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Cherokee County
Cherokee County, South Carolina genealogy and family history research guide. Introduces you to county topics such as vital record births, marriages, divorces, and deaths, census, court records, deeds, maps, immigration, maps, military records, newspapers, obituaries, plantations, probate records, slaves, local archives, libraries, museums, churches, cemeteries, and Civil War records.
Coordinates: 35.05°0′N 81.62°0′W / 35.05°N 81.62°W
| Cherokee County, South Carolina | |
| Map | |
![]() Location in the state of South Carolina | |
![]() Location of South Carolina in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | February 25, 1897 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Gaffney |
| Courthouse | |
Quick Dates
Cherokee County's civil records start the following years:
| Birth | Marriage | Death | Census | Land | Probate |
| 1915 | 1911 | 1915 | 1900 | 1897 | 1897 |
County Courthouse
Cherokee County Courthouse
125 E. Floyd Baker Blvd.
Gaffney, SC 26342
Phone: 864-487-2562
Cherokee County Probate Court
1434 North Limestone St.
Gaffney, SC 29341
Phone: 864-487-2583
Hours: 8:30 am - 5 pm Mon.- Fri.
Marriage and Probate records
Cherokee County Clerk of Court
125 E. Floyd Baker Blvd.
Gaffney, SC 29342
Phone: 864-487-2571
Hours: 8:30 am - 5 pm Mon. - Fri.
Court records and Deeds.
Historical Facts
Cherokee County is named for the Cherokee Indians Indians who originally inhabited much of South Carolina. After an 1895 Law required the approval of two thirds of the voters residing within the proposed county boundaries, a proponent for the creation of a new county speaking in Cherokee Township, then in York County, agreed to the name Cherokee County to curry favor from the local residents. The residents, who had been hesitant to vote for the creation of Cherokee County under the old proposed name, turned out in droves to vote for the creation of the Cherokee County.[1] Learn more about the history of Cherokee County from the South Carolina State Library or from Carolana.com.
Parent County/Boundary Changes
- 1897 - Cherokee created from Spartanburg, York, and Union Counties
- 1921 - Cherokee gained from York County.
For more information as well as maps of Cherokee County through time, see the South Carolina State Archives or South Carolina County Maps and Atlases.
County Seat
The county seat of Cherokee County is Gaffney.
County Pronunciation
Record Loss
Places / Localities
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Resources
Research Guides
- South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Cherokee County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
African Americans
United States African Americans
South Carolina African Americans
- Malone, Samuel Lorenzo and Ola Copeland. Black Families in Cherokee County, South Carolina, as Taken from 1910-1920 Federal Census. Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint, 1993. FHL Book 975.742 F2m
Known plantations South Carolina Plantations:
- Fold
- Henry Houser House
Cemeteries
There are more than # burial grounds in the county. To view a list, see Cherokee County, South Carolina Cemeteries.
Census
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1900 | 21,359 | — |
| 1910 | 26,179 | 22.6% |
| 1920 | 27,570 | 5.3% |
| 1930 | 32,201 | 16.8% |
| 1940 | 33,290 | 3.4% |
| 1950 | 34,992 | 5.1% |
| 1960 | 35,205 | 0.6% |
| 1970 | 36,791 | 4.5% |
| 1980 | 40,983 | 11.4% |
| 1990 | 44,506 | 8.6% |
| 2000 | 24,298 | −45.4% |
| Source: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. | ||
1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Cherokee 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 Cherokee County, SC census assignments, including links to transcribed files [The USGenWeb Census Project®]
Church
Cherokee County Churches identifies dozens of churches in the area, courtesy: South Carolina Genealogical Society.
LDS Ward and Branch Records
- Gaffney
Court
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
It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:
- Locate publications about direct ancestors
- Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
- Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" [Friends, Associates, and Neighbors]
General
As of August 2010, a query for persons born in Cherokee, South Carolina at World Connect, results in nearly 10,000 entries.
Surname indexes to Leonardo Andrea's Files | Folders | Resources are available online, courtesy: The Andrea Files: South Carolina Genealogical Research.
Learn more.
Message Boards
- Cherokee County, SC Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
- Cherokee County, SC Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
Bibliography
- [Dennard] Dennard, Norris. Dennard Heritage. Houston, Texas: Dennard Heritage Foundation, 1985. FHL Book 929.273 D418d; digital version at FamilySearch Books Online .
