Hampton County, South Carolina

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Hampton County, South Carolina

• Leader of this Project is Paula J
• Coordinator is Mary Richardson

History/Timeline

Hampton county image

pre1700's Native Americans were living here. English colonists arrived and later other European Americans settled and developed the land for farming on rice and cotton plantations. These crops required the work of the slaves at the time (African Americans). ^[1]

1717 -Hampton County area was "Indian Lands". Yamassee and Creek Indians, migrated from Florida had trading posts, trails, burial grounds and ceremonial grounds throughout these pine woods and swamplands. The Creeks inhabited a section along the Savannah River with a post, Palachuchola, near what now is Stokes Bluff (part of South Carolina Wildlife. The county has many Indian names that remind us of the Native Americans who where here such as: Salkehatchie, Coosawhatchie, Huspah, Caw Caw, and Combahee.^[2]

Hampton County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. Its county seat is Hampton. It was named for Confederate Civil War General and Governor Gov Wade Hampton, who in the late 1870s was elected as governor of South Carolina.^[1][3]

logo

1743 -Stony Creek Presbyterian Church was founded as The Independent Church of Indian Land, near Pocotaligo. In 1865 - Union Soldiers came through Hampton area and destroyed the first building.. A Summer chapel (built 1832 was spared due to being used as a hospital for the wounded. This "summer Chapel" stands today midst tall pines. It is the only ante-bellum building in McPhersonville. The communion cups were presented by Evans Palmer, Esq. 1753 and the white linen has a date of 1847. The Stony Creek Presbyterians never rebuilt their church but meet weekly in the chapel in McPhersonville. There is a cemetery near the site of the destroyed building in Pocotaligo. ^[4]

Church record books have the marriage at Roswell Georgia of President Theodore Roosevelt's parents, Theodore Roosevelt and Martha Bulloch, grandparents of Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the ceremony being performed by the Reverend James B. Dumwody, a cousin of the bride and pastor of Stony Creek. Another member dau of Reverend Edward Axson, pastor of the church through Civil war years. Later she became the first wife of President Woodrow Wilson. (this was by Hazel Crowson Sellers) ^[5]

1790 Black Swamp Methodist Church is located 2 miles south of Garnett, in Hampton County. This is one of South Carolina's oldest Methodist churches still standing. The church is well built and used constantly since 1790. The building is very simple, white frame building, does not have any steeple, columns, or stained glass windows. It is surrounded by large moss covered trees and shrubs. The well kept adjoining graveyard is fragrant with gardenias. Written by Hazel Crowson Sellers ^[6]

Map of Hampton county

Slavery Slavery on the Move

1862-65 - when the coastal areas of Beaufort County were occupied by federal troops, many planters fled to the area that became Hampton County ^[3]

1862-65- General William T. Sherman destructed areas in Hampton county with his swath through South Carolina. Units were at McPhersonvilleon Pocotaligo Road, Hickory Hill, Lawtonville section and along Old Orangeburd Road through Brunson.^[3][7]

Jack Boucher Hist plantation

Hattie Peeples House

1868 - county seat of Beaufort County was moved from Gillisonville in the county center to the town of Beaufort, creating 60 miles distance to travel to the courthouse. Residents were irritated and felt this was expensive and a hardship. The petition they submitted had the names of the petitioners included ancestors of many present Hampton Countians. ^[2][3]

1868 - Petitioners specified the Charleston and Savannah Railroad to be the dividing line for the counties. This is currently known as Amtrak North-South line crossing through Yemasee and left a part of that town in Beaufort with the remainder being put into Hampton County. ^[2][3]

1877 Hampton County was created from the northwestern part of the Beaufort District, by the South Carolina legistlature act. A petition of "memorialists" living in the northernmost sector of Beaufort District presented a request to the state legislature for an independent, new county with a courthouse that they felt could be belonging to them. ^[2][3]

Hamilton-ridge plantation

John Lawton House

Feb 18, 1878-The South Carolina legislature general assembly with a act of independence created the 33rd county (Hampton county). The northern part of Beaufort County was divided to form Hampton County, South Carolina. This division occurred during the post-civil War ^[3]"Reconstruction" period. All South Carolinians were trying to reform the government after Federal "Carpetbaggers" had been in control after the Civil War. Thus Wade Hampton, III was elected governor of South Carolina and guide it through the chaotic times.^[2]

