Biography of Col. R. H. Taylor

Mr. Woodson is a good lawyer, a conscientious officer and a vigorous and successful prosecutor. Of this county, was born in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1825. He began the study of law in the law office of Judge Warner, and was admitted to the bar by a special act of the legislature at the age of 18 years. He moved to Fannin County in 1844, and his abilities as a ‘lawyer were soon recognized, and. he was employed upon one side or the other of every important suit; both criminal and civil, in the county. In a few years, his … Read more

Slave Narrative of Dan Smith

Interviewer: W. W. Dixon Person Interviewed: Dan Smith Location: Winnsboro, South Carolina Place of Birth: Richland County SC Date of Birth: January 11, 1862 Age: 75 Occupation: Construction Dan Smith lives in one room, rent free, of a three-room frame house, the property of his son-in-law, Jim Cason. It is situated on the southeast corner of Garden and Palmer streets in the town of Winnsboro, S.C. He is tall, thin and toothless, with watery eyes and a pained expression of weariness on his face. He is slow and deliberate in movements. He still works, and has just finished a day’s … Read more

A Southern Household during the Years 1860 to 1865

Ellen S. Elmore Columbia, S. C, December, 1901 I am told it is my duty to write what I can personally recall of the days of our hard struggle with fate, and because it is so considered, I shall make the effort to penetrate the dark chambers of my heart and brain for what I know lies there, hidden away from even my present consciousness. To bring it back, I must take myself to the beginning of events that bore immediately upon the grand tragedy of the century, to the summer of i860, the last time our whole family was … Read more

Slave Narrative of Charity Austin

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Charity Austin Location: 507 South Bloodworth Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: July 27, 1852 Place of Birth: Granville County NC I wus borned in the year 1852, July 27. I wus born in Granville County, sold to a slave speculator at ten years old and carried to Southwest, Georgia. I belonged to Samuel Howard. His daughter took me to Kinston, North Carolina and I stayed there until I wus sold. She married a man named Bill Brown, and her name wus Julia Howard Brown. My father wus named Paul Howard and my … Read more

Richland County, South Carolina Census Records

  1790 Richland County, South Carolina Census Free 1790 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1790 Richland County, Census (images and index) $ Hosted at Census Guide 1790 U.S. Census Guide 1800 Richland County, South Carolina Census Free 1800 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1800 Richland County, Census (images and index) $ Hosted at Census Guide 1800 U.S. Census Guide 1810 Richland County, South Carolina Census Free 1810 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1810 Richland County, Census (images and index) … Read more

Slave Narrative of Uncle Ransom Simmons

Interviewer: Hattie Mobley Person Interviewed: Ransom Simmons Location: Columbia, South Carolina Place of Birth: Mississippi Age: 104 Uncle Ransom is one of the few remaining slaves who still lives and whose mind is still clear and active. He has just passed his one-hundred and fourth birthday, was born in Mississippi, and brought to South Carolina by his master Wade Hampton, the father of the illustrious General Wade Hampton, before the Civil War. When the war broke out and General Wade Hampton went to war Uncle Ransom cried to be allowed to follow his young master. He went and served as … Read more