Cheryll, You will probably get lots of replies to your query but I will try to answer, just in case. Sherman's forces came through in late February of 1865 an destroyed all of the wills and estate papers. The deeds were not touched. The reason for this is that the probate judge (then called the Ordinary) when he heard that the troops were headed toward Lancaster, had all of the papers under his charge loaded into wagons to protect them. The caravan was on its way to Haile Gold Mine when it was intercepted and all those papers were burned. The deeds narrowly escaped when the Federal forces were trying to set fire to the courthouse but a Confederate cavalry company dashed up and broke up the attempt. So, the land records you seek are available from the Clerk of Court's office. Louise Pettus ---------- >From: [email protected] >To: [email protected] >Subject: [SCLANCAS] Courthouse Research >Date: Fri, Feb 11, 2000, 9:46 PM > >Hello, > Can someone tell me if the Lancaster County >Courthouse has any records >at all from before 1840? I have heard they all were >destroyed during the >Civil War. ALL? Is that true? If so, where is the next >best place to look? > I need to find deeds, wills, or land records from before >1840 for Hugh Black >or any other Black who lived in Lancaster County >1790-1836. Thanks. > >Cheryll Sumner [researching BLACKs] >Mobile, Alabama >