - Vital records, as their name suggests, are connected with central life events: birth, marriage, and death. Maintained by civil authorities, they are prime sources of genealogical information; but, unfortunately, official vital records are available only for relatively recent periods. These records, despite their recent creation in the United States, are critically important in genealogical research, often supplying details on family members well back into the nineteenth century.......

The above office accepts Visa or MasterCard for payment for urgent requests made by phone. There is an additional fee for this service including postal costs. Each South Carolina county has a copy of the state's records, and a few cities have records pre-dating the state-wide registration requirement: Charleston began keeping birth records in 1877 and death records in 1821, and Georgetown was authorized to establish a vital records registration system in 1883. The Church of England parishes created in 1706 recorded christenings, marriages, and burials, and these registers can serve as vital records for much of the colonial period.

South Carolina had no law requiring marriage licenses or registration until 1911. Assembly Act No. 70, “An Act to require Marriage Licenses and Regulate their Issuances,” became effective on 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.

Until 1949, divorce was illegal in South Carolina. Since then, divorces are the province of the county court, and all inquiries should be directed to the county clerk of court.

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

HOW TO OBTAIN A CERTIFIED COPY OF A BIRTH LICENSE

Each of South Carolina’s forty-six (46) counties has a vital records office in the county health department. The Division of Vital Records has put into place a project to allow all forty-six (46) county vital records’ offices to issue short form certifications (birth cards) for any South Carolina birth, regardless of the county. This project is referred to as the Statewide Birth Certification Project. The completion date for this project was April 03, 2000. Statewide Birth Certification allows a customer to obtain a short form birth card from any county health department regardless of where in South Carolina the birth occurred.

REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR A BIRTH RECORD

• Full name of the person whose birth certificate is being requested
• Full date of birth (month, day, year)
• County of Birth
• Mother’s full name before she married
• Full name of father
• Signature of the person requesting the birth certificate and their current mailing address
• Relationship between the person named on the birth certificate and the person requesting the certified copy
• The full name and complete mailing address where the certificate is to be mailed.
• Area code and daytime telephone number of the person requesting the Certificate
• Other information you consider helpful in the search for the birth certificate (Example: full names and dates of birth of brothers and sisters, nicknames, etc.)

HOW TO OBTAIN A CERTIFIED COPY OF A MARRIAGE LICENSE
You can download this form to obtain a Certified Copy of a Marriage License

You are entitled to a certified copy of a marriage record if you are one of the married parties (bride or groom), their adult child(ren), a present or former spouse of either married party, or their respective legal representative. Other applicants may be provided with a statement that the marriage occurred, including the date and county the marriage license was issued.

Certified copies of marriage records from July 1950 to the present may be obtained from the Vital Records Office in Columbia, South Carolina, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201.

Copies of marriage records that occurred PRIOR to July 1950 may be obtained from the Office of the Probate in the county where the original marriage license was issued. Fees charged by DHEC for these services do not apply to copies obtained from the Office of the Probate Judge.

REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR A MARRIAGE SEARCH

• Full name and date of birth of the groom
• Full name and date of birth of the bride
• Full date of marriage (month, day, year)
• County where the license was issued
• Signature of the person requesting the marriage record and their current mailing address
• Relationship between the married parties and the person requesting the certified copy
• Full name and complete mailing address of the person to whom the certificate is to be mailed
• Area code and daytime telephone number of the person requesting the marriage record
• Any additional information you consider helpful in the search for the marriage record (Example: previous married names, nicknames, etc.)

HOW TO OBTAIN A CERTIFIED COPY OF A DEATH CERTIFICATE

Certified copies of death certificates may be obtained from the state vital records office located at DHEC, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201 or You can download this form to obtain a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate. Certified copies of death certificates may also be issued from the health department in the county of death. The county vital records office can only certify deaths that occurred during the last five years in their county. There were no South Carolina Death certificates before January 01, 1915

REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR A DEATH SEARCH

• Full name of the person whose death certificate is being requested
• Full date of death (month, day, year)
• County where the person was pronounced dead
• The names of the decedent's parents
• Signature of the person requesting the death certificate and their current mailing address
• Relationship between the person name on the death certificate and the person requesting the certified copy
• The full name and complete mailing address of the person to whom the certificate is to be mailed
• Area code and daytime telephone number of the person requesting the death certificate
• Other information you consider helpful in the search for the death certificate (Example: nicknames, alias, place of burial, etc.)

Death records become public records after fifty (50) years and then any person may obtain certified copies. Deaths for 1915-1949 are available for public reviewing at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29223 or search online HERE. Access to a microfiche index and microfilm of these deaths is available at the Archives' Reference Room. No appointment is needed and there is no charge for viewing the records. If copies are needed, a work order provided at the Reference Room must be completed. The Reference Room staff will provide information about charges for copies and schedule for receiving copies. Self-service copying is available. Inquiries must be made in person or by telephone. The Reference Room is open Monday - Friday, 8:45 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. daily. For additional information, telephone (803) 896-6104.

