The History of Orangeburg County, South Carolina, from Its First Settlement to the Close of the Revolutionary War

This history presents Orangeburg County, South Carolina, from its early beginnings through the Revolutionary War. It reveals the settlers' struggles to set county boundaries, build churches and roads, and participate in the 1790 convention to establish the constitution for the state. Also transcribed here are the acts that created a court and judicial system for the state. The book's first chapter traces the settlement of each region within the county, and discusses the important contributions of German and Swiss colonists. A variety of county records appear, such as an account of the first settlement made by a white person, in 1704, at what is now called Lyons Creek. Next, marriages, births and deaths, as recorded by the Revs. Giessendanner from 1737 to 1761, make up more than 100 pages. Closing the book, the text's thorough military history presents listings from rosters and order books, transcripts of military orders, and accounts of expeditions and battles which date from 1682 to 1781. Transcripts of correspondence between military leaders and the Council of Safety during the Revolutionary War fill another 100 pages. Sources used to compile this book include: deeds, grants and letters from the offices of the Secretary of State at Columbia; records from the offices of Register of Mesne Conveyance and Judge of Probate of Charleston; contemporary historical works; military and court records; and many others. Maps of the county, illustrations of county sights, portraits and an every-name plus subject index enhance the text. No Orangeburg County researcher should be without this book!