29 October 2017

Battle of Port Royal - BCL/BHM 2:2

Lecture 2, Season 2 of the Beaufort County Library/Beaufort History Museum local history series revisits a key Civil War event on its 156th anniversary.   

The Battle of Port Royal Sound was one of the earliest naval operations of the  Civil War. On November 7, 1861, a massive U. S. Naval fleet and U. S. Army expeditionary force sailed into Port Royal Sound and captured Fort Walker on Hilton Head and Fort Beauregard on Bay Point/St. Helena Island, SC. It was the "largest fleet ever assembled by the United States" up to that date. Beaufort became among the first southern towns to fall into Union hands. The Federal occupation changed the course of Beaufort District history thenceforth - and began the most misunderstood period of American history, the Reconstruction Era. Coker will be happy to autograph and sell copies of his book,, Battle of Port Royal published by the History Press at the conclusion of the program.
Michael D. Coker, Author &
Executive Director Berkeley County Museum



Event Name: The Battle of Port Royal Sound, 1861


Short Description of Event: Berkeley County Museum and Heritage Center Executive Director Michael D. Coker shares his book about the pivotal turning point of the Civil War that occurred right here in our area. Co-sponsor: Beaufort History Museum Limited space.  Registration required: https://beauforthistorymuseum.wildapricot.org/event-2672851

Time and Date of Event: Tuesday, November 7, 2017 at 2:00 pm

Location of Event: Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort, SC 29902


Price of Event: Free, but a donation of $5.00 to the Beaufort History Museum is requested; Ages 12 - Adults


The Library has a list of materials and links to online information about the Battle of Port Royal Sound, 1861 in our BDCBCL Wordpress blog. Our local history sections have copies of Coker's Battle of Port Royal (call number: 973.77579 COK) as well as When Gun Shoot by Eva Verdier (call number: 398.2 VER) to borrow.  We also recommend the Beaufort Middle School student produced Nov. 7 1861: Crossroads in Beaufort history (call number: 373.75799 NOV) to understand the sea change caused by the results of the battle, for the enslaved as well as their former owners. 

25 October 2017

Got Artifacts?



Sat., Oct. 28, 2017, 10 am - 1:30 pm

“What The Heck IS It?” with Dr. Eric Poplin. Drop In with your artifacts and try to stump the  learned  archaeologists. The program and information is free. Anyone who has objects that they would like to have identified is very welcomed to attend. At past sessions, we've seen "stuff" from prehistoric periods, the time of Jesus, up to relics from Home Depot! (Psst: If it turns out that you have an artifact from Home Depot, these guys will not laugh at you. They are that professional.)

Here's the downside: You have do to all the hauling.  
This year we're holding the session in the Beaufort Branch Meeting Room on account of the Combahee Ferry Historic District Exhibit taking up most of the 2nd floor lobby outside the BDC's Research Room doors. 


We are grateful for the co-sponsorship of the Archaeological Society of South Carolina, Brockington & Associates, and the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology. 

22 October 2017

5th Annual What the Heck Is It? Artifact Identification Drop-In


It's time for our annual "What the Heck Is It?" session - my very most favorite BDC program of the year! It's always fun to see what folks have stashed away in their homes - artifactually speaking. Over the past years, we've seen arrowheads, spearpoints, fossils, Cold Charlotte, 1st century lamps, tourist produced pens (thought by the owner to be an Egyptian receptable for poison), a Nazi flag taken during World War II, and even some 20th century concrete  garden statuary from Home Depot. So there's no need to be embarrassed if what you have turns out to be entirely something else. We are honored for the fifth time to have Dr. Eric Poplin, Archaeologist at Brockington & Associates from Mt. Pleasant, SC here to identify your objects.  We are grateful for the continued support of the Archaeological Society of South Carolina for this program.

Anyone owning an artifact with an unknown provenance, date of origin or identification is invited to bring it to "What the Heck is It?" for identification our expert archaeologists. No fee; No registration; No limit - though you must be able to haul the artifacts to the 2nd floor and back out to your car! 



Even if you don`t have an unidentified item, come in anyway to learn about the artifacts which have been brought in for analysis. It`s fun.

This event is free and open to the public.


