Allendale County, South Carolina

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Allendale County, South Carolina

Leader of this Project is Paula J

Coordinator is Mary Richardson

History/Timeline

Gravel Hill Plantation.

50,000 years ago - pre-Clovis culture - archeological excavation found evidence of this culture at Topper Site. This isolated near a chert source in Martin, owned by a land of a plant, Clarinet Corporation, a Swiss chemical company. This was named for John Topper, discoverer. The site has been under exploration by the archeologists since 1999.

mid 1700s -Settlers were of English, German or Scotch-Irish. Many were farmers. The county is primarily agricultural currently. The area was settled in the mid-eighteenth century by English, German, and Scotch-Irish farmers, and it remains primarily agricultural. ^[1]

SlaverySlavery on the Move

1862-65 The plantation of Confederate General Johnson Hagood (1829-1898) was in what is considered Allendale County.^[1]

Erwinton Plantation, Allandale County, SC

1864 Sherman burned a town nearby to the ground.^[2]

Here's an image.

History according to South Carolina:

1919 - Allendale County was created from the Southwest parts of Barnwell County near the Savannah River. Allandale and the county seat of Allendale, SC were named for the Allen family, Paul Allen, the town's first postmaster. This youngest County of South Carolina was created as late as 1919 from parts of Barnwell and Hampton counties.^[3][1]

The plantation of the Confederate General Johnson Hagood (1829-1898) was in what is now Allendale County, and the artist, Jasper Johns grew up in Allendale.^[1]

1960s' prior to I-95 opening, Allandale County was mid-way for the "northern snowbirds" trips for their summer vacations in Florida. Their route to Florida was US 301 highway, that ran north/south, right through the center of the town of Allandale in Allandale county, South Carolina. It seemed this area was a tourist hotspot.

Allendale County is one of the 10 poorest counties of South Carolina. The cost of living in Allandale, Sc is 20% lower than other areas of the state. In spite of financial ruins suffered by residents of Allendale, its population continued increasing as of the census 2000.

1999 The Topper Site is the archeological location named for John Topper (a resident who discovered the area). The archeological excavation provided possible evidence of a pre-Clovis culture dating back 50,000 years. The site is near a source of chert on some private land in Martin owned by the Clariant Corporation, a Swiss chemical company with a plant at that location. The site,has been under excavation by archeologists from the University of South Carolina for about one month per year since 1999, after an initial exploratory dig in the mid-1980. ^[4]

2000's Author Paul Thoreaux and his book, "Deep South: Four Seasons on Back Roads", cast a dismal image of Allendale, South Carolinae. However this small county and town's inhabitants are stoic and keep on trying to succeed.

mid1700s -Gypsies

Two types of Gypsies

Some settlers in the mid 1700s were Gypsies (Roma) along with the very earliest peoples. (Roma) are actually from India originally. The Roma resembled more like modern Asian Indian. These people have straight black hair, with black eyes. South Carolina's Department of Archives and History has records for these early settlers.

A Roma record: John A. Zeigler and Lanni? D. Zeigler, were brought before a jury for the jury to decide if they are white men or "people of color" or not. Basically a trial by jury was trying to decide if the men were African American or white ethnicity. If they were Roma, they would have been different in structure, hair, etc from other people. The Jury decided these men were not African American, but "waffled" on what to label them. See also: http://sciway3.net/clark/freemoors/index.html

Gypsy Settlers

Roma should not be confused with the Tinkers who settled in Edgefield, SC. (Tinkers of Edgefield, SC area are Celts, are light skinned, fair people, with blue eyes.

The reputation of Murphy Village’s residents reaches far beyond the Palmetto State. This community is a North Augusta near I-20 in Aiken County. This is home to the large community of Irish Travelers. The 2010 Census reflected estimated 1,400 Travelers living here. National counts of Travelers vary from 10,000 to 40,000. The residents have been associated with scams on repair work. Sheriff David Tayler warned residents to be cautions community’s residents have been associated with scams involving shoddy repair work. Most recently, Union County Sheriff David Taylor published an article in the local newspaper warning residents to the business cards.

http://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article96051242.html#storylink=cpy

There is a large colony of Irish Travellers somewhat north of Allendale. Travellers state genealogy pre- Celts of Ireland, and were from the oldest settlers of Ireland. Most of their history is oral tradition they even predate the Celtic invasion of Ireland, and are the oldest inhabitants of that Island. Both the Travellers and Roma have been discriminated against, somewhat unfairly. They are a closed community, have large houses.

