This section lists the societies of South Carolina, giving details about each one and what resources and publications they offer.
Statewide and Regional Societies
County and Other Societies
South Carolina Genealogical Society
The Society is a Non-Profit Corporation.
The association has a large collection of Books, which include Family Histories, Diaries, Census Returns, Marriages, Abstracts of Conveyances, Tombstone Inscriptions, Church Records and Court Records.
Books also include DAR Patriot Index, Courthouse Indexes, Extracts from Newspapers, Family Bible Records, Funeral Home Books, School Records and Deed Abstracts.
A list of Cemeteries is on the site, along with brief County Histories.
A list of Research Libraries is also available.
Many publications are available for sale which incorporate:
- Cemetery Inscriptions
- Cemetery Surveys
- Census Returns
- Deeds
- Family Bible Records
- Genealogies
- Historical Books
- Maps of Land Grants
- Marriages
- Newspaper Abstracts
- Parish Registers
- Passenger Lists
- Probate Records
- Wills
Website:
http://www.scgen.org
County and Other Societies
Aiken-Barnwell Genealogical Society
The aims of the association are to collect and preserve genealogical records, preserve area cemeteries, encourage genealogical research and to make library resource materials more widely available. It also aims to increase family history research in Aiken and Barnwell Counties.
Photographs showing buildings from Aiken and Barnwell Counties are accessible on their website.
Numerous publications are available for sale, which comprise:
- Aiken Co. Cemeteries
- Back Issues of their publications
- Barnwell Co. Cemeteries
- Bethany and Sons of Israel Cemeteries(Aiken)
- Graniteville Cemetery, 2001
Links to other sites you may find useful are also accessible.
Website:
https://www.facebook.com/AikenBarnwellGenealogicalSociety/
Berkeley County Historical Society
Some databases are accessible, which include:
- Early Families
- The First and Second Provincial Congress
- Heads of Families in the 1790 Census
- Justices of the Peace 1776
- State Senate 1776-1865
Indexes of members of the House of Representatives 1790-1864 and State Senate 1776-1865 are also accessible, which include:
- St. John’s, Berkeley
- St. James, Santee
- St. Stephen’s
- St. Thomas and St. Denis
- St. James, Goose Creek
A Mailing List, hosted by Rootsweb, is also accessible.
Website:
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~scbchs/
Central Heritage Society
Many publications are available for sale, which incorporate:
- 1868 Voter Registration for Oconee and Pickens Counties
- Cemeteries in Central
- Cemetery Surveys
- Census Returns
- Central Schools to 1955
- Confederates Soldiers Buried at Mount Zion Cemetery
- Genealogies
- Liberty Memorial Gardens
- Old Pendleton District Chapter Lineage Chart Book
- Pickens: The Town and the First Baptist Church 1881-1991
- Tax Lists
- ‘Twin Springs and A Grove of Trees’ – 1787-1997 Mountain Grove Baptist Church, Pickens Co.
Website:
http://centralheritage.org
Charleston Genealogical Society
Information regarding cemeteries is on the site, along with a list of cemetery reference books accessible in the South Carolina Room of Charleston County Public Library. Information regarding churches in the area is also accessible.
The society sells some publications, which incorporate:
- Bethany Cemetery Book
- Live Oak Memorial Gardens Cemetery Inscriptions
- Old St. Andrews Episcopal Church Cemetery Inscriptions
Links to sites you may find of use when conducting Genealogical Research in the area are also available.
Website:
http://charlestongenealogy.org/
Columbia Genealogical Society
Information regarding Published Sources for Richland Co. is accessible, which incorporate:
- Cemetery Transcripts
- Census Returns
- Church Histories
- Directories
- Marriages and Death Notices from Newspapers
- Scrapbooks
Links to other websites you may find of use are also available, along with details of some South Carolina Families.
Many publications are available for sale, which comprise:
- 1888 and 1891 Columbia City Directories
- Collection of Columbia Chronicles
- Collection of the Columbia Journal
- Founding Families
- Interments
- Marriages
Website:
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~scccscgs/
Horry County Historical Society
The society is a non-profit making association and was established in 1966. Horry is a surname of French origin, the correct pronunciation of which is ‘OH-REE’.
