I have several ancestors who are mentioned in Pendleton Co. SC but the GenWeb site says that Pendleton Co. never functioned. Where might I find deeds, court records, etc. from Pendleton?

Pendleton District functioned from about 1789 to about 1830 when it was split into Pickens and Anderson Counties. Technically it was not a county, it was called a district at that time. Anderson Co inherited the deed records. The best place to find records would be SC Archives. Deeds and some estates have been abstracted in books. Estates were filed in different places depending on date of death. Pendleton records were filed under Ninety-six district and Washington District for a short period of time. The estate records got sent to other counties, but SC Archives would have all of them.

Thank you so much for your timely and very helpful response. I'm off to the SC Archives.

Some additional information about South Carolina archives...they have a web site called South Carolina Department of Archives and History that is searchable. The on-line items include land records and wills, as well as a few other items. The land records are abstracts with the names of the people involved and the locations. If you find one you want you can request the full document, usually with a plat, by mail.

Also, a lot of infomration about the Old Pendleton District was published in a book called Pendleton District and Anderson County Wouth Carolina, Wills, Estates, and Legal Records. I have a copy if you need a few look-ups.

Thank you for this information and for the generous offer of a lookup. I am trying to piece together the Pearce/Pierce family in the late 1700s and early 1800. There are Pearces in Marlboro Co. that I think might be connected but I am particularly interested in any Pearces that were in Pendleton at that time.
Thank you so much.
Jane

I searched Pendleton District and Pendleton County for Pierce and Pearce and found the following. I'll check the book, too, and see if there's anything.

Series: S213190
Volume: 0033
Page: 00379
Item: 002
Date: 10/6/1794
Description: MIDDLETON, HUGH AND EDWARD PIERCE, PLAT FOR 1,000 ACRES IN PENDLETON COUNTY, WASHINGTON DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY WILLIAM COURSEY.
Names indexed: COURSEY, WILLIAM; MIDDLETON, HUGH; PIERCE, EDWARD
Locations: PENDLETON COUNTY; WASHINGTON DISTRICT
Document type: PLAT

Series: S165015
Year: ND00
Item: 03490
ignore: 000
Date: 1794 C.
Description: INHABITANTS OF PENDLETON COUNTY, PETITION FOR MORE EQUAL REPRESENTATION IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR THE UPPER DISTRICTS. (2 PAGES)
Names indexed: AGNEW, J.; BOYSE, ALEXANDER; BOYSE, AURTHER; CLARK, JOSEPH; COCKER, THOMAS; DICKENS, ROBERT; GOLDING, WILLIAM; HAMELTON, JAMES; HODGES, JOHN; MARTIN, MATHEW; MCMAHON, JOHN; NORWOOD, SAMUEL; OLIVER, JOSEPH; PEARCE, JOSEPH; SCOTT, ROBERT; SLATON, JOHN; SMITH, JAMES; SMITH, JOB; SMITH, WILLIAM; WIMPY, LEVI
Locations: PENDLETON COUNTY
Document type: PETITION


Series: S213192
Volume: 0040
Page: 00178
Item: 002
Date: 11/22/1803
Description: LOONEY, JOHN, PLAT FOR 153 ACRES ON BRANCHES OF SENEKAW RIVER, PENDLETON DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY EDWARD T. MCCLURE.
Names indexed: BRANDON, CHARLES; DRAYTON; FARRAR, THOMAS; LOONEY, JOHN; MCCLURE, EDWARD T.; PIERCE
Locations: PENDLETON DISTRICT; SENECA RIVER
Document type: PLAT

