The research never ends at Piedmont Trails. Spanning across the United States from Oregon to Virginia, the past is recognized and remembered with each step we take. Sharing this data with all of you makes our hard work worthwhile. Those who have shared your journey with us, Thank You so much. We love hearing about your success and encouraging your progress to brand-new discoveries in the past. The past five years have been great, and we look forward to the future with all of you.

Today’s article will dig deeper into one of the largest counties during the 18th century in South Carolina. Edgefield, formed out of the Ninety-six District in 1785, was known by 1750 as the backcountry. Situated on the western edges of South Carolina, this area holds so much history dating from the early 1700s as trade reached new heights with the Native tribes.

The surnames listed below are from the Piedmont Trails family files. These files contain notes, transcriptions, and copies obtained from personal research over the years. All names within the list are present in the newly formed county of Edgefield in 1786. Many of these families represent a significant number who migrate west and north before the 1800 decade.

1786 Edgefield, South Carolina Surnames

• Abney, Nathaniel
• Abney, William
• Anderson, James
• Anderson, Thomas
• Anderson, William
• Bell, Benjamin
• Boswell, David
• Brewer, Adam
• Brewer, George
• Broughton, Thomas
• Brown, Daniel
• Brown, William
• Buckelew, James
• Butler, William
• Calaham, Morris
• Carns, Peter
• Carson, James
• Carson, William
• Carter, John
• Carter, Thomas
• Chappel, Thomas
• Christopher, James
• Clay, Obiah
• Cook, Benjamin
• Cotton, Thomas
• Couch, Edward
• Coursey, James
• Crawford, John
• Crow, John
• Davis, Robert
• Davison, John
• Dawson, Jonathan
• Dawson, William
• Elum, Daniel
• Eveleigh, Nicholas
• Farrar, William
• Fields, Hester
• Galman, Harmon
• Garbet, George
• Gardner, Samuel
• Gayle, John
• Gayle, Matthew
• Gibson, John
• Goodwin, Charles
• Gray, James
• Gray, John
• Green, Bryan
• Grigsby, Enoch
• Gunnels, Moses
• Hammond, Joshua
• Hammond, Leroy
• Hancock, John
• Harris, Jenkin
• Harrison, John
• Heath, Abraham
• Herndon, John
• Hightower, Joseph
• Hill, Jacob
• Hill, William
• Hollingsworth, James
• Holloway, Reuben
• Jeter, William
• Johnson, Richard
• Jones, John
• Lamar, Thomas
• Lang, Robert
• Lee, Andrew
• Lewis, Benjamin
• Lipscomb, William
• Mallet, Stephen
• Marsh, Shields
• Martin, Barlet
• Martin, George
• Martin, James
• Matthews, William
• Mays, James
• McCreles, John
• McDaniel, Angus
• McDugal, Duggin
• McGinnis, Thomas
• Miller, George
• Moore, John
• Nee, George
• Nicholas, Francis
• Nobles, Leonard
• Norwood, John
• Odom, Jacob
• Pace, Drury
• Palmer, Thomas
• Parkman, Henry
• Prince, Edward
• Pruet, Dudley
• Purvis, John
• Rainsford, John
• Randall, John
• Rambo, Banaja
• Read, Joseph
• Rees, Thomas
• Rice, William
• Richardson, Abraham
• Richardson, Amos
• Rody, Henry
• Roebuck, Rolly
• Ryan, Benjamin
• Ryan, Lacon
• Scott, James
• Sesson, Frederick
• Settles, Frances
• Shaw, William
• Simkins, Arthur
• Smith, Jacob
• Spencer, John
• Stalnaker, Samuel
• Stark, Robert
• Swearingen, John
• Swearington, Van
• Thompson, James
• Tillman, Lewis
• Tutt, Benjamin
• Vessels, James
• Walker, Samuel
• Ward, Frederick
• Watkins, John
• Watson, Arthur
• Webb, Jeremiah
• White, Burgess

As we continue our research with the Great Wagon Road Project, we have discovered earlier families living in this area before 1760. Stay tuned for further updates. If you seek more information on any of the names listed, contact Piedmont Trails for the details. As always, enjoy your journey to the past.