Orangeburg County South Carolina Wills and Estates
Orangeburg District was established in 1769 and included the counties of Lexington, Orange, Winton, and Lewisburg. It was named for the Prince of Orange, William IV (1711-1751), who was also the son-in-law of King George II. The name was first used in the 1730s for a township on the Edisto River. Orangeburg District was established in 1769, and from 1785 to 1791 it included four counties: Lexington, Orange, Winton, and in Lewisburg. Swiss and German farmers began settling in the area in about 1735, with English settlers from the low country following.
During the Revolutionary War, the battle of Eutaw Springs was fought on September 8, 1781, which was the last major battle of the war in South Carolina. Afterward, plantations were established.
The Cotton Fields of Orangeburg
Orangeburg cotton If you drive through Orangeburg today it is likely that you will see white cotton growing in the fields. This is because cotton plantations were developed in the region during the 19th century and after the invention of the cotton gin, short-staple cotton became profitable. Cotton processing plants still operate in the area.
Probate Records
- Index to Orangeburgh District Intestate Records 1819
- St. Matthews Tax List for 1818
- Members of Willow Springs Church
- Loose Legal Papers 1730-1801
- Index tyo Plats 1735-1852
Immigrants
- German-Swiss, ships and passengers 1732-1752
- Miscellanous Dantzler Plats
Does Someone in your Family have the Story of your Ancestors?
Tips by Jeannette Holland Austin
There is one in almost every family … one who truly cares about people and what happened to them. They are the family historian who collects family histories throughout their journey in life, and writing it down somewhere. It is an exciting hobby. The family genealogist and historian who discovers how and when their families left their home in other countries to cross the sea to America, and where they landed. The efforts of the researcher unfolds a fascinating story of historical events never before written.
