Finding SC Marriages

Weddings occurred in Parish Houses and Homes

Not enough field work has been done by genealogists in the State of South Carolina.  Because of so many gaps in the records,  there is a need for the tombstone records as well as old bibles.  My biggest complaint is the lack of marriage records.  But ministers were not required to record weddings at the local court house until sometime after 1900.  That creates a gap of about 300 years.  The only alternative is to comb the old surviving newspapers, which is an "every page" examination because vital records were scattered throughout.  Another method is to search county deed records and look for "gift deeds".  Also, the last wills and testaments named daughters in in-laws, along with estate receipts, vouchers, returns, inventories.  One simply has to dig into the records.  The online resource for county records is  South Carolina Pioneers

Become a member of the Pioneer Families Community, and enjoy the benefits of a network of genealogy experts: including access to all eight websites, books written by renowned Georgia genealogist Jeannette Holland Austin, and personal help with your research for any family in GA, NC, SC, or VA. A full year of membership with all these benefits for less than $13 a month, compared with up to $45 a month at ancestry.com

GeorgiaPioneers.com KentuckyPioneers.com NorthCarolinaPioneers.com SouthCarolinaPioneers.net VirginiaPioneers.net Genealogy-Books.com GaGraduates.com (Graduates database from ca 1830 to 1925) SoutheasternGenealogy.com (Digitized Wills in counties of: Carter 1794-1830; Jefferson 1802-1810;Johnson 1839-1900;Unicoi 1878-1887; Washington 1779-1800)

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Sleuthing South Carolina Marriage Records

South Carolina Marriages are difficult to find.  That is because the performances of ceremonies were kept by ministers of local parishes and there was no law requiring filing at the court house until the 19th century.  Sure, a few ministers recorded marriages.  That leaves the genealogist the task of searching through tons of newspapers and other court house records.  By other court house records, I mean - deeds of gift where the father leaves property to his daughter, wills and estates where the name of daughter appeared along with that of her husband, vouchers, receipts, inventories, sales of estates and anything which provide names other than that of the immediate family.  This means that the genealogist must be well-informed as to what was happening in the community, as well as the names of friends and relatives, and possible marriages to neighbors.  This makes the genealogist a collector of many unusual relics and documents.  The tedium of searching for clues continues throughout one's life time.  Find your ancestors on South Carolina Pioneers

Become a member of the Pioneer Families Community, and enjoy the benefits of a network of genealogy experts: including access to all eight websites, books written by renowned Georgia genealogist Jeannette Holland Austin, and personal help with your research for any family in GA, NC, SC, or VA. A full year of membership with all these benefits for less than $13 a month, compared with up to $45 a month at ancestry.com

GeorgiaPioneers.com KentuckyPioneers.com NorthCarolinaPioneers.com SouthCarolinaPioneers.net VirginiaPioneers.net Genealogy-Books.com GaGraduates.com (Graduates database from ca 1830 to 1925) SoutheasternGenealogy.com (Digitized Wills in counties of: Carter 1794-1830; Jefferson 1802-1810;Johnson 1839-1900;Unicoi 1878-1887; Washington 1779-1800)

SAVE MONEY! Click on Annual Membership button - $150.00 for one year.

Subscribe

Hard-to-Find SC Marriage Records

Weddings occurred in Parish Houses and Homes

Not enough field work has been done by genealogists in the State of South Carolina.  Because of so many gaps in the records,  there is a need for the tombstone records as well as old bibles.  My biggest complaint is the lack of marriage records.  But ministers were not required to record weddings at the local court house until sometime after 1900.  That creates a gap of about 300 years.  The only alternative is to comb the old surviving newspapers, which is an "every page" examination because vital records were scattered throughout.  Another method is to search county deed records and look for "gift deeds".  Also, the last wills and testaments named daughters in in-laws, along with estate receipts, vouchers, returns, inventories.  One simply has to dig into the records.  The online resource for county records is  South Carolina Pioneers

Subscribe now, 3 months for $30

Become a member of the Pioneer Families Community, and enjoy the benefits of a network of genealogy experts: including access to all eight websites, books written by renowned Georgia genealogist Jeannette Holland Austin, and personal help with your research for any family in GA, NC, SC, or VA. A full year of membership with all these benefits for less than $13 a month, compared with up to $45 a month at ancestry.com

GeorgiaPioneers.com KentuckyPioneers.com NorthCarolinaPioneers.com SouthCarolinaPioneers.net VirginiaPioneers.net Genealogy-Books.com GaGraduates.com (Graduates database from ca 1830 to 1925) SoutheasternGenealogy.com (Digitized Wills in counties of: Carter 1794-1830; Jefferson 1802-1810;Johnson 1839-1900;Unicoi 1878-1887; Washington 1779-1800)

SAVE MONEY! Click on Annual Membership button - $150.00 for one year.

Subscribe

The Sad Case of South Carolina Marriages

Marriages were not filed in South Carolina court houses until the 19th century.  And there are but a few to find.  For some reason, the ministers did not place their marriages on record.  Life on the plantations usually included marriages to neighbors and a local parish priest performing the ceremony in his church or in the home. Therefore, I usually have low expectations to find the much sought-after marriages.  For this reason, I search diligently in the wills and deeds to see if there is mention of a marriage contract or other proof. People were always passing land on to relatives, and even the witnesses to deeds can be significent.  Digging in the miscellaneous estate records, such as inventories, sales, vouchers, etc. is a good practice because you never know what will turn up. The South Carolina Archives in Columbia, South Carolina has a vast collection of microfilm for genealogists. The names of records are a little different. For example, deeds are called Equity Records. A collection of typed transcripts of old wills is found on South Carolina Pioneers and it cost only $30 for a 3-month subscription.  Another good addition there is the old bible records collection.

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