- [Mullinax] Mullinax, Jack D. The Mullinax Family of Northern South Carolina (York, Union and Cherokee Counties) and Southern North Carolina (Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln Counties). Chesnee, S.C.: Chesnee Hardware, 1983. FHL 929.273 M917mj
- [Whelchel] Mumford, Berniece Wynn. Thomas Chatman Whelchel, M.D., 1833-1900, the Man Who Went Down in History (Family History, of Course): and Allied Families [of] Alexander, Arbuckle, Bath, Bland, Butcher, Drerup, Farrar, Johnston, Kingery, Lugar, Maurer, McFadden, Mumford, Nagle, Olson, Paul, Sparks, Stockton, Wynn and Others. Carlsbad, N.M.: B.W. Mumford, 1978. FHL Book 929.273 W572a.
- [Williams] Williams, Johnny Lee. Descendants of Edward Williams, Sr.: of Spartanburg County, South Carolina (now Cherokee County, South Carolina). Attalla, Ala.: J.L. Williams, 2000. FHL 929.273 W67wjo
Land and Property
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 Cherokee County:
| Date | Government Office |
| 1897-present | Cherokee County |
| 1868-1897 | York County |
| 1800-1868 | York District |
| 1791-1800 | York County (old) Records in Pinckney District |
| 1785-1791 | York County (old) Records in Camden District |
| 1769-1785 | Camden District * ** |
| 1719-1769 | Charleston District * |
| 1710-1719 | Proprietary Land Grants * |
* Records before 1772 may be found in North Carolina counties Tryon, Mecklenburg and Anson
** Some early Camden District records may be found in Kershaw County
| Date | Government Office |
| 1897-present | Cherokee County |
| 1868-1897 | Spartanburg County |
| 1800-1868 | Spartanburg District |
| 1791-1800 | Spartanburg County in Pinkney District |
| 1785-1791 | Spartanburg County (old) in Ninety-Six District |
| 1769-1785 | Ninety-Six District |
| 1719-1769 | Charleston District |
| 1710-1719 | Proprietary Land Grants |
* Some early records may be found in North Carolina counties Anson, Mecklenburg, or Tryon
Orignial deed books are located at the Spartanburg County Courthouse.
Abstracted deeds in Spartanburg County/District, South Carolina, deed abstracts, books A-T, 1785-1827 (1752-1827), A.B. Pruitt FHL Book 975.7 R28p
| Date | Government Office |
| 1897-present | Cherokee County |
| 1868-1897 | Union County |
| 1800-1868 | Union District |
| 1791-1800 | Union County in Pinkney District |
| 1785-1791 | Union County (old) in Ninety-Six District |
| 1769-1785 | Ninety-Six District |
| 1719-1769 | Charleston District |
| 1710-1719 | Proprietary Land Grants |
* Some early records may be found in North Carolina counties Anson, Mecklenburg, or Tryon
Orignial deed books are located at the Union County Courthouse.
Abstacted deeds Union County, South Carolina deed abstracts, Brent Holcomb (Columbia, South Carolina : SCMAR, 2000-c2007) FHL book 975.741 R2h 5 vols.
- Plats For State Land Grants 1784-1868 For information about the State Land Grants, see State Land Grants
Local Histories
- Gorski, Eddie L., South Carolina Confederate Widows Pension Act of 1919 for Cherokee County (S.l. : s.n., c1991), 54 Leaves. Abstracts from the files in the Probate Judges Office of the Cherokee County Courthouse, Gaffney, S.C. Includes full-name index. Contains information on all Civil War soldiers and widows for cherokee county. Book at FHL 975.742 M2gand Other Libraries
- Stevens, Robert J. Captain Bill : the Records and Writings of Captain William Henry Edwards (and Others), Company A, 17th Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, Confederate States of America. (Richburg, South Carolina : Chester District Genealogical Society, c1985) A History and Genealogy of Chester County, S.C. in Five Volumes. Contents: v. 1. Autobiography of Captain William Henry Edwards, his obituary, a condensed history of the seventeenth regiment including military records -- v. 2. Letters of genealogical and historical importance -- v. 3. Published writings, including obituaries, of the early 20th century -- v. 4. Genealogies of the Edwards, Culp, Edward McFadden & Robert McFadden families; a bibliography.--v. 5. Miscellaneous, Epilogue. Books 1-3 at FHL 975.747 H2s and Other Libraries
Maps
Migration
Early migration routes to and from Cherokee County for European settlers included:[6]
- Occaneechi Path pre-historic
- Lower Cherokee Traders' Path pre-historic
- Catawba and Northern Trail pre-historic
- Upper Road about 1783 (overlapped Lower Cherokee Traders' Path in Cherokee County)
Military
Revolutionary War
- "Battle of King's Mountain diagram, 1780," Pastmaster Journal of the Mountain Empire, June 2005, Volume 2, Issue 4. Ms Shelby Ireson Edwards : Bristol, VA.
