A Brief History of Marlboro County SC
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Marlboro County lies in the northern part of the state, directly across from North Carolina, specifically Scotland County and Laurinburg. Also notice the proximity between Smithville and Brightsville. Our ancestors lived largely within these locations. This map was accessed from the North Carolina Archives. https://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ncmaps/id/267
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Prior to European settlement, present day Marlboro County (bordered in the west by the Pee Dee River), was inhabited by Native American tribes known as the "Pee Dees" and the "Cheraw." Coastal Charleston was the first site of European settlement in the early 1700's, with the promise of religious tolerance. In order to further populate the back country, the colonial government laid out townships in the interior of South Carolina offering settlers 50 acres per person in each household.
1737-1741 1st Wave Marlboro Settlers
The first European settlers began to colonize Marlboro (169 miles from Charleston.) They were Welsh; some emigrating from populated Welsh colonies in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and some directly from Wales. The area became known as "Welsh Neck."
1745-1775 Ethnicity of Early Inhabitants
During this time frame, additional colonists emigrated to South Carolina claiming origins in England, Ireland, Scotland, the German Palatinate, and Africa. Although there were some free Blacks in Marlboro during the colonial period, many others arrived enslaved. Native Americans residing in the region were labeled as free persons of color (FPOC), sometimes Black, and sometimes White in the colonial censuses.
In order to feed their families, early settlers raised corn, and hunted wild game and fish. Other crops raised were cotton, oats, wheat, potatoes (sweet and Irish,) rye, rice tobacco, sugar cane, hay, melons and fruits. However, to raise cash for other supplies, settlers captured and sold wild cattle, horses and hogs.
Road to Revolution
Regulators- 1767-1769
During the mid 1760's there was an increase in lawless activity in the colony. Because no assistance was forthcoming from the government in Charleston (Charles Town,) locals (including Marlboro pioneers) organized vigilante groups in order to restore law and order, with the goals of establishing effective local government, and fair representation. They were successful.
In 1769 a circuit court was accepted by the king establishing 7 judicial districts in this back country, including Cheraw, which included Marlboro at that time.
In March 1785 Cheraw district was split into Chesterfield, Darlington, and Marlboro districts. In 1868, these districts became counties.
American Revolution 1775-1785
Many founding settlers of Marlboro were active participants in the Revolution serving in many capacities, and active military service. Some of these men were from North Carolina, but settled in Marlboro after the war. We will examine our family members association and roles in this momentous event through primary documents.
The post Revolutionary War period witnessed an increase in settlers to the region from other states. People emigrated from New York, Maryland, Virginia with the greatest number from North Carolina. By 1790 Eli Whitney's cotton gin began to dramatically increase cotton production. As a result:
Antebellum Marlboro Stats 1825-1860
My next post will concentrate on Marlboro's attitudes toward Civil War, the goings on in the county during the war, and finally Reconstruction. In order to study genealogy, we need this backdrop in order to understand our ancestors, their actions, race relations and a glimpse of newly freed people claiming their status as United States citizens.
Works Consulted
Marlboro County South Carolina: A Pictorial History
Marlborough County Historical Society © 1996
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John Alexander Williams Thomas & William Evans Thomas © 1897
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