Event Name: “What the Heck Is It? - Year 5”
Short Description of Event: Drop in with your artifacts and try to stump our learned archaeologist,  Dr. Eric Poplin. No registration. No limit of the number of items you can bring. Just understand that whatever you bring, you have to do all the lifting and toting to get it into the building and to get it back to your vehicle. Co-sponsor: Archaeological Society of South Carolina.
Time and Date of Event: Saturday, October 28, 2017 from 10:00 am - 1:30 pm
Location of Event: BDC@ Beaufort Branch, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort, SC 29902
Price of Event: Free; Ages 12 - Adults
 
 

20 October 2017

Tracing Your Revolutionary War Ancestor

Please note: This post was last updated 24 May 2024. - gmc 

Today's post concentrates on Library materials and databases about Revolutionary War soldiers and sympathizers. Perhaps some of your ancestors fought in the war for American Independence - and the Library has resources to help you find out! Taking that one step further, perhaps some of your ancestors fought in the Revolution and you are applying for membership into one or more of the Revolutionary War related heritage societies listed on the FamilySearch website. 

Genealogical research always benefits from some historical context. The Revolutionary War in South Carolina had an enduring impact and involved a great deal of fighting -- more so than in any other British colony. We suggest that you begin by reading Chapters 12 and 13 of A History of Beaufort County, South Carolina, vol. 1,1514-1861 by Lawrence Rowland. (Call # SC 975.799 ROW) that discusses how the American Revolution unfolded here in Beaufort District. Check out a copy from the local history section at your favorite Beaufort County Library branch.
Attack on Savannah, Oct. 8, 1779 (National Archives)
Establishing your blood ties to a Revolutionary War soldier can be thrilling, time-consuming, and may afford you the opportunity to join a heritage society such as the Sons of the American Revolution or the Daughters of the American Revolution. There are other fraternal and social organizations that only accept members who can prove through documentary evidence that they are descended from a Patriot or Loyalist. To get started, one must know a little about the various types of military service related records.

General Types of Military Records
Military records provide a variety of information about an individual and could include their birthplace, age at enlistment, occupation, and names of immediate family members. Some types of military records include:

Service records: Service records for militia, volunteer, or regular forces document that an individual served in the military and can provide your ancestor’s unit or organization.

Draft, Conscription, or Selective Service Records: Since 1863, the federal government has registered millions of men who may have been eligible for military service. Enrollment and Draft information include name residence, age, occupation, marital status, birthplace, physical description, and other information.

Bounty Land Warrants: The federal government provided bounty land for those who served in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and Indian wars between 1790 and 1855.

Pension Records: The federal government and some state governments granted pensions or bounty land to officers, disabled veterans, needy veterans, widows or orphans of veterans, and veterans who served a certain length of time. Pension records usually contain more genealogical information than service records. However, not every veteran received or applied for a pension.

Materials in the Beaufort District Collection as well as in our branch libraries can help you work your ancestral line. In order to do ancestral research properly, you must make accurate notes of the work you've done. Here are a few suggestions to get you started uncovering your Patriot or Loyalist or Tory roots.

Ancestry Library Edition

Ancestry has a YouTube channel that includes a 4 minute video "Using the Sons of the American Revolution Applications" that offers you some handy tips.

At the present time, ALE has 73 Revolutionary War related databases one can search for American Patriots and Tories. 

You can also use the Ancestry Library Edition suite to access Census records. Finding a clue in the census that says an ancestor served in a specific war can speed up your search for associated military records. For example in the 1840 census, you’ll find names of surviving Revolutionary War veterans. 

All branch libraries provide access to ALE. If you want one-on-one help with Ancestry Library Edition, call the BDC at 843-255-6468 or send us an e-mail to bdc@bcgov.net.

SC 369.135 DAR PT. 1- 3 DAR Patriot Index: Centennial Edition by the Daughters of the American Revolution (Washington, DC: National Society of the DAR Centennial Administration, c1994).
Covers Patriots whose service has been established through DAR membership applications submitted between October 1890 and 11 October 1990. Part 1: Surnames beginning with A - F; Part 2: Surnames beginning with G - O; and, Part 3: Surnames beginning with P - Z.  

SC 929.3 BOC 1998 Revolutionary War Bounty Land Grants Awarded by State Governments by Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing, 1996).
"A land bounty is a grant of land from a government as a reward to pay citizens for the risks and hardships they endured in the service of their country, usually in a military related capacity." This volume lists bounty land grants in Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and "Virginia-Indiana."- introduction

SC 929.3 BOC 2011 Revolutionary War Pensions Awarded by State Governments, 1775 – 1874, the General and Federal governments prior to 1814, and by Private Acts of Congress to 1905 by Lloyd de Witt Bockstruck, (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing, [2011]).                                                      More than 16,500 pensioners are featured in this work compiled in an attempt to identify and recreate the Revolutionary War pension files generated prior to the disastrous fire in the War Department on 8 November 1800, which destroyed nearly a quarter-century of records.

SC REF 929.3 STU Stub Entries to Indents issued in payments of Claims against South
Carolina growing out of the Revolution (Columbia SC: The Historical Commission of South Carolina, 1910-1939).

