The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-22
PUBLISHED
THE NAMES OF THE. COUNTIES.
The Lords Proprietors and Revolutionary
Characters Honored Most-Ihe Gre@t-i
est Carolinian Forgotten.
rFron, the News and Courier. I

John of Austria, who renounced his
dignities in order that he might marry
the woman he loved, and became plain
Johann Orth, the ship captain, and
probably perished miserably while try
ing to round Cape Horn; everything,
thought the rich widow Hammersley,
of New York, who sold herself to
titled debauchee in order to become
Duchess of Marlborough and the mis-
tress Of Blenheim Castle.
Considerations of neither love nor
money have much 20 do with the
names of political of geographical sub
divisions. First settlers especially are,
( IS q rule, either adventures or exiles,
political and religious. The former
have left their country for their coun-
try's good and the hearts Of the latter
to the last turn lovingly 10 their "aln
countree." 1t may not be without IN
terest to consider the probable origin
of the names of thethirty-fve counties
of South Carolina; "unless," as the
old English chronieler quantity says:
ave would be strangers in our own
land and foreigners in our own CITY;
and for such I have not written these
lines or taken these pains"
Mr.. John Z. Thomas, Jr., IS his
scholarly essay on the formation OF
judicial and political Subdivisions IN
South Carolina shows that one of the
first measures required Of Governer
Moreton in 1882 was the division OF the
inhabited portion Of the province into
three counties. Berkeley, embracing
Charleston, extended from Sewee on
the north to Stono Creek on the south;
bevond this to the northward was
Craven County, and to the southwark
ColIeton, all extending within the land
to the distance of thirty-five miles from
the seacoast. Shortly afterwards Car
teret County was added to the uum-
Der: but, when John Lord Cartaret be-
came Earl of Granville, about l7OS,
that section became known as Gram
Vile County. 1t would beinstructlVe
to follow Mr.. Thomas as he shows no"
these, four original couIties were sub
divided into parishes, townships ols-
tricts or precincts, election districts
and judicial districts, but the limits OF
this article will not permit a brief his
torical retrospect AMI It must sutflce TO
rive brief notice Oh the nomenclature
of the thirty-five counties gradually
formed in the course of time from those
four counties of the 10th century. En-
passunt. it will be noticed as remark
able that while Governor Moreton ID
1882 had more land than be could make
counties of, Governor Tillman con-
plains that the frame of Charleston
County in 1882 had 10 so to sea to get
the constitutional quota of square miles
for county-hood.
The sources from which the names
of the counties were drawn seem to
have been first, the Lords Proprletors;
second, distinguished Revolutionary
characters; third, gentlemen or families
ef.a later day, and fourth, from the
freak of fancy of the first settlers, or
from the geographical position or ply
sica. advantages of the territory.
ssSimnls' Geography of South Caro-
lina," lS42,) and number Of indlvld-
uals have been freely consulted IN the
preparation of this list, which makes
no pretensions to entire accuracy, but
is probably the most correct yet pub
lished.
Abbeville is supposed to have been so
named, after town in France, by
French emigrants in 1854.
Aiken is said to have been so named
in honor to Governor William
Aiken, who, as director Of the
South Carolina Railway, consider
ably advanced the interests Of that
section.
An6erson--After Gen. Robert Ander-
son, prominent partisan soldier
of the Revolution.
Barnw il-After the Barnwell family,
distinguished in the civil and mill
tary history of the State for two
centuries.
Beaufort-After Henry, the Duke Of
Beaufort, Lord Palatine of the
colony.
Berkeley-Aftcr two of the Lords Pro-
prietors. John, Lord Berkeley, and
Sir William Berkeley, Kent.
Chariestor-AfterC Charles II.
Chester-Settled in part by emigrants
from Chester County, Pa, who
gave the name of the old home to
the new.
Chesterfield Settled, like Chester, in
part by emigrants from Pennsyl-
vania. Said to derive its name
from the famous Earl Of Chester
field
Characterization Edward, Earl Of
Clarendon, Lord High Chancel-
lor of England; one of the Lords
Proprietors.
Colleton-After Sir John Col!eton, one
Of the Lords Proprietors.
Darlington-Name "probably derived
from that of Col. Darlington, a
tavoGiie leader in the war Of the
Revolution.n
Edgefeld-Name presumed to be de-
rived from its geographical posi-
ton on the edge of the State and
adjoining the State of Georgia.
Florence-Atier the town Of the same
name, which is said to have been
called after Florence, daughter of
Gen. W. W. Harllee.
Fairfeld-Probably from its natural