History of Williamsburg

By: William W. Boddie, Pub. 1923, Reprinted 2021, 664 pages, Soft Cover, Index, ISBN #0-89308-754-8.

Williamsburg County was created in

A pine tree on the north bank of the Black River, called the King’s Tree by an early explorer, became the focal point of settlement in what is now Williamsburg County, and gave the name to the county seat. This interesting history begins with an account of the first settlement under the Lords Proprietors and gives the names of everyone who had settled there by 1737. It is particularly rich in genealogical material, which is contained in sketches of individuals, lists of county officers, lists of ministers and members of churches, early documents, names of settlers and officials, wills with names if family members involved, sketches of Revolutionary War officers and lists of land claims and owners in 1788. Genealogical information is also found in the census of 1790; taxpayers and amounts paid in 1811; muster rolls of the Civil War units, with officers, deaths of soldiers and excerpts from diaries; lists of teachers, officers of banks and lists of soldiers in the Spanish-American War and World War I. The general history of the county is discussed under the topics of economic and agricultural conditions, churches, government, social life, wars, religion, roads and ferries, nullification, transportation, slavery, and Secession, Reconstruction, post-Civil War history, education and growth and development of the county in the 20th Century.