Virginia Meynard, author of "The Venturers: The Hampton, Harrison, and Earle Families of Virginia, South Carolina, and Texas", spoke at the July 25th Family History Workshop at the Richland County Public Library (RCPL) Main Library. She gave a presentation on her new book, "History of Lower Richland County and Its Early Planters." Several of the pioneering families of Lower Richland were highlighted.
Pre-1800 history of Lower Richland
The book includes the history of families who settled in the 1740's, and descendants of these early settlers shared their compiled genealogies with Ms. Meynard. Most of the resources she had access to has not yet been made available to the public making her book a treasure for those who are researching this area a vital resource. Ms. Meynard has encouraged the families to make their family collections and manuscripts available at the South Caroliniana Library eventually.
Links to African American ancestry
Many current African American residents of Lower Richland bear the names of these early settlers such as, Raiford, Pearson, Howell, Hirons, Taylor, Goodwin, Tucker, Hopkins, Weston, Adams, and Singleton. Ms. Meynard cited references to slaves owned by these early settlers which are mentioned in her book.
In African American research, available records become somewhat scarce prior to 1870. For this reason, we often trace the slave owning family to learn more about ancestors. Having the history of Lower Richland and the early planters helps if these slave owners link to the settlers from the 1740's many of which migrated to Lower Ricland to take advantage of land grants of 50 acres to planters who would settle the land formally inhabited by Catawba Indians. They brought their slaves with them.
Links to Reconstruction history
In addition to the private collections, Ms. Meynard discovered Reconstruction era records in the Richland County Courthouse detailing cases involving freedman who could not fulfill obligations to pay debts for sugar or other items that they received during the year before harvesting crops. “If they could not pay for the item borrowed, they had to forfeit money earned for sharecropping or tenant farming, according to Ms. Meynard.
The presentation by Ms. Meynard was very well received and went a long way to showing how the history of prominent Southern families in a locality are vital to African Americans who want to learn about the history of their ancestors. Her book is available for to check out through the RCPL online catalog, and Local History Room at the Main Library has copies that you may review on site. To find out how you can purchase a copy of "History of Lower Richland County and Its Early Planters" or to learn more about resources at the RCPL, contact Debbie Bloom at DBloom@myrcpl.com
The next Family History Workshop will be September 8 at 6pm, and Debbie Bloom, will highlight the resources the RCPL has to help you research your family history. Stay tuned to The Dead Librarian or follow the South Carolina Genealogy Research Community for updates.
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