Granville County Wills and Estates
Old Granville County, South Carolina was located south of Colleton County and went to the Georgia border. The Proprietary county name was Carteret, whose name was changed in 1708 to Granville County. The county was abolished in 1769.
Wills and Estates
- LWT of Edward Kirkland, LWT dated 1/7/1770
- Land Grant of Edward Kirkland dated 4/5/1765
- LWT of Robert Thorpe (1741)
Missing Information about the Ancestors? How to Find Lost Genealogy Records
Tips by Jeannette Holland Austin
The county clerks kept records of every transaction in the county and did it by copying documents into ledgers. What you see is the handwriting of the Clerk. Sometimes names were omitted; and more often, names were misspelled. One must take this into consideration while searching for the ancestors. Yet county records are immensely essential to finding the ancestors or learning more about them. In this modern age, one does not always find old records at the courthouse. That is because they have been moved to a storage location. I have found that the employees are not necessarily aware of the existence of old wills, estates, marriages, and deeds, much less storage. Luckily, we have microfilmed records, more and more of which are going online. Did you notice that certain counties burned down and the records were lost? Unfortunately, this common experience affects all genealogists.
However, I have discovered old courthouse ledgers in antique shops! How did they get there? Why they were found in an attic somewhere. It was sometimes common practice for the clerk to take his ledgers home to finish his work. How will we ever get to see these ledgers? The answer now lies on the Internet. This is the place where unexpected information is posted. Otherwise, while out on a field trip, it is a good idea to question neighbors and keep an eye out for a good find!
Give Your Memories of the Past to the Children
Tips by Jeannette Holland Austin
The smartest thing which you can do is tell the stories of your ancestor to your children! What child does not wish to listen to family stories of the past? And what adult does not appreciate their grandfathers and patriots of an earlier time? Most families discover a Revolutionary War Soldier or one who fought in the American Civil War. There is always a good story to tell. It simply has to be found. That is your job!
Weapons of the Revolutionary War Period
The most important weapon during the American Revolution was the musket, a long smoothbore gun without grooves inside the barrel that was fired from the shoulder. The bayonet was attached at the end. Although this weapon was widely used and could fire about four times per minute, it could not render an accurate aim. Also, it did not function well in wet weather when the gunpowder got damp and failed to ignite. The British army used a musket they referred to as the Brown Bess (pictured), which fired one-ounce lead balls. At the Battle of Moores Bridge in February of 1776, the rebels seized 1500 firearms, 150 swords and dirks, ammunition, two valuable medicine cabinets, and thirteen wagons. A decided loss for the British! The rebels also used the Brown Bess when captured, but at the beginning of the war, they already had a store of flintlocks before the war, which was used in local militia companies. All throughout the war, the American gunsmiths made as many flintlocks as possible.
Swords and Sabres
The saber used by the cavalry during the American Revolutionary War usually had a brass hilt or a plain cherry grip. A saber is a heavy cavalry sword with a curved blade and a single cutting edge. However, officers also carried small saber swords, which were light, straight, and slender.