- "Over Mountain Men at the Battle of Kings Mountain, 1780," Gaston County Historical Bulletin, 2003, Volume 49, Issue 2. Gaston County, North Carolina Historical Society : Gastonia, NC.
- "Battle of Kings Mountain," Sandy Valley Heritage, November 2000, Volume 19, Issue 4. Big Sandy Valley Historical Society : Hagerhill, KY 41222.
- "Events to Battle of Kings Mountain," Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine, August 1985, Volume 119, Issue 7. Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine : Washington, D.C. FHL Collection Book 973 B2dar.
- "Battle of Cowpens," Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine, November 1973, Volume 107, Issue 9. Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine : Washington, D.C. FHL Collection Book 973 B2dar.
Civil War, 1861-1865
Cherokee County did not exist in the Civil War. It was created in 1897 from the counties of Spartanburg, York, and Union Counties. During the Civil War, men from the area of Cherokee County mostly would have served in various regiments recruited in those counties. Counties were called districts during the Civil War.
- Gorski, Eddie L., South Carolina Confederate Widows Pension Act of 1919 for Cherokee County (S.l.: s.n., c1991), 54 Leaves. Abstracts from the files in the Probate Judges Office of the Cherokee County Courthouse, Gaffney, S.C. Includes full-name index. Contains information on all Civil War soldiers and widows for cherokee county. Book at FHL 975.742 M2gand Other Libraries
- Stevens, Robert J. Captain Bill : the Records and Writings of Captain William Henry Edwards (and Others), Company A, 17th Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, Confederate States of America. (Richburg, South Carolina : Chester District Genealogical Society, c1985) A History and Genealogy of Chester County, S.C. in Five Volumes. Contents: v. 1. Autobiography of Captain William Henry Edwards, his obituary, a condensed history of the seventeenth regiment including military records -- v. 2. Letters of genealogical and historical importance -- v. 3. Published writings, including obituaries, of the early 20th century -- v. 4. Genealogies of the Edwards, Culp, Edward McFadden & Robert McFadden families; a bibliography.--v. 5. Miscellaneous, Epilogue. Books 1-3 at FHL 975.747 H2s and Other Libraries
Newspapers
Historic
The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Cherokee 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.
- Blacksburg Times (Blacksburg, S.C.) 1965-1968.
- Blacksburg Times and Cherokee Report (Blacksburg, S.C.) 1968-1972.
- Blacksburg Times and Cherokee Tribune (Blacksburg, S.C.) 1972-current.
- Gaffney Carolinian (Gaffney City, S.C.) 1881-1884.
- Gaffney City Trade Review (Gaffney, S.C.) 18??-1???.
- The Blacksburg News (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1953-1954.
- The Cherokee News (Gaffney, S.C.) 1903-1919.
- The Cherokee Times (Gaffney, S.C.) 1922-1930.
- The Gaffney Ledger (Gaffney, S.C.) 1907-current.
- The Ledger (Gaffney City, S.C.) 1896-1907.
- The Weekly Ledger (Gaffney City, S.C.) 1894-1896.
Current
- The Gaffney Ledger (Gaffney, S.C.) Online edition.
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:
- Eswau Huppeday. FHL Book 975.6 D25e.
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.”[7] 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.
Cherokee County Will Book 1897-1915: with every name index of persons listed in the wills. Microfilm of originals loaned by Malinda Poole of Gaffney, South Carolina FHL Film 1598333
Cherokee County WIll Books 1-6 ca. 1894-1962: with every name index of persons listed in the wills. Microfilm of originals loaned by Malinda Poole of Gaffney, South Carolina. FHL Film 1597873
Abstracts of Cherokee County, will book 1: from the files in the Probate Office in the Cherokee County Court House, Gaffney, S.C.
FHL BOOK 975.7 A1 no. 100
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 Cherokee County.
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 Cherokee 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.
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 Cherokee 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
- South Carolina Confederate Widows Pension Act of 1919 for Cherokee County by Eddie L. Gorski [8] FHL Collection WorldCat - index
- 1892-1911 - South Carolina Proof of Marriages Prior to July 1, 1911 for Cherokee County by Eddie L. Gorski [9] FHL Collection WorldCat - abstract
- 1911-1952 - Cherokee County, South Carolina Proofs of Marriage, 1892-1940; Marriage Registers & Indexes, July 1911-Dec. 1952 [10]FHL Collection - index and records
- 1911-1950 - Cherokee County, South Carolina Marriage Licenses, July 1911-1950 [11] FHL Collection - 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 Cherokee 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 - Indexes and Records
- 1914-1960 - 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
Cherokee County Public Library
- 'Main Branch
'Address:
300 East Rutledge Avenue
Gaffney, South Carolina 29340
Telephone: (864) 487-2711
FAX: (864) 487-2752 (fax)
Email: cherokeelib@spiritcom.net
Hours: Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.. Friday.9am to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m . to 4 p.m.
