Sumter County Chapter

Sumter is the county seat of Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. Known as the Sumter Metropolitan Statistical Area, the namesake county adjoins Clarendon and Lee to form the core of Sumter-Lee-Clarendon tri-county area of South Carolina, an area that includes the three counties in east central South Carolina. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population was 39,643 at the 2000 census. The 2010 census puts the city at 40,524.[5] During the 1740s, settlers arrived to establish roots along the banks of the Wateree River. The "Carolina Backcountry," as it was then known, became a predominantly agricultural area called Craven County, later Claremont County. Today, the city retains its status as a major hub, both for industry and infrastructure. In modern times, the city has taken on additional dimension as a center for business culture and finance, as its rich historic homes, military support, and progressive educational institutions come together to form a destination for the east central portion of South Carolina. According to the Urban Institute Sumter is the metropolitan area in the United States with the highest concentration of African-American same-sex couples among all households.

Sumter County and its county seat, the city of Sumter, were named for Revolutionary War general Thomas Sumter (1734-1832), who was a resident of the area. This county has changed its name and boundaries several times. In 1785, Claremont County was formed as a part of Camden District; a part of the county was later split off in 1791 to form Salem County. Claremont, Clarendon, and Salem counties were combined into Sumter District in 1800. Clarendon was once again split off in 1855, however, and another small part of Sumter County went to form Lee County in 1902. This part of the state began attracting English settlers from the lowcountry and from Virginia in the mid-eighteenth century. The area known as the High Hills of Santee, a narrow ridge along the Wateree River, was famous for its healthy climate and rich soil. Sumter County eventually became a leading agricultural region. During the Civil War, General Edward Potter's Union troops raided the area, and a skirmish was fought at Dingle's Mill on April 9, 1865. In 1941, Shaw Air Force Base was established near Sumter, and it continues today as an active duty fighter base. Confederate general Richard Heron Anderson (1821-1879) was a Sumter resident, as were opera singer Clara Louise Kellogg (1842-1916) and educator Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955). Located in the midlands of South Carolina, Sumter County is just east of the geographic heart of the state. It lies within the fertile plains of the upper pine belt with its highest crest, located in the western portion of the county known as the High Hills of the Santee, 450 feet above sea level. Geographically diverse, the southern most part of the county is only 107 feet above sealevel. Named for General Thomas Sumter, the "Gamecock General" of the American Revolution, Sumter has well earned its nickname of the "Gamecock City." Although Thomas Sumter was born in Virginia, he lived in South Carolina for almost seventy years. Almost half of Thomas Sumter's ninety-eight years were spent in the picturesque High Hills of the Santee located in the district, and then county, that bears his name. When he died on June 1, 1832, Thomas Sumter was the last surviving officer of the American Revolution. Originally, Sumter County had an area of 1,672 miles, but that was reduced to 681 square miles due to the formation of Clarendon County in 1855, and then Lee County in 1902. The natural boundaries on the east of Sumter County are Scape 'Ore Creek, Black River, and Lynches River, and on the west are the Wateree and Santee, two sections of the same river system. Early on, what we now know as Sumter County, was located in Craven County. In fact, much present day South Carolina, except for areas nearer the coast were designated as part of Craven County. Early land grants describe the lands east of the Wateree River as lying in Craven County. In a modern sense, Craven County was not actually a governmental entity, but merely a geographical location. Craven County was created originally in 1664 on the coast of the state, extending from Seewee Bay for twenty-three miles northeast, and inland for thirty-five miles. Settlers gradually moved into the interior, further and further from the coast and the boundaries of Craven County moved with them, eventually extending to the North Carolina line. Craven County was an election district with representation in the provincial House of Commons. When the province was laid out into parishes in 1706, Craven County ceased to exist as an election district. Representation after that was by parishes. The name, Craven, did continue to be used until even after 1768, when circuit court districts were established.

