Welcome to
LAURENS COUNTY
South Carolina


Welcome to Laurens County, South Carolina Genealogy Trails! My name is Andrew Staton, and I am the county host. The goal of Genealogy Trails is to place data online for the FREE use of all researchers. Genealogy Trails thrives on data contributions from YOU, the researchers! If you have any Obituaries, Cemetery data, Old Photos, Biographies, County Histories, etc. that relate to Laurens County, please send them in! Every little obituary, burial listing, etc. helps, so please follow the simple directions below to send it in. In the meantime, please browse this site, and maybe you'll make a discovery. Happy hunting!

If you have obituaries you would like to contribute, click here. Please include your name and the obituary source.
If you would like to submit headstone data, click here. For mass submissions, email the host (see below).
If you are interested in contributing other information to this site, or to contact the host, click here.

Recent Updates

Jan. 19, 2013 - 1941 Herald Journal Obits, News, Marriages and Society (Jul. - Sep.)
Feb. 2 - 1825 Mills Atlas (under Bits n' Pieces)
Feb. 16 - Matthews Family; Updated Rosemont, Lydia Mill, Pinelawn, Calvary and Martin Cemeteries
Mar. 3 - 1935 School Directory; Biographies Updated
Apr. 4 - Barksdale/Sullivan Family (under Pioneers)
Apr. 14 - 1941 Herald Journal Obits, News, Marriages and Society (Oct. - Dec.)
May 28 - Officeholders page added - mayors and councilmen (under Bits n' Pieces)
Jun. 17 - List of Slaves and their Masters; Biography for Gen. John Archer Elmore

COUNTY HISTORY

Laurens became a separate county in 1785 from the Ninety-Six District, being named for the Revolutionary War patriot Henry Laurens of Charleston. The town of Laurens became the county seat, and the first courthouse was erected in 1786. The current courthouse was built in 1840 and enlarged in 1857. Andrew Johnson, president of the United States, and his brother came to Laurens in 1824 and established a tailor shop.

Laurens County was the location of many battles and skirmishes during the American Revolution. These included the Battle of Musgrove Mill, Lindley's Fort, and Hammond's Store.

RECORDS OF INTEREST


Browse through the different sections of Laurens County Genealogy Trails using the links in the table below:

Biographies

Bits n' Pieces

Cemeteries

Census
Churches

Contributors

Marriages

 Military
News Obits/Death Notices Pioneers Probates
Queries Society Schools Wills


Or, use this search engine to search Laurens County Genealogy Trails for specific surnames, places, etc.:
search engine by freefind advanced
Please note, however, that surnames are not always spelled correctly in records or transcriptions, so it is recommended that you browse through the site in addition to using the search engine to ensure a full search for your family.

SURROUNDING COUNTIES

Laurens County is bordered 
by the following counties:

Greenville (Hosted!) - Northwest
Spartanburg  - North
Union - Northeast
Newberry (Hosted!)- West/Southwest
Greenwood - South
Abbeville - Southeast/East
Anderson - East

TOWNS AND COUNTY INFORMATION


Laurens County includes 7 incorporated cities and towns, along with several unincorporated. Those that are incorporated are: Laurens, Clinton, Gray Court, Waterloo, Cross Hill, Fountain Inn (partially in Greenville County), and Ware Shoals (partially in Abbeville and Greenwood Counties). Unincorporated towns include Owings, Mountville, Barksdale, Hickory Tavern, Princeton, Joanna, Kinards (partially in Newberry County), Ora, and Lanford.
There are public libraries in Clinton and Laurens (main branch). The Laurens Library has a South Carolina Room, containing history and genealogy information for the county. The room is open during all normal library hours. Laurens city newspapers are housed at the Laurens Library as well. However the Clinton newspaper, Clinton Chronicle, is housed at the Presbyterian College library in Clinton.

Updates to this site will be posted on our mailing list
If you would like to join, click here

 As data becomes available, we put it online.  Information will be posted as fast as we can find, type and/or receive it.  We welcome your feedback, comments, and your data contributions.  WE REGRET THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO DO PERSONAL RESEARCH FOR YOU.  All data we come across will be added to this website, so please keep checking back.

You are welcome to browse the information here to gather the data needed in your research. Please remember that this data represents hours of painstaking research by the Volunteers and Contributors who donate to this site. Show your respect for these efforts by not using it on other websites or publications without written permission of the host and/or Contributors nor claim as your own.

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