973.3 EDG 2001 Partisans & Redcoats: The Southern Campaign that Turned the Tide of the American Revolution by Walter Edgar (New York: Morrow, 2001). 

SC REF 973.314 LAM South Carolina Loyalists in the American Revolution by Robert
Lambert (Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 1987).

SC 973.343 MOS 2004 African-American Patriots in the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution by Bobby G. Moss and Michael C. Scoggins (Blacksburg, SC: Scotia-Hibernia Press, 2004).

SC 973.353 MOS 2005 African-American Loyalists in the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution by Bobby G. Moss and Michael C. Scoggins (Blacksburg, SC: Scotia-Hibernia Press, 2005).

REF 973.344 AFR African American and American Indian Patriots of the Revolutionary
War (Washington, D.C.: National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, 2001).                  
Note: This is also available free as a downloadable PDF file. Online the title is "Forgotten Patriots: African American and American Indian Patriots of the Revolutionary War." Please note: The item is 874 pages so it can take some time for the item to download. 

Gen. Benjamin Lincoln (National Archives)
SC REF 973.3457 ERV South Carolinians in the Revolution by Sara Ervin ([S.l.]: Genealogical Publishing, 1965). 

SC REF 973.3457 GAR Anecdotes of the Revolutionary War in America with sketches of character of persons the most distinguished, in the Southern States, for Civil and Military services by Alexander Garden (Charleston, SC: A.E. Miller, 1822). Also available online available online through Hathitrust. 

SC 973.3457 GRU 2013 South Carolina in the American Revolution: a source guide for genealogists and historians by Eric G. Grundset for the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. (Washington, D.C.: National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, 2013).

SC REF 973.3457 MOS Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution
by Bobby Moss ([S.l.]: Genealogical Publishing, 1985).

SC 973.38 JOH Traditions and reminiscences, chiefly of the American revolution in the South : including biographical sketches, incidents, and anecdotes, few of which have been published, particularly of residents in the upper country by Joseph Johnson ([S.l.] : Walker and James 1851). Also available online through Hathitrust.

State of South Carolina Records on Microfilm in the BDC Research Room:

Beaufort is a "Burned County": Almost all of our pre-Civil War records were destroyed in 1865. This fact makes genealogy more challenging here. For this reason, the BDC has 18 series of microfilmed records from the SC State Archives on hand. Among those most important for identifying American Revolution ancestors are:

South Carolina Tax Returns, 1783-1800. (2 rolls)
This series supplies information about land owners and size of holdings that census records and deed books leave out for the period covered. Printed guide is available in our Research Room. 

Records of the South Carolina Treasury, 1775-1780. (6 rolls)  This office was critical to the operation of the newly independent colony and funding of the Revolutionary War effort. The records reflect the increased responsibilities of the revolutionary treasury as the expenses of the war and the problems of supplying the new government grew. They hold a wealth of information on the financial management of the colony during this period and detail military expenditures. Printed guide is available in our Research Room.

This is a fundamental genealogical and historical resource for information regarding the
Revolutionary War era. Printed guide is available in our Research Room. You can search series S108092 online via the Online Records Index at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. 

This is a fundamental genealogical and historical resource for the period covered. Printed guide is available in our Research Room.  You can search series L10125 online via the Online Records Index at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

South Carolina State Plats, Charleston Series, 1784-1860; Columbia Series, 1796-1868. (30 rolls)
These plats are an essential source for genealogy and local history as well as a good mine of primary documentation for social, cultural, and economic historical studies. Printed guide is available in our Research Room. Indexed online via the Online Records Index at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

We have 1 printed volume of memorials to quitrents. This series is far more extensive than the printed volumes available. In certain cases, this is the only surviving record of a particular transaction, containing Proprietary land grants, certificates of admeasurements, wills, leases, and releases. Printed guide is available in our Research Room. Partially indexed online via the Online Records Index at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

Using the guides to collections held at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History can be a bit daunting. Be sure to read the "Searching the SCDAH Summary Guide and Online Catalog" by Katharine Slover on the Silver Crescent Standard: The Blog of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History (8 August 2019) for guidance. 

The information on the SCDAH's page about its Digital Collections and downloading the list of digitized genealogical related materials at the SCDAH may prove very helpful. 

If you'd like to set up an appointment to sit down with one of our staff for one-on-one assistance with our materials or to use the microfilm we have, please e-mail bdc@bcgov.net or call 843-255-6468. We'll do our best to work out a date and time that is mutually agreeable. 

Source of Images: 
Attack on Savannah, Oct. 8,1779. Illustration by A.I. Keller. 148-GW-1120. National Archives 

Lincoln, Benjamin. Painting (3/4 length) by Henry Sargent. 111-SC-92618 National Archives