You'll find the deeds in a set of seven volumes called South Carolina Deed Abstracts. The first four (1719-72) were edited by Clara A. Langley; the last three (1773-88) by Brent H. Holcomb. The location is usually identified as one of the proprietary counties; Old Edgefield included portions of Berkley, Colleton and Granville Counties. Within those large counties, a township name (New Windsor or Londonborough) will identify an Edgefield location, as will the name of the waterways. The Edgefield properties in 1762-1786 were often identified as being on the waters of Stevens, Turkey or Nobles (later Horns) Creek, or on the Little Saluda River. If you have located the land petitions for people you're seeking, you can get the location of their plats/grants through the SCDAH search-engine at www.archivesindex.sc.gov. The name of the creek is sometimes the only indication that a property is within the region of (later) Ninety-Six/Edgefield. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marleen Van Horne" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 12:31 AM Subject: [SCEDGEFIELD] Pre 1786 Land Records for Edgefield County > I am in Salt Lake City doing research at the Family History Library. > > Where do I find the deeds for the area that became Edgefield, pre 1786? > > I have found the South Carolina Royal Land Grants which go from 1731 to 1775. I have also explored the Petitions for Land from South Carolina Council Journals 1734-1775 and there are also the Charleston City, Charleston County and Soutch Carolina miscellaneous land record, 1719-1893. This last item has a few "Edgefield" deeds. > > Between 1786 and 1840, my Edgefield ancestors wrote 136 deeds. I find it hard to believe this was a sport that only began in 1786, since by that date some of my ancestors had been living there for almost 40 years. > > I looked for Ninety-Six District records and was referred to Abbeville, but there were few deeds listed there, so basically, my question is where did people record land transactions before 1786. > > Time is running out on my stay, and the people at the library are no help, they are just as much in the dark as I am. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated. > > Marleen Van Horne