Facts on Birth Records - Most early birth records contain very little biographical information. Typical early New England town and church records, for example, give little information beyond the name of the child, date and place of birth, and parents’ names. Some localities listed only the name of the father.

While early birth records can be discouragingly lacking in information, by the mid-nineteenth century birth records in the United States began to include more information. Even though births were not widely recorded during the early years of America’s existence, the records that do exist may be the only source of a birth date for an individual and should always be consulted.

Delayed births are also important vital registrations that you should consider for obtaining biographical information. When Social Security benefits were instituted in 1937, individuals claiming benefits had to document their birth even if the state of their birth did not require registration when they were born. Individuals who were not registered with state or county agencies at the time of their birth often applied for a delayed birth registration. Obtaining passports, insurance, and other benefits also required proof of age.

Applications were accompanied with full name, address, and date and place of birth; father’s name, race, and place of birth; and evidence to support the facts presented. The evidence could be in the form of a baptismal certificate, Bible record, school record, affidavit from the attending physician or midwife, application for an insurance policy, birth certificate of a child, or an affidavit from a person having definite knowledge of the facts. Delayed birth records are usually filed and indexed separately from regular birth registrations, and it may be necessary to request a separate search for them.

• Search All U.S and Foriegn Birth, Marriage and Death Records
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Facts on Marriage Records - Because of the importance of the legal distribution and control of property, most states and counties began to record marriages before births and deaths. The recording of a marriage is a two-step process. Traditionally, couples apply for a license to marry, and the applications are usually filed loose among other applications or in bound volumes. Marriage returns are filed once the marriage has taken place. The latter document is the proof of a marriage (not the license application).

Marriage applications are often filled out by both the bride and groom and typically contain a significant amount of genealogical information. They may list full names of the bride and groom, their residences, races, ages, dates and places of birth, previous marriages, occupations, and their parents’ names, places of birth, and occupations.

Marriage certificates are issued by counties after the marriage ceremony is completed, and these are usually found among family items. While the certificates tend to have less biographical data than the application, the name of the individual officiating at the wedding may lead you to religious records by revealing the denomination. The religious records, in turn, may reveal the names of witnesses and other useful information.

Early American records sometimes include marriage bonds, which served as a protection for the future children of the marriage. A bond obligated a prospective groom to pay the bond if he were discovered to be a bigamist or imposter or otherwise ineligible to contract a valid marriage. As long as the marriage was legal, the bond was void. Bonds generally include the groom’s name, name of the surety, the sum, and the date of the agreement.

• Order Marriage Certificates or Divorce Records Online
• South Carolina Marriages, 1641-1965: This database contains marriage information from selected areas of South Carolina from 1641-1965.
• South Carolina Newspaper Marriage Notices, 1732-1801: This database, reproduced from the original book published in 1902, is an index to marriage notices in the newspaper between 1732 and 1801.
• South Carolina Baptist Marriages, 1835-65: This database is a collection of marriage and death notices from three newspapers in South Carolina between 1835 and 1865.
• South Carolina Baptist Marriages, 1866-87: This collection of marriage and death notices is derived from Baptist newspapers in South Carolina. Three newspapers were the basis of this database; The South Carolina Baptist covering 1866-1868, The Working Christian covering 1869-1878, and The Baptist Courier covering 1878-1887.
• Search U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
• Search County Marriage Records
• Search County Divorce Records

Facts on Death Records - Early death records in the United States provide little more than the name of the deceased, the date of death, and the place of death. Obituaries and cemetery, court, and other records often provide more information about the deceased than do most official death records created before the last quarter of the 1800s.

By 1900 death records included more details. They often include the name of the deceased; date, place, and cause of death; age at the time of death; place of birth; parents’ names; occupation; name of spouse; name of the person giving the information; the informant’s relationship to the deceased; the name and address of the funeral director; and the place of burial. Race is listed in some records, and modern death certificates generally include a Social Security number.

• South Carolina Death Index, 1915-1949: This database is an index to deaths occurring in the state of South Carolina from 1915-1949.
• South Carolina Death Index, 1950-1952: This database is an index to deaths occurring in the state of South Carolina from 1950 to 1952.
• South Carolina Baptist Deaths, 1835-65: This database is a collection of marriage and death notices from three newspapers in South Carolina between 1835 and 1865.
• South Carolina Baptist Deaths, 1866-87: This collection of marriage and death notices is derived from Baptist newspapers in South Carolina. Three newspapers were the basis of this database; The South Carolina Baptist covering 1866-1868, The Working Christian covering 1869-1878, and The Baptist Courier covering 1878-1887.
• Order Death Certificates Online
• Social Security Death Index
• Obituary Collection
• Search County Death Records
• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Kentucky obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Kentucky newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Alabama.
• America's Obituaries (1977 to current) at Genealogybank.com - Obituaries contain helpful information such as names, dates, places of birth, death, marriage and family information. Over 28 million obituaries make this the most complete collection from the 20th and 21st centuries - includes over 1,100 U.S. newspapers. New content added daily!

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