Sources for South Carolina Immigration

Researchers who are trying to find out when their ancestors arrived at the Port of Charleston are often frustrated to learn that there are no surviving records for the port prior to the establishment of the Ports Utility Commission and State Ports Authority in the twentieth century.  While this creates a hurdle for immigration research, there are several other materials available that can be useful, such as naturalization records, records for arrivals at other South Carolina ports, and census information, which often list the country of nativity. 

Genealogists can fill in the gaps by tracking down embarkation records for the country their ancestors left from. Historic newspapers can also be helpful, and although they may not  list the names of every pasenger coming into the port on each ship, they often include the names of which ships have arrived in port and where they are coming from.  The S.C. Room staff has also compiled a file of ship passenger lists, with individual names, that have been collected from emarkation records held at other institutions.  They include an incomplete set of passengers spanning from 1752 into the ninteenth century. 

For a finding aid of ship record and immigration sources that lists titles and CCPL call numbers, please click on the link below:

immigration sources

 

 

S.C. Room staff member helps with Geocaching launch at C.C.P.L.

Liz, the preservationist and repair technician in the S.C. Room, was asked to create a Geocaching checkpoint for the library using an old encyclopedia.  Geocaching is like a high-tech scavanger hunt where participants use GPS data as clues to find the next stop.  The Charleston County Public Library will be joining the nation-wide phenomena by adding establishing a checkpoint later in the month.  Geocaching is a fun and educational way to learn about institutions and attractions in your area, or while on vacation.  For more information on Geocachings, please click on the link below:

www.geocaching.com

 

Guide to DNA Research

DNA testing is becoming an increasingly popular tool for genealogists who are trying to add new branches to their family trees or prove connections in the absence of traditional written resources.  Below is a finding aid for resources that explain the DNA testing process and how researchers can utilize their results. 

Finding Aid for DNA testing guides

 

Information on Other Local Resources and Organizations

Charleston is rich with organizations that house valuable resources for researchers.  The following links contain contact information, hours, and a brief description of local institutions and government offices that are useful for South Carolina historical research and genealogy.

Government Agencies

Other local collections

 

A Guide to Census Records

Census records are useful for researchers interested in demographics, social history, and locations such as towns and counties.  They are also an invaluable resource for genealogy and family history research.  Census records list the head of each household, occupations, and ages, and in some years they also list the country of nativity and education level of the persons in the census.  Census information can help genealogists trace back their ancestry to further generations since census records completed after 1850 list all members of a household.  Please click the following link for a list of what census records and related sources are available in the South Carolina History Room.

census aid

 

More on South Carolina Wills

Please click the link below for a list of our resources for South Carolina wills.  For a further explanation of what wills and date ranges are available,  for a detailed explanation of how to search for wills and what is available on the microfilm mentioned in this link, or for a list of  ’frequently asked will questions’, please see the earlier posting entitled “South Carolina Wills” from August 2008.

South Carolina Wills

 

Military Records, Part Four: Civil War

The South Carolina History Room has many sources for conducting genealogical research for Civil War soldiers.  In addition to books, there are several sets of microfilm, including a full collection of Confederate Service Records for troops from South Carolina.  While most of the collection is geared toward South Carolinian soldiers, there are secondary sources in the collection for neighboring southern states, including Georgia, North Carolina, and Alabama.  Researchers may also want to utilize the library’s subscription to ncestry.com for census information and war records, especially if they are researching a soldier from outside of South Carolina or from the northern states. 

Please click below to view a finding aid for some of the most popular sources for Civil War troop research in the South Carolina Room:

Civil War Resources

 

June Program: A People of the Land, Lowcountry Portraits

Photo-documentarian Vennie Deas Moore will be joining us at the Main Library on Sunday, June 28th from 2:30-3:30 p.m. to discuss her travelling photo exhibition, “A People of the Land: Lowcountry Portraits.”  In addition to sharing her images of  individuals and families within the changing Lowcountry culture and landscape  that she has captured over the past two decades, Moore will also discuss her newest book, Home Portraits from the Carolina Coast.  The exhibit is on loan from the McKissick Musuem at the University of South Carolina and will be on display at the Main Library, 68 Calhoun St., from June 1st to July 15th.

 

Military Service Records, Part Three: World War II

This is a guide to personnel records and genealogical resources for South Carolinians involved in World War Two service.  Please note that there is more information available on the general history the war, as well as material on the effects of the war locally.  For sources on background history for World War Two in South Carolina, please check the catalog or ask for help at the SCR Desk.

 

Books:

 

SCR 359.75 Hamer                   Charleston Reborn: A Southern City, Its Navy Yard, and World War Two. (Hamer explores the effects of the war in Charleston, and he also discusses individual workers and their families, which may provide genealogical information).

 SCR 940.54 Official                Official Roster of South Carolina: Servicemen

SCR 940.54 Seventee               17,500 Charleston Men of Military Age Listed by Name and Number

 

SCR 940.54 Y                           Young American Patriots, World War II: South Carolina

 

SCR 940.5481 World                World War Two Veterans: Florence County

 

SCR 975.791 Cupp                   North Area Scrapbook Collection Index. (This is an index of articles on North Charleston by local researcher Ruth Cupp.  They feature information about local war workers, soldiers, and civilians in WWII.  Ask at SCR Desk for the actual collection).

 Internet: Ancestry.com

 

The library has a subscription to Ancestry.com, a genealogical database, that patrons can use free of charge while in the SC Room.  The site is name searchable.  The following is a list of individual databases on Ancestry.com for World War Two research.

 

‘World War Two and Korean Veterans Interred Overseas.’

‘WWII Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties, 1941-1954.’

‘WWII Prisoners of War, 1940-1946.’

‘WWII Young American Patriots, 1941-1945.’

‘Aircraft Carrier Navy Muster Rolls, 1939-1949.’

 

March Program About Marsh Tackies

The Charleston County Public Library will host a program about Marsh Tackies – small, wild horses that have populated the Low Country and Sea Islands for centuries and are believed to be descendents of Spanish horses brought to this country in the 1500s.  Come listen to Jackie McFadden and Patti Stafford speak about these amazing animals and meet a real Marsh Tacky!  Please bring any photographs and/or stories of Marsh Tackies to help further research.  The event is free to the public at the Main library Sunday, March 15, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.  Please call 805-6956 for more information.