25 April 2008

Online Obituary Index to the Rescue!

It’s no lie that vital records (birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, etc.) prove to be invaluable to family researchers. But…Did you know that South Carolina did not require marriage licenses until July 1, 1911? Did you know that South Carolina did not require birth or death certificates until January 1, 1915?

The Beaufort District Collection wants to help you bridge the gap! If you happen to have a family member that lived (or, specifically, died) in Beaufort County, South Carolina, you have an awesome resource for tracing your family history at your fingertips! The BDC is expanding your resources with our Online Obituary Index or OOI.

At this time, the OOI consists of citations to most Beaufort County newspapers from 1862 – May 1984 and December 2007 – Present. Regretfully, no records exist before 1862 as the Beaufort County courthouse burned (twice…but that’s another story!) The online index does not include the actual text of the obituary notices. It lists only dates and newspapers in which the notices appear. Microfilmed copies of the newspapers listed can be found at the Beaufort Branch Library and some microfilmed copies can be found at the Hilton Head Island Branch Library. For a complete listing of newspaper holdings, please call your local BCL branch. Are you researching from out of town, state, or country? We also provide a long distance obituary service to suit your needs!

Click the following links for more information:

A complete list of newspapers included in the OOI

Distance Obituary Services explained

Are you just starting your genealogy project? Get more information!
The Beaufort District Collection is a division of the Beaufort County Library, a department of Beaufort County Government of South Carolina.

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