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Research in the neighboring
counties of Chesterfield County is very important to the family researcher
whose ancestry lived in Chesterfield County, as many of its inhabitants
relocated from them. It has been said that a majority of the
Chesterfield County families lived in Anson County, North Carolina, prior
to relocation. Anson County was created out of Bladen County in
1750, and it was around this time that Chesterfield County was being
settled along the state line. Ephraim Liles and Ephraim Horn are
credited with being the first settlers in Anson; Ephraim Horn, however,
resided on the Chesterfield County side of the state line. Also
during this period, Governor Dobbs of North Carolina, granted great
portions of land that was, in reality, in current day Chesterfield
County. The Jacksons, McManus', Islers, Henleys, Bailees, Fenners,
Bectons, Spaights, Waddells, Rushings, Carters, and Jenkins' are families
that received land grants in this manner. Therefore, some land
transactions and wills may be found in Anson County, North Carolina, for
families that resided in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
Union County, North Carolina was created in 1842, from Anson County and
Mecklenburg County. Many of the inhabitants of Lances Creek Township
and Buford Township in Union County, at one time lived in Western
Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Many of the families on both
sides of the border associated and inter-married often. Since Union
County began recording marriages in 1842, many Chesterfield marriages can
be found there. Old Store District of Chesterfield County, was in
particular closely associated with Union County. Families such as
the Blakeneys, McManus', Rushings, Knights, Mangums, Osborns', Deeses,
Threatts, and Piggs often moved back and forth between these
counties. also, after the advent of the automobile, many of the
people of Old Store received medical attention in Monroe, the county seat
for Union County, North Carolina, that they could not receive at
home. As a result, death certificates can be found there giving
father's and mother's maiden names for quite a few Chesterfield County
residents.
As already stated, during the administration of Governor Dobbs of North
Carolina, great portions of land was granted in what is now South
Carolina. James McManus, in particular, received thousands of acres
on both sides on Great Lynches Creek, which can be found in current day
Chesterfield and Lancaster County, South Carolina. This happened
over and over again with other families along Great Lynches Creek.
The result is we can find many property transactions in the Lancaster
County Courthouse for Chesterfield County residents. This is a great
plus for us, since Chesterfield County records were destroyed by fire in
1865. Millers, Funderburks, Blakeneys, McManus', Welchs, Mungos,
Houghs, and Cooks are all families that settled in both counties.
Kershaw County, South Carolina, is much like Lancaster County in that
families lived and associated on both sides of Great Lynches Creek.
Hortons, Catos, Sowells, Evans', Hollys, among many others crossed Lynches
Creek taking up land in Chesterfield County and inter-marrying with
families already there. One of the first newspapers of the area was
published in Camden in Kershaw County, South Carolina. Death notices
and equity records can be found on Chesterfield County residents from
it. And, of course, some land transactions along Lynches Creek can
be found in their courthouse.
Even though the Great PeeDee River separates Chesterfield County from
Marlboro County, South Carolina, we find the same pattern here as we did
with settlers along Great Lynches Creek. They often received land on
both sides of the river, or moved from one side or the other. Around
1800, it was Marlboro County families that settled in the western portion
of Chesterfield County. Among these were the Evans', Knights, and
Clarks.
Darlington County, South Carolina records can be of great asset in
locating many forefathers that dwelt in Chesterfield and Marlboro
Counties. As we are all aware, the original settlement in Cheraw
District, which became Chesterfield, Marlboro, and Darlington counties,
was on the Pee Dee River, and was concentrated in current day Society
Hill, in Darlington County. These settlers spread up both sides of
the river and some moved early to the Great Lynches Creek area. The
Darlington County Historical Commission has maintained some of the old
Cheraw District records that answers many questions about these
families. It is here that I would like to highly recommend following
the Darlington County link to the Old Darlington District
Genealogical Society. They have always maintained records on
Chesterfield County records, once again, because of the close
inter-relationship between many people in both counties. Their
newsletter has Chesterfield County information in every issue and has been
a tremendous booster to Chesterfield County research.
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