History Page

Hampton County, South Carolina, Welcome!

History

The early colonial history of the county boundaries is given on the state page here (off site).

Hampton County was created in 1878 from Beaufort County. A small northern piece was given up to the formation of Allendale County in 1919. Hampton County records are complete, including tax records. Be sure and check the basement of the court house if you do research there. There are excellent newspaper records on microfilm at the library.

The following brief history is taken from the state web site (off site):

Hampton County and its county seat Hampton were named for Confederate general and governor Wade Hampton (off site)(1818-1902). The county was formed from Beaufort County in 1878, shortly after Wade Hampton took office as governor. Parts of Hampton County later went to form Jasper (1912) and Allendale (1919) counties. During the Civil War, while the coastal areas of Beaufort County were occupied by federal troops, many planters fled to the area that became Hampton County. General Sherman's troops passed through the county in 1865, fighting several skirmishes with Confederate troops. This section of the state has remained primarily agricultural. Athlete Lucile Ellerbe Godbold (1900-1981), who won two gold medals in track and field at the 1922 Olympics, grew up in Hampton County, and writer Vertamae Grosvenor (off site) was also born there. Compiled by South Carolina State Library 1996.

Courtesy of Carolyn Ramsay

Thomas Oregon Lawton, Upper St Peter's Parish & Environs. In it he refers to tax records for several years about 1825, post Revolutionary plats, deeds dated 1804, and I believe a Judgement Roll for Hampton County. Upper St. Peter's Parish & Environs, by Thomas Oregon Lawton,Jr., 2001, "Copies available from Thomas O. Lawton, Jr., P.O. Box 68, Garnett, SC 29922." It contains these chapters: Local Communities, Lawton Family, Robert Family, Thomson Family, Twentieth Century, and Appendices: Primary Sources. The latter includes (1824 tax returns, St. Peter's Parish) and slaves owned by several of the Lawtons.

Hampton County Courthouse

The Hampton County Courthouse stands facing Lee Avenue, downtown Hampton. The Courthouse was built about at the time of "Reconstruction." Hampton County was formed in 1877 in a bill passed By the SC General Assembly. Hampton was named for General Wade Hampton - general of the "Red Shirts". The section was known as Hoovers Station at the time when it was surveyed. In 1878 the original commissioners W. J. Causey, William Stokes, B. F. Buckner, Southwood Smith, and John T. Morrison were empowered to designate a couty seat and to provide suitable buildings to house the court and county offices. On Dec. 23, 1879 the area was incorporated as the "Town of Hampton Courthouse." This included measuring one mile in each direction from the courthouse. Donors of the land and materials for the courthouse, jail , etc. were Col. George Hoover, Mrs. Josephine Lewis Hoover, Major H. Mauldin, and Captain A. A. Browning. The original artesian well financed by Captain Browning still provides a part of the town water supply.

The gala celebration of the cornerstone laying by General Wade Hampton included a speach at the foot of the Hampton Oak on the courthouse square. The original courthouse burned down. It had a spiral staircase that led to the second floor which housed the courtroom. The courthouse is still old inside with some renovation done to the Clerk of Court section. It now boasts a Memorial on the ground to War Veterans and is celebrated each year at each memorial. A stand outside under the Big Tree houses entertainment, speeches, and watermelon spitting contests each year during the Watermelon Festival. The Festival vendors are located around the courthouse and street dances are held on Lee Avenue across from the Courthouse. This is the oldest Festival celebrated in the state.

HAMPTON SCHOOL

This school was established in 1910 on Mulberry Street in Hampton. Hampton Presbyterian Church now stands on this site. There is a standing marker on a cement and brick structure which states the history of the school. The building was of Neo-Grecian structure. It housed the Hampton High School. It was later torn down, but the bell and plaques can be seen at the Hampton Elementary School on Hoover Street in Hampton.

HAMPTON COUNTY JAIL

This jail still stands on the same location of First Street or Hwy 601 South. It stands across from Town Hall and the Hampton Police Station. The original bars still decorate all the windows and the old stairway leads up outside to the second floor. The cells remain unchanged with huge barred doors with the original huge locks on them. The musty odors of days gone by will wilt up to your nose as you visit the cells. The jail now houses the Hampton Museum.

The jail was organized at the same time as the county courthouse and stands behind the courthouse one block away, the only building on that block. Stately old oak trees shade the old jail in the back and to the side.

The donors of the land and materials for the jail were Col. George Hoover, Mrs. Josephine Lewis Hoover, Major H. Mauldin and Captain A. A. Browning. The area for the jail was incoroporated in December of 1879.

The Town Clock

The Town Clock stands in the middle of Lee Avenue in Downtown Hampton. It was erected in 1910 by the Loan and Exchange Bank of Hampton which was located to the side of the street where the bank was located and still stands. The Clock still ticks and tells time to passersby.

This is the old Varnville Train Depot. It used to sit in the middle of Palmetto Ave. right next to the train tracks, when Varnville was a flourishing town. The mills and business needed the depot for the train that would stop here. As time went by, the depot was no longer needed but is still a part of history ofVarnville. It was moved a couple of blocks down Palmetto Avenue into the Varnville Park. It was renovated a couple of years back with a new coat of paint added. This year a train car was donated to the park and now sits next to the depot. They dedicated it during this years Watermelon Festival.

Eli William Carter - Occupation: School Teacher/Mail Carrier

Eli and his family moved to Varnville during the end of the 1860's. After the Civil War, the governments gave contracts to carry mail to certain communities. Eli took the exam in either Colleton County or Charleston. He got the bid for the Varnville Headquarters. Eli carried the mail from Varnville, SC to Hardeeville, SC in a two-wheel cart.

**Special note: one of Eli's son Clemons Carter was the first person to be buried in Varnville Cemetery in 1885.

Eli William Carter - Occupation: School Teacher/Mail Carrier

Please make submissions for this page, and the entire site.

If you are confused by some of the early 19th century script, here is an image of the written double "s" (SS).

There were documented Gypsies in this area in the early 19^th century. I have found one probable record of Gypsies in the area.

References.

Please Email any additions, errors, or corrections to the county coordinator.

SCGenWeb - Hampton County, South Carolina

Copyright ©2000-2005, Yvonne Deloach and Frank Oliver Clark, Ph.D., all rights reserved. These documents may be freely used for private purposes, and included in your own genealogy. However, this document is copyrighted and may not be sold, nor given to anyone who may attempt to derive profit from same.