Series: S213192
Volume: 0040
Page: 00228
Item: 003
Date: 2/9/1804
Description: PITTS, CHARLES, PLAT FOR 358 ACRES ON SENIKAW RIVER, PENDLETON DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY EDWARD T. MCCLURE.
Names indexed: COX, JAMES; MCCLURE, EDWARD T.; OGGE, GEORGE; PIERCE; PITTS, CHARLES; STEPHENS, CHARLES
Locations: PENDLETON DISTRICT; SENECA RIVER
Document type: PLAT
Series: S213192
Volume: 0041
Page: 00456
Item: 002
Date: 4/7/1809
Description: MAVERICK, SAMUEL AND MAJOR LEWIS, PLAT FOR 776.5 ACRES ON TWELVE MILE CREEK, PENDLETON DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY SAMUEL H. DICKSON.
Names indexed: DICKSON, SAMUEL H.; LEWIS, MAJOR; MAVERICK, SAMUEL; PIERCE, LEVI; TODD, JOHN
Locations: KEOWEE RIVER; PENDLETON DISTRICT; TWELVE MILE CREEK
Document type: PLAT

This is so helpful. I knew Levi Pearce was there but knew nothing about Joseph. Thank you so much.
Jane

There is also a George Pierce.

Book A pg 102-103 2 Jan 1790 George Pierce to Benjamin Starritt 2 different tracts on the south side of the Saluda River, oldest tract of 200 acres granted George Pierce 21 June 1785 recorded bk cccc p 397, youngest tract contains 158 acres granted Pierce, 3 Sep 1787 recorded bk uuuu p 284

Book IJ pg 172 14 Dec 1796 John Martin York Dist to James Gardner Pendleton Dist 233 acres on waters of Toneys Cr and Big Creek joins Isaac Alexander & William Poor on S & W, by Bell & Matthew Alexander on N & Reuben Johnson and "said" Pearce on E, granted Mar 3 1788 to George Pearce; sold due to power of attorney Jun 10 1787 by George Pearce to me. signed John Martin recorded Mar 28 1808





George was granted 3 tracts prior to Pendleton being established. He has sold all three by 1796, but is still listed as a neighbor on the last tract so he must still own some land there. These are his 3 grants.
_________________________________________________________
Series: S213190
Volume: 0017
Page: 00323
Item: 000

Date: 5/31/1784

Description: PEARCE, GEORGE, PLAT FOR 200 ACRES ON SALUDA RIVER, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY JOHN PURVES.

Names indexed: PEARCE, GEORGE; POOR, WILLIAM; PURVES, JOHN

Locations: NINETY SIX DISTRICT; SALUDA RIVER

Document type: PLAT
__________________________________________________________

Series: S213190
Volume: 0020
Page: 00145
Item: 000

Date: 2/19/1786

Description: PEARCE, GEORGE, PLAT FOR 158 ACRES ON SALUDA RIVER AND TANEYS CREEK, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY JOHN MARTIN.

Names indexed: JOHNSON, REUBEN; MARTIN, JOHN; PEARCE, GEORGE; POOR, WILLIAM

Locations: NINETY SIX DISTRICT; SALUDA RIVER; TONY CREEK

Document type: PLAT
_________________________________________________________

Series: S213190
Volume: 0022
Page: 00082
Item: 000

Date: 6/6/1787

Description: PEARCE, GEORGE, PLAT FOR 233 ACRES ON WATERS OF TONEYS AND BIG CREEKS, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY JOHN MARTIN.

Names indexed: ALEXANDER, ISAAC; ALEXANDER, MATTHEW; BELL; JOHNSTON, REUBEN; MARTIN, JOHN; PEARCE, GEORGE; POOR, WILLIAM

Locations: BIG CREEK; NINETY SIX DISTRICT; SALUDA RIVER; TONY CREEK

Document type: PLAT


The tracts below are also likely in what is later Pendleton and have Pierce/Pearce listed as neigbors.
___________________________________________________________

Series: S213190
Volume: 0009
Page: 00344
Item: 001

Date: 11/16/1785

Description: MARTIN, JAMES, PLAT FOR 179 ACRES ON SALUDA RIVER, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY JOHN MARTIN.

