South Carolina Genealogy

I know I’ve looked at old mortality schedules and had to scratch my head and go look up what certain terms were. I thought it might be useful to start compiling a list here. (Who knows, this may become a page sometime…) Not a complete list certainly - but it might be a handy reference

Abasia - inability to walk or stand
Abdominal Angina - sudden severe recurring stomach pain in the elderly. Could mean diverticulitis
Ablepsy - Blindness
Abortus Fever - Brucellosis
Affrighted - Frightened to death - likely stress induced stroke or heart attack
Ague - Intermittent fever - commonly associated with Malaria

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Popularity: 63% [?]

Located in present day Columbia, Old Shandon is a National Historic district and has a high concentration of homes dating from the 19th century. The city of Shandon was incorporated in 1904 and then annexed into Columbia in 1913. They’ve recently had their centennial celebration in 2004. The growth that led to the incorporation was spurred by the extension of Columbia’s trolley line out to the the area. The Lot’s were laid out around 1900. Old Shandon was referred to as a trolley car suburb and the later Annex of another area also referred to as Shandon was referred to as an automobile suburb.

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Popularity: 4% [?]

Historic Brattonsville boasts one of the largest living history and restoration sites in the southeast which is fairly remarkable. The site is on the National Register of Historic Places and will be recognized as a filming location for “The Patriot”. In total it’s a 775 acre living history site and Revolutionary War battlefield. There are 29 buildings on the premises that give examples of different periods of Piedmont history from the 1750’s through the 1840’s. There are interpreters showing what life was like for African Americans on an ante-bellum plantation. Among other things, they also have a rare breed program which is maintaining rare breeds of farm animals. There are walking, biking, horse-riding trails too.

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Popularity: 6% [?]

Charleston is a city in Charleston County in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city was founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne, Carolina in 1670, and moved to its present location in 1690. Up until 1800, Charleston was the fifth largest city in North America, behind Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, and Quebec City. It adopted its present name in 1783. Also known as The Holy City, Charleston brims with the culturally unique, such as the joggling board. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 7% [?]

Ninety Six was established in the early 1700s. It derived its name from the mistaken belief that it was 96 miles to the nearest Cherokee settlement of Keowee. The National Park Service has established a National Historic Site there to mark the location of the settlement.
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Popularity: 4% [?]

The Cherokee Path (also Keowee path) was the primary route from Charleston to Columbia, South Carolina in Colonial America, connecting all of the Cherokee territories. The path was mapped in 1730 by George Hunter, the Surveyor-General of the Province of South Carolina. It ran 130 miles from Charlestown to the colonial settlement of Ninety Six, then to Fort Prince George and the Cherokee village of Keowee, the principal town of the Cherokee Lower settlements (in present day Oconee, Greenville, Pickens and Anderson counties). Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 4% [?]

Purrysburg was a colonial town in Beaufort County, South Carolina. While the town itself was abandoned, the settlers were successful. The town was located on the South Carolina bank of the Savannah River.
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Popularity: 5% [?]

Fort Motte is significant in South Carolina history in that it appeared as a temporary fort during the revolutionary years; and, later, it was considered as a possible location for the capitol for the newly-formed state of South Carolina (before Columbia was chosen). Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 3% [?]

Francis Marion (circa 1732 - February 26 or February 27, 1795) was an American Brigadier General in the American Revolutionary War. He became known as the “Swamp Fox” for his ability to use decoy and ambush tactics to disrupt enemy communications, capture supplies, and free prisoners. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 6% [?]

Fort Moultrie is the name of a series of forts on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, built to protect the city of Charleston, South Carolina. The first fort, built of palmetto logs, inspired the flag and motto (Palmetto State) of South Carolina. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 3% [?]