1878 Act of the South Carolina Legislature is a handwritten copy which authorized commissioners to find and establish a county seat and the buildings for the court and jail or build them. Public hearings were supposed to be at the expense of the Hampton co. citizens. Commissioners were: W.J. Causey, William Stokes, B.F. Buckner, Southwood Smith, and John I Morrision commissioners". ^[3]

Oct, 1878 The County held a referendum to decide the town, and voters chose the geographic center. But when surveyed that center was in a cypress pond. 2nd referendum chose Varnville (previously known as Dixie won the county seat. There were problems starting the courthouse construction. Hoover's Station (on Charleston & Port Royal Railroad offered 9 acres of land for a courthouse square as well as lumber and materials. (George and Josephine Hoover donated the land). Major W H Mauldin donated lumber, and Capt A A Browning gave the windmill powered artesian deep well for the Courthouse Square location. ^[2]

By Oct 12, 1878 Commissioners met and decided the new courthouse could be located 2 miles from the winning town. Surveyors measured the distance from the Varnville Depot and placed a brass top of the benchmark they put down still may be seen in the center of the corridor in the Hampton County Courthouse.^[3]

Marker and Hampton-Preston home

Dec 23, 1879 The County seat was laid out around the new courthouse and the community of Hampton, officially identified as the Town of Hampton Courthouse, was incorporated. Gov Wade Hampton, who had been campaigning hard for re-election, came to Hampton to lay the cornerstone of the seat of government of the new county honoring his name and dedicated it.^[2][3]

African American School

Jan 1879 -- Commissioners authorized a two mill tax levy and set the first election for the first Tuesday in November, 1878, and the first term of criminal court was held in January 1879.^[2]

1910- Population was highest 1910 when agriculture supported the economy. Many African Americans left the South for the urban area in the "Great Migration". When agriculture was mechanized which further reduced farm jobs, population fell. ^[1]

1912 Hampton county lost land for formation of Jasper countyParts of Hampton County later went to form Jasper (1912) county.^[3]

1919 - Hampton county lost land for formation of Allendale county. ^[3]

Kress Plantation (near Yemassee) Some of the rice fields in the lower part of the county have been drained, dredged and irrigated, where 200 acres are devoted to the growing, under expert care, of the beautiful paper white narcissus, yielding 12 million bulbs annually. The pecan industry is making rapid progress in the county.^[3]

Hampton, SC bank.

1925 the county was the highest in the state for the girls' home demonstration work. The national Boys' and Girls' Club Congress planned 2 trips to Chicago to the national meeting. A young girl in Hampton Co., won 1st place for canned fruit in the SE US division, and 3rd place for carved products. The county farm demonstration works with boys' pig and corn clubs and marketing farm products.^[3]

Old Hampton Co. Jail

1900's and 2000's Hampton County Historical Museum is housed in the historic 1878 county jail, one of two original county buildings. Location is 702 1st ST W, Hampton, 29924. It contains 2 rooms called military rooms which contains the memorabilia and uniforms dating from some or the Civil War through Vietnam. There is special emphasis on World War II. Research materials, period photographs, uniforms and other items give visitors an insight into the lives of local servicemen. Also in the building are a general store, a farm room, a midwife exhibit and a growing genealogy center.^[8]

• Hampton County Biographies of Residents

Government Offices

• County Profile

current Hampton county courthouse.

Old Hampton Co. Jail

Geography

Size- 563 square miles (1,460 km2), of which 560 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2) (0.5%) is water.

Rivers -The Salkehatchie and Coosawhatchie rivers flow through the county and provide fresh water fishing.

Hunting- largest game preserves in the same are situated in Hampton County.

The temperature is never too cold, never too hot.

Location- 50 miles from the coast

Topography - level, has a variety of soils, ranging from sandy to good clay loam

Crops, staple is cotton, corn, peas, potatoes, sugar cane, oats, and rye. During the trucking season watermelons, cantaloupes, squash, egg-plant, tomatoes, radishes, beans, cucumbers, lettuce, blackberries, peaches, strawberries, sweet and Irish potatoes are shipped. Conditions are favorable for cattle, hogs and poultry.^[3]

Location -southwestern part of the state

Water supply Here in Hampton County, anyone can strike the rocks a thousand feet below the surface with the driller's augur and secure an inexhaustible supply of pure artesian water filtered by nature thousands of miles in its underground courses from the mountains to the sea. The pressure is sufficient to supply whole towns for all purposes - just turn the faucet and let "Nature cut her capers." ^[9]

Adjacent counties

• Bamberg County - north

Hampton co. in SC.

