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State Coordinator:  Jeff Kemp

 

BRIEF HISTORY OF FLORENCE COUNTY:

Florence County took its name from its county seat, the city of Florence. The county was formed in 1888 from parts of Marion, Darlington, Williamsburg, and Clarendon counties. The city of Florence was founded in the 1850s as a stop on the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad; it was named for Florence Harllee, daughter of William Wallace Harllee (1812-1897), the president of the railroad. Florence soon became an important transportation center for the Pee Dee region.

During the Civil War Florence was the site of a Confederate prison camp. In later years tobacco growing became a major activity in the county. Some famous Florence County natives are artist William H. Johnson (1901-1970), astronaut Ronald E. McNair (1950-1986), and stock car racer Cale Yarborough.

History courtesy of South Carolina State Library 

More information is coming!  If you have anything you would like to contribute, let me know.  Please send to Denise at above link.

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has released 330,000 online images, 375,00 names, 13,000 places and 17,000 Topics in Revolutionary War Records

The online records index can be found here:  http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/  An article was posted in the July 24, 2018 newsletter of Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter. 

1895 Map of Florence County

CONFERENCE SITE  CALENDAR FOR SOUTH CAROLINA


 

WHAT'S NEW?

 

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES

Marion County
Dillon County
Marlboro County
Darlington County
Lee County
Sumter County
Clarendon County
Williamsburg County

LINKS OF INTEREST

FLORENCE COUNTY:
Florence County Library

SOUTH CAROLINA:
South Carolina Department of Archives and History
8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC 29223
(803-896-6100)

South Carolina Historical Society
A wonderful resource and not to be missed.
SC State Museum


Past Florence County Coordinators:
Val McGinnes ( - June 2002)
1st County Coordinator:  Larry Noah
If you know of other information about past volunteers, please let me know.  Thanks.
1996 to present |- last updated 2023
banner created and courtesy of Jeff Kemp