Government Offices

Current Courthouse, 1921/22, The Currently used Courthouse was built in 1921-1922.. Construction -2-story, yellow brick and limestone accented with a central block pediment. This is flat roof, Neoclassical Revival. Its portico has 4 massive limestone columns and Tuscan order pilasters.. Brick and limestone parapet. In the rear, connected by a 2-story hyphen is a 2nd large office and courtroom completed in 2004. (Its interior was restored following arson fire, May 18, 1998).^[5]

Current Allendale Courthouse.

Geography

Small County.

Climate- mild, leading to many horse trainers in the area, excellent for agriculture.

Rivers - 3 Rivers -Savannah River forms the county's western border with Georgia,

Coosawhatchie River, and Salkehatchie River

Economics:

Many Trees.

Savannah River forms the county's western border with Georgia.

Allendale - 62 miles from Augusta, Georgia; 73 miles from Savannah, Georgia; 87 miles from Columbia; and 90 miles from Charleston. The town and county had several motels prior to the interstate highways. These served "Snowbirds" traveling from NE states to Florida.

Traffic followed US 301 through Allendale, but now is mostly on I-95.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allendale_County,_South_Carolina

• Allendale is primarily an agricultural rural county. Its primary products are cotton, soybeans, watermelon and cantaloupe.

• Timbering is also important, primarily for paper pulp.

Adjacent counties

• Bamberg County – northeast

Allendale co. in South Carolina

• Colleton County – east
• Hampton County – southeast
• Screven County, Georgia – southwest
• Burke County, Georgia – west
• Barnwell County – northwest

Protected areas

• Savannah River
• Coosawhatchie River
• Salkehatchie River

Demographics

In 2000, there were 11,211 people residing in the county with a population density of 28 people per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 71.0 percent Black or African American, 27.37 percent White, 0.12 percent Asian, 0.09 percent Native American, 0.06 percent Pacific Islander, 0.85 percent from other races, and 0.51 percent from two or more races. 1.61 percent of the population were Hispanic. The median income for a household in the county was $20,898, and the median income for a family was $27,348. The per capita income for the county was $11,293. About 28.4 percent of families and 34.5 percent of the population were below the poverty line, including 48.1 percent of those under age 18 and 26.00 percent of those age 65 or over.^[6]

This county has been voted consistently Democratic in Presidential voting since 1976. In the 2008 U.S. presidential election Barack Obama received 75.1 percent of the county's vote. In the 2012 U.S. presidential election Barack Obama received 78.3 percent of the county's vote^[7]

Major Highways:

• US 278
• US 301
• US 321

Airport:

• Allendale County Airport

• University of South Carolina Salkehatchie was established in 1965. is in Allendale, Sc.

Towns/Census Des Places/Uninco Communities

• Allendale
• Fairfax
• Sycamore
• Ulmer

• Martin

County Resources

• Allendale county genealogoy

• Public Transit

• Patrick Henry academy private school

• Allendale county Records
• Many Churches of Allendale County, SC

Census

Notables

• Jasper Johns, Artist

• Confederate General Johnson Hagood (1829-1898)

Cemeteries

Wooden cemetery marker

• Smyrna Baptist Church Cemetery
• Beech Branch Baptist Church Cemetery

Beech Branch Baptist Church Cemetery Space pg

• Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery
• Great Saltkehatchie Cemetery
• Swallow Savannah Cemetery

• Cemeteries in Allendale county, SC

• FamilySearch Cemeteries
• Allendale County Cemeteries

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} http://guides.statelibrary.sc.gov/friendly.php?s=sc-information/counties#Allendale
2. ↑ http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/south-carolina/unforgettable-tiny-town-in-sc/
3. ↑ Genealogy
4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topper_Site
5. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allendale_County_Courthouse
6. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allendale_County,_South_Carolina
7. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allendale_County,_South_Carolina

• http://www.allendalecounty.com

• http://www.patrickhenryacademy.org

• Public Transit
• http://sciway3.net/clark/freemoors/roma.html