• Colleton County - east
• Beaufort County - southeast
• Jasper County - south
• Effingham County, Georgia - southwest
• Screven County, Georgia - west
• Allendale County - northwest

Created From

• 1878--Hampton County was created 18 February 1878 from Beaufort County.

County seat: Hampton

• • All Saints’ Church, Hampton, South Carolina describes parish records held by the South Carolina Historical Society.

Protected areas

• ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge The wildlife refuge is divided into two units: the Edisto River unit and the Combahee River unit. The following threatened or endangered species are present in the refuge: wood stork^[3]

• Lake Warren State Park

Demographics

In 2000, 21,386 people were living in the county with population density of 38 people/sq. mi. The racial makeup of the county was 42.89% White, 55.67% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. 2.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The median income for a household in the county was $28,771, and the median income for a family was $34,559. The per capita income for the county was $13,129. About 17.80% of families and 21.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.60% of those under age 18 and 21.70% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 census, the population was 21,090.^[10]

Hampton co. within SC

*With good climate, health, water, and productive qualities, land and a home can be owned cheaper in this county than any place in the Union.

• The county has five accredited high schools, and has maintained county and home demonstration agents since the work was first introduced.
• Hampton county is served by the Seaboard Air Line, Atlantic Coast Line, Southern Railway, Charleston & Western Carolina Railway, and the Hampton & Branchville Railroad. The total railroad mileage is 7.^[3]
• State Highways 1, 33 and 36. (within 2 to 3 hours ride from Columbia and Charleston, and Savannah and Augusta, Georgia.

Cities

• Hampton, (population 4,011) (county seat)

• Estill (population 3,637)

The county includes two small urban clusters: Hampton(2000 pop.: 4,011) and Estill (population 3,637)

Towns/Census Des Places/Uninco Communities

• Brunson (population 699)
• Furman (population 296)
• Gifford (population 706)
• Luray (population 174)
• Scotia population 269)
• Varnville (population 1,160)
• Yemassee (population1,027) (partly in Beaufort County)

Uninc Community

• • Lena
  • McPhersonville
  • Nixville

County Resources

• Hampton County images video

• Hampton Genealogy

Notables

• Gov Wade Hampton
• Athlete Lucile Ellerbe Godbold (1900-1981), 2 gold medals in track and field at the 1922 Olympics, grew up in Hampton County
• Vertamae Grosvenor born here, writer

Census

1880 --- 18,741 —

1890 --- 20,544 9.6%

1900 --- 23,738 15.5%

1910 --- 25,126 5.8%

1920 --- 19,550 −22.2%

1930 --- 17,243 −11.8%

1940 --- 17,465 1.3%

1950 --- 18,027 3.2%

1960 --- 17,425 −3.3%

1970 --- 15,878 −8.9%

1980 --- 18,159 14.4%

1990 --- 18,191 0.2%

2000 --- 21,386 17.6%

2010 --- 21,090 −1.4%

Est. 2016 --- 19,922

Cemeteries

• Black Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
  • Black Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery Space pg
• Browning Cemetery
  • Browning Cemetery
• Crocketville Cemetery
  • Crocketville Cemetery space pg
• Ebenezer Cemetery
  • Ebenezer Cemetery Space pg
• Ginn Family Cemetery
  • Ginn Family Cemetery Space pg
• Hampton Cemetery
• Hickory Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
• Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery
• Mt. Carmel Methodist Church Cemetery
• Nixville Baptist Church Cemetery
• Sandy Drain Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
• Searson Cemetery
• Zahler Cemetery
• Varnville Cemetery

• FindaGrave Cemeteries Hampton County
• FindaGrave Cemeteries2
• Hampton co. Genealogy

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_County,_South_Carolina
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7} http://www.hamptoncountysc.org/145/History
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16} http://www.carolana.com/SC/Counties/hampton_county_sc.html
4. ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/scar/hampton/church_stony_creek.htm
5. ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/scar/hampton/church_stony_creek.htm
6. ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/scar/hampton/church_blk_swamp_meth.htm
7. ↑ http://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/revolution_mcphersons_plantation.html
8. ↑ http://discoversouthcarolina.com/products/1190
9. ↑ http://www.carolana.com/SC/Counties/hampton_county_sc.html
10. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_County,_South_Carolina

• http://www.hamptoncountysc.org
• ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge
• Lake Warren State Park
• https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk
• http://www.hamptoncountyguardian.com/news#.WcrACa2ZOi4