Many databases and information are available, which include African American Information, 1880 Agricultural Survey, Bible Records, Biographies, List of Cemeteries, Census Returns and Court Records.
Databases and Information incorporate:
- Death Certificates
- Family Links
- Genealogy Charts
- High School Senior Class Lists
- Land Records
- Maps
- Marriages
- Military Records
- Obituaries
- Photographs
- Wills
Numerous publications are available for sale, which comprise:
- Cemetery Transcripts
- History of the Conway Fire Department
- Horry Co. 1860 Census Index
- Horry Co. 1880 Census
- Indexes for the IRQ(Independent Republic Quarterly)
- Marriages extracted from Newspapers 1861-1912
- Plat Books
- Swamp, Strand and Steamboat: Voices of Horry County 1732-1954
- World War I Draft Registrations
A Message Board, hosted by Rootsweb, is available.
Website:
http://www.hchsonline.org/
Lexington Genealogical Association
The association publishes The Lexington Genealogical Exchange, its quarterly newsletter and an Index to this publication is on their site.
Numerous publications can be purchased from the society, which incorporate:
- 1850 Census Edgefield District, Orangeburg District and Richland Co.
- Buffs and Millers Along the Saluda
- Cemeteries
- Kaminers of South Carolina
- Lineage Charts
- Pictorial History of Lexington Co.
- Remembering Lexington – Good Stewards in a New Land
Website:
https://sites.google.com/site/lexingtoncountygenealogy/genealogicalsociety
Piedmont Historical Society
The society was established in 1978, its aim being to collect, preserve and publish historical and genealogical records of upstate South Carolina and other areas.
Numerous databases are accessible, which incorporate:
- Acts and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina 1810
- Bible Records
- Cemetery Transcriptions
- Church Registers (Congregation B’nai Israel, Holly Springs Baptist Church Principles and Members and Unity Baptist Church Minutes)
- Clerical Acts of Reverend John D. McCollough
- Conveyance Book AA for Spartanburg 1848-1850
- Court Papers
- Early South Carolina Marriages and other Information from the Leonardo Andrea Files
- Family Bible Record of Nathaniel Vise(1773-1839)
- Family Group Sheets by Betty Jean Dill
- Four Generation Picture for Moses West Lancaster
- Marriages
- Military Records
- Newspaper Articles from Dr. James Reid
- Upstate SC Mortality Schedule 1870(Includes Chester, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, Union and York Counties)
- Working Notes on Thomas and Floyd Families
A list of surname studies are accessible, along with a list of links to other sites you may find of use.
Website:
http://www.piedmont-historical-society.org
Sumter County Genealogical Society
Many archives are available, which incorporate:
- Cemetery Indexes
- Cemetery Surveys
- Census Indexes
- Church Registers
- Genealogies
- Funeral Home Books
- Index to Probate Cases
- Maps
- Marriages
- Obituaries from Sumter Newspapers
- Personal Papers
- School Yearbooks
- Sumter Area Lineage Chart Book
- Telephone Directories
- Wills
These resources relate not only to Sumter County but to other Counties in South Carolina and further afield.
Numerous publications are available for sale, which comprise:
- Cemetery Surveys
- Cemetery Transcripts
- Church Registers
- Genealogies
- Maps
- Postcards
- Shadows of the Past: An Illustrated History of Clarendon Co.
- Sumter Area Lineage Chart Books
- Sumter Co. Historical Sketches
Website:
http://sumtercountygenealogicalcenter.org/
Three Rivers Historical Society
Their aim is to collect and preserve details regarding the land, the history, and the people who lived along the Black, Lynches and Pee Dee Rivers.
Some databases are accessible, which include:Marriage IndexBible RecordsDeeds mentioned in the Williamsburg County Deed Book DWills
A list of Cemeteries is accessible, along with Surname Files related to the families who settled the Pee Dee.
Many publications are available for sale, which include
- 1850 Williamsburg Co. Slave Schedule
- Cemetery Transcripts
- Census Returns
- Church Registers
- Deeds
- Equity Rolls
- Family Bible Records
- Genealogies
- Histories with Genealogies included
- Judgement Rolls
- Military History
- Newspaper Extracts
- Obituaries
- Personal Histories
- Probate Records
- School Registers