Formation of Counties in South Carolina - Steven J. Coker
Subject: Formation of Counties in South Carolina
From: Steven J. Coker
Date: July 22, 1998

Available from the SC Department of Archives & History.
See http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/publist.htm

The Formation of Counties in South Carolina
Michael E. Stauffer
22 pages. Maps
PH18....$4.75 (includes shipping and handling)

Examines how each of the state's counties were formed and provides maps
showing the changing face of the state as they were established.  The counties
are listed alphabetically with founding dates, explanations of their names,
and the county seats.  Covers the Proprietary Counties of 1682 to the
boundaries of our modern state.

South Carolina Department of Archives & History
8301 Parklane Road
Columbia, SC  29223-4905
Tel: 803-896-6100
Fax: 803-896-6198
[email protected]

Note: Price shown includes shipping & handling.  That works fine if you only
order one publication.  But, if you want to order more than one item, it is
suggested that you contact the archives to verify prices.

-=-=-=-=-
A list of South Carolina counties.

Abbeville, est. 1785, named after a French town of the same name, county seat,
Abbeville.

Aiken County, est. 1871, named for Governor William Aiken, county seat, Aiken.

Allendale County, est. 1919, named for the Allen family, county seat,
Allendale.

Anderson County, est. 1826, named for Robert Anderson, a Revolutionary War
soldier, county seat, Anderson.

Bamberg County, est. 1897, named for Major William Seaborn Bamberg, who helped
to create the town first known as Lowery's Turnout, county seat, Bamberg.

Barnwell County, est. 1800, named for members of the Barnwell family, county
seat, Barnwell.

Beaufort County est. 1785, named for Henry, Duke of Beaufort, one of the Lords
Proprietors of Carolina, county seat, Beaufort.

Berkeley County, est. 1882, includes part of 1682 county named after John and
William Berkeley, two of the Lords proprietors of Carolina, county seat,
Moncks Corner.

Calhoun County, est. 1908, named for statesman John C. Calhoun, county seat,
St. Matthews.

Charleston County, est. 1785, originally called Charles Town and named for
King Charles II, county seat, Charleston.

Cherokee County, est. 1897, named to honor the Cherokee Indian nation, county
seat, Gaffney.

Chester County, est. 1785, named by settlers after Chester, Pennsylvania,
county seat, Chester.

Chesterfield County, est. 1785, named for Lord Chesterfield, English
politician and author, county seat, Chesterfield.

Clarendon County, est. 1785, named for the Earl of Clarendon, one of the Lords
Proprietors, county seat, Manning.

Colleton County, est. 1798, includes part of 1682 county named for Sir John
Colleton, one of the Lords Proprietors, county seat, Walterboro.

Darlington County, est. 1785, origins of name uncertain, county seat,
Darlington.

Dillon County, est. 1910, named for J. W. Dillon, who led movements to get a
railroad and later the new county, county seat, Dillon.

Dorchester County, est. 1897, named for Dorchester, Mass., where early
colonial settlers came from, county seat, St. George.

Edgefield County, est. 1785, said to be named for being at the edge of the
state on the border of the Savannah River and Indian lands, county seat,
Edgefield.

Fairfield County, est. 1785, in one version, named for Lord Cornwallis's
exclamation, "What fair fields!", county seat, Winnsboro.

Florence County, est. 1888, named for Florence Harllee, daughter of General W.
W. Harllee, president of the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad, county seat,
Florence.

Georgetown County, est. 1785, named for King George II of England, county
seat, Georgetown.

Greenville County, est. 1786, there are several traditions for the origin of
this name, county seat, Greenville.

Greenwood County, est. 1897, named for the plantation of Judge John McGehee,
county seat, Greenwood.

Hampton County, est. 1878, named for Wade Hampton, Confederate general, S.C.
governor, and U.S. senator, county seat, Hampton.

Horry County, est. 1801, named for Colonel Peter Horry, Revolutionary War
hero, county seat, Conway.

Jasper County, est. 1912, named for Sergeant William Jasper, Revolutionary War
hero, county seat, Ridgeland.

Kershaw County, est. 1791, named for Colonel Joseph Kershaw, soldier,
merchant, S.C. legislator, county seat, Camden.

Lancaster County, est. 1785, named by settlers for Lancaster County, Pa.,
county seat, Lancaster.

Laurens County, est. 1785, named for Henry Laurens, president of Continental
Congress and diplomat, county seat, Laurens.

Lee County, est. 1902, named for Robert E. Lee, Confederate commander, county
seat, Bishopville.

Lexington County, est. 1785 (1804), named for battle that started the
Revolution, county seat, Lexington.

McCormick County, est. 1916, named for Cyrus Hall McCormick, inventor, county
seat, McCormick.

Marion County, est. 1798, named for Revolutionary War General Francis Marion,
county seat, Marion.

Marlboro County, est. 1785, named for John Churchill, first Duke of
Marlborough, county seat, Bennettsville.

Newberry County, est. 1785, the origin of the name is unknown, county seat,
Newberry.

Oconee County, est. 1868, there are several versions of the Indian origin of
this name, county seat, Walhalla.

Orangeburg County, est. 1785, named for the Prince of Orange, son-in-law of
King George II, county seat, Orangeburg.

Pickens County, est. 1826, named for Andrew Pickens, Revolutionary War
general, S.C. legislator, U.S. congressman, county seat, Pickens.

Richland County, est. 1785, perhaps named "rich land" for its natural assets,
county seat, Columbia.

Saluda County, est. 1895, named after the river that was named for an Indian
tribe, county seat, Saluda.

Spartanburg County, est. 1785, named for the Spartan Regiment in the American
Revolution, county seat, Spartanburg.

Sumter County, est. 1798, named for Revolutionary War General Thomas Sumter,
county seat, Sumter.

Union County, est 1785, named for the Union Church, county seat, Union.

Williamsburg County, est. 1804, named for Prince William, son of King George
II, county seat, Kingstree.

York County, est. 1785, named by settlers for York County, Pennsylvania,
county seat, York.

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