The earliest settlers who came into the future Sumter County were nominally in Prince Frederick's Parish, but the parish church was many miles away, near Georgetown on the coast. By the 1750s, so many settlers had come to the area that in 1757, a new parish, St. Mark's, was formed. The line which separated St. Mark's from Prince Frederick's was an extension of the northwest line of Williamsburg Township to the Santee and Pee Dee Rivers. St. Mark's embraced all of the area between those rivers, northward to the North Carolina line, and was the largest of the parishes. The whole of St. Mark's parish was included in Camden District which extended from the northwest line of Williamsburg Township to the North Carolina line and from Lynches River to the Santee-Congaree-Broad river system. Many of the men living east of the Wateree River served in the Revolutionary War but in the area that was to become Sumter County, very few events of war took place, except for the movement of troops over the road (now Highway 261) from Camden to Charles Town. Even though few war-like events took place in the immediate area, conditions among the people living east of the Wateree River after the war ended was difficult. Supplies of every kind had been seized and carried off by the armies on both sides as they passed along the "Great Road." The nearest town, Camden, had been virtually destroyed. When the British left and set fire to their military stores, the fire spread and burned homes, businesses, the courthouse, and the jail. Disorder and lawlessness prevailed which made it even harder for the residents to rebuild their ruined homes, farms, businesses, and mills. The need for a reorganization of counties and the court system was recognized. This led to the creation of counties and county courts with resident magistrates which would also relieve the overburdened dockets of the circuit courts. In 1783, a new law was passed and each of the seven great circuit court systems of the state were subdivided into counties of a convenient size. The former Camden District was divided to form seven counties. The boundaries of the seven counties were established, largely on natural lines. Created were York, Chester, Fairfield, Richland, Lancaster, Claremont, and Clarendon. The last two would be included in the area of what would become the future Sumter District. Under the constitution of 1790, Clarendon and Claremont elected one senator, and each had two representatives in the General Assembly. Two years after the counties were created, the county courts were set up. In 1792 some of the area of Clarendon and Claremont was used to form Salem County. The part taken from Claremont known as "Upper Salem" and the part from Clarendon known as "Lower Salem." The courthouse in the town of Salem was probably a log building as was the courthouse in Clarendon. The Claremont County courthouse was located at Statesburg.

But the new sytem did not suit every resident of the area. Among those learned men of the legal profession, the operation of the county courts was not proving to be satisfactory. They felt that justice was not being properly served by laymen. Thus, in 1791, the county magistrates were replaced by three county court judges who were "to handle all business that came before the court." With the opposition of lawyers to lay judges continuing, the county court system was finally abolished effective on January 1, 1800. The region was organized as Sumter District when the legislature of South Carolina united three of the counties of Camden District, namely, Claremont, Clarendon, and Salem; and on the first day of January in the year 1800, the district began to function in the administration of justice through circuit courts. Mail service was begun in 1801 for a place designated as Sumterville under order of the postmaster general of the United States. About 1830, a mail route from Charleston to Camden began passing through the village as required by law, since it was a courthouse town. The village of Sumterville was incorportated in 1845. For many years the mail to Sumter District was carried by stage, but in 1850, mail service by train was started between Wilmington, North Carolina and Sumterville. At this time Sumter District had twenty post offices: Bishopville, Bradford Institute, Bradleyville, Brewington, Clarendon, Friendship, Fulton, Lodibar, Manchester, Mechanicsville, Mill Grove, Mount Clio, Plowden's Mill, Privateer, Providence, Salem, Stateburg, Sumterville, Willow Grove, and Wright's Bluff. The name of the county seat was shortened to Sumter in 1855. Following the fall of the Confederacy in 1868, Sumter District became Sumter County. The War of Succession began so slowly that many people in the North and in the South believed that there would be no war. But soon many of the younger men of Sumter District left for service in the Confederate Army while the older men were organized into the Home Guard, many of whom were stationed along the coast. Before long, there were few left at home except women and children and to them fell the responsibility of raising food and maintaining order. With the assistance of their servants, the women of Sumter District made garments for their families as well as for the soldiers away from home. "They sent their silver to the Confederate government, the church bells to foundries to be cast into cannon, and cut their carpets into blankets for the soldiers." As the years of war lengthened, wounded soldiers from distant battlefields came by train to hospitals set up in the Baptist and Presbyterian churches, in the hotel, and in the courthouse. Many soldiers were taken into private homes to be cared for. Civilian refugees came to Sumter to escape the bombardment of Charleston. The Sisters of Mercy transferred their convent from the beleaguered city of Charleston and opened St. Joseph's Academy in Sumter. Sumter District became a center for army stores. Hundreds of freight cars loaded with the supplies of war left to roll north through Camden or northeast to arrive in Wilmington. Charleston fell in February of 1865 and Sherman marched north from the sea. Columbia, 45 miles away was sacked by his army and the residents of the town of Sumter could see the glare of the burning homes in the night sky along the "Great Road" as Sherman's troops traveled toward Camden.