Names indexed: CLARK, WILLIAM; MARTIN, JAMES; MARTIN, JOHN; PEARCE, WILLIAM

Locations: NINETY SIX DISTRICT; SALUDA RIVER

Document type: PLAT
_________________________________________________________

Series: S213190
Volume: 0006
Page: 00211
Item: 000

Date: 12/9/1785

Description: MARTIN, JOHN, PLAT FOR 400 ACRES ON SALUDA RIVER, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY JOHN MARTIN.

Names indexed: BELL, WILLIAM; BLACKBURN, AMBROSE; JOHNSTON, REUBIN; MARTIN, JOHN; PEARCE, GEORGE

Locations: BIG CREEK; NINETY SIX DISTRICT; SALUDA RIVER

Document type: PLAT
__________________________________________________________

Series: S213190
Volume: 0012
Page: 00173
Item: 001

Date: 11/1/1786

Description: BERKLEY, JOHN L., PLAT FOR 200 ACRES ON GEORGES CREEK, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY JAMES SEABORN FOR THOMAS PEARCE.

Names indexed: BERKLEY, JOHN L.; PEARCE, THOMAS; SEABORN, JAMES

Locations: GEORGES CREEK; NINETY SIX DISTRICT; SALUDA RIVER

Document type: PLAT
__________________________________________________________

Series: S213190
Volume: 0015
Page: 00122
Item: 001

Date: 11/1/1786

Description: LEWIS, VINCENT, PLAT FOR 200 ACRES ON GEORGES CREEK, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY JAMES SEABORN FOR THOMAS PEARCE.

Names indexed: LEWIS, VINCENT; PEARCE, THOMAS; SEABORN, JAMES

Locations: GEORGES CREEK; NINETY SIX DISTRICT; SALUDA RIVER

Document type: PLAT
_________________________________________________________

Series: S213212
Volume: 0001
Page: 00224
Item: 001

Date: 11/15/1788

Description: POOR, WILLIAM, PLAT FOR 641 ACRES ON TONEY CREEK AND SALUDY RIVER, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY JOHN MARTIN.

Names indexed: BOWEN, BENJAMIN; BROWN, JOSEPH; BROWN, WILLIAM; GOODE, EDWARD; MARTIN, JOHN; PEARCE, GEORGE; POOR, WILLIAM; RIDEN, JAMES

Locations: NINETY SIX DISTRICT; SALUDA RIVER; TONY CREEK

Document type: PLAT



If you will notice the land that George is listed as a neighbor is on Big Creek, Saluda River. There is more than one Big Creek, but there is one in Pendleton. The property he has left may be this early grant to a James Pearce:

Series: S111001
Volume: 0010
Page: 00072
Item: 002

Date: 3/12/1770

Description: PEARCE, JAMES, MEMORIAL FOR 150 ACRES ON BIG CREEK, COLLETON COUNTY.

Names indexed: PEARCE, JAMES; ROYAL, SAMUEL

Locations: BIG CREEK; COLLETON COUNTY; SALUDA RIVER

Document type: MEMORIAL


This link has a map to give you an idea of where Colleton County would be in 1770 (even though Colleton was discontinued in 1769 it is used on later documents):
http://gordonbush.com/genealogy/maps/South%20Carolina%20Evol...


You ssid you know Levi Pierce was in Pendleton:

Book A pages 258-262 24 Dec 1790 Robert Anderson & Jane, his wife, planter to Levi Pierce, planter, 148 acres on Six Mile Creek, bd on one side by Keowee River, granted to Anderson 2 Feb 1789

Pages 331-332 22 Jul 1794 Levi Pierce and Elizabeth, his wife, planter to John Green, planter, 148 acres on 6 Mile Creek, bd on one side on Keowee River granted 2 Feb 1787 Levi signs with a mark a L with a semi-circle at the top of it. Elizabeth Pierce also signed with a mark

Thank you so much for this - and for your time and effort. This helps hugely. South Carolina has some very generous folks.
Jane

I am searching for some land grants in Pendleton Dist: Patrick Early, 1785, and a deed in which Phoebe and Enoch Early sell land in 1812. Do you know where I might find them? Your help would be appreciated.