Parent Counties Before 1888
Florence is a late county—do not stop at the modern courthouse for Civil War–era families.
Florence County’s 1888 formation is late by SC standards. For antebellum and Reconstruction research, systematically check Marion, Darlington, Clarendon, and Williamsburg (and their own parent stories). Map the family’s address in 1880 versus 1900 to see which courthouse likely holds the paper trail.