The library has a genealogy/local history room that is open all hours that the main library is open. It is staffed from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM Monday-Friday by a genealogy assistant. They carry census records, microfilm copies of the longest-standing local paper, The Gaffney Ledger, dating back to its inception in 1894, an extensive Cherokee County collection (including family histories, cemetery records, church records, and plenty of other sources), DAR references, as well as South Carolina records and some out-of-state information.
The Heritage Room contains materials relating to the people and history of Cherokee County, South Carolina and other areas. The collection consists of books, pamphlets, census records, microfilm, newspapers, church and family records. Materials in the Heritage Room collection are unique, costly to replace or irreplaceable. When the room is not staffed it will be unavailable to the public.
Heritage Room hours beginning Tuesday, February 1, 2011 are: Monday to Thursday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Friday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
The library itself offers access to two online genealogy databases, Heritage Quest and Ancestry Library. Heritage Quest is available remotely to Cherokee County Public Library card holders. Their catalog is online.
- Blacksgurg Branch
S Rutherford Street
Blacksburg, South Carolina 29702
Telephone: (864) 839-2630
FAX: (864) 839-2572
Hours: Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 10 a. m. to 5 p. m.
Family History Centers
701 W Buford St
Gaffney, Cherokee, South Carolina, United States
Phone: 864-489-2615
Hours: T 10am-6pm; W-6pm-9pm; Th 10am-2pm &, 6pm-9pm Sat 10am-2pm;
Attention: Patrons can call during posted hours to ensure the center is open!
Museums
- Cherokee County History & Arts Museum
Address:
301 College Drive
Gaffney, S.C. 29340
Telephone: 864-489-3988
Located on the 1812 mustering ground of the South Carolina Militia and the site of the historic Central School building, the Cherokee County History & Arts Museum is also home to the offices of its governing body, the Cherokee Historical & Preservation Society. Phase I of the facility opened in May 2008 and renovations are currently underway on Phases II and III of the building. Upon completion, the History & Arts Museum will house over 20,000sq. feet of exhibits, meeting spaces, and educational resources for Cherokee County residents and visitors. - The Cherokee Historical & Preservation Society seeks to preserve historical sites in the county. Their email is: chaps@cherokeecountyhistory.org
Societies - Genealogical, Historical, Lineage
Web Sites
- Cherokee County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Cherokee County, SCGenWeb. The site is temporarily offline.
References
- ↑ "Cherokee County" (http://www.carolana.com/SC/Counties/cherokee_county_sc.html : accessed 20 April 2011).
- ↑ Voice of Phillip Stalvey, resident of Myrtle Beach, S.C. (2011).
- ↑ Schweitzer, George K. , South Carolina Genealogical Research (Knoxville, Tennessee: s.p. 1985), 39-42, FHL book 975.7 D27s
- ↑ Schweitzer, George K. , South Carolina Genealogical Research (Knoxville, Tennessee: s.p. 1985), 39-42, FHL book 975.7 D27s
- ↑ Schweitzer, George K. , South Carolina Genealogical Research (Knoxville, Tennessee: s.p. 1985), 39-42, FHL book 975.7 D27s
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 847-61. (FHL Book 973 D27e 2002) WorldCat entry., and William E. Myer, Indian Trails of the Southeast. (Nashville, Tenn.: Blue and Gray Press, 1971), 12-14, and the book's pocket map "The Trail System of the Southeastern United States in the Early Colonial Period" (1923). (FHL Book 970.1 M992i) WorldCat entry.
- ↑ Henry Campbell Black, Black's Law Dictionary, 5th ed. (St. Paul, Minnesota: West Publishing Co., 1979), 1081, "probate."
- ↑ Gorski, Eddie L., South Carolina Confederate Widows Pension Act of 1919 for Cherokee County, [S.l. : s.n.], c1991.
- ↑ Gorski, Eddie L., South Carolina Proof of Marriages Prior to July 1, 1911 for Cherokee County: Abstracts from the Files in the Probate Judges Office of the Cherokee County Court House, Gaffney, S. C, [S.l. : s.n.], c1991.
- ↑ South Carolina, Probate Court (Cherokee County), Cherokee County, South Carolina proofs of marriage, 1892-1940; marriage registers & indexes, July 1911-Dec. 1952, Salt Lake City, UT: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2002.
- ↑ South Carolina, Probate Court (Cherokee County), Cherokee County, South Carolina marriage licenses, July 1911-1950, Salt Lake City, UT: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2002.
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