Manuscript Collection

York District and York County Court Records Microfilm Collection - Accession 909

York District and York County Court Records Microfilm Collection - Accession 909

Identifier

Accession 909

Inclusive Dates

1786-1889

Restrictions

Open under the rules and regulations of the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections

Collection Size

22 pieces

Language

English

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of 22 reels of microfilm reproducing historical court records for York District and York County held by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. The records date from 1786 to 1889 and document the operations of the Court of Common Pleas, Court of General Sessions, Court of Equity, County Court, and Intermediate Court. Materials include pleadings and judgments books, abstracts of judgments, court journals, commissioner’s reports, references books, original evidence books, and an extensive series of bills of complaint.

The bulk of the collection consists of York District Court of Equity bills of complaint spanning 1818–1872, including records originating in the Pinckney District Court of Equity prior to York District becoming a separate equity district in 1819. These records continue through the transition from judicial districts to counties and from the Court of Equity to the Court of Common Pleas following the South Carolina Constitution of 1868.

The collection provides significant documentation of legal disputes, property transactions, debt cases, estate matters, and court proceedings in York District and York County during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It offers valuable insight into the legal, social, and economic history of the region and the evolution of South Carolina’s judicial system.

List of Reels:

Reel 1: York District Pleadings and Judgements Book (1824-1828)

Reel 1: York District Pleadings and Judgements Book (1828-1835)

Reel 2: York District Pleadings and Judgements Book (1835-1840)

Reel 2: York District Pleadings and Judgements Book (1854-1856)

Reel 3: York District Abstract of Judgements (1800-1840)

Reel 3: York District (1840-1868) York County (1868-1874) Abstract of Judgements

Reel 4-5: York District Common Pleas Journal (1821-1824)

Reel 4-5: York District Common Pleas Journal (1825-1836)

Reel 4-5: York District Common Pleas Journal (1836-1839)

Reel 6: York District Court of Equity Sales Book (1840-1849)

Reel 7: York District Court of Equity (Commissioner’s) Report Book B (1840-1851)

Reel 8: York District/County: Court of Equity/ Common Pleas References Book (1861-1889)[1]

Reel 9: York District Court of Equity: Original Evidence Book (1845-1859)

Reel 10: York County: County Court and Intermediate Court Journal (1786-1797)

Reel 10: York County: County Court and Intermediate Court Journal A (1786-1792)

Reel 10: York District: Common Pleas and General Sessions Journals (1800-1808)

Reel 10: York County: Common Pleas and General Sessions Journals (1808-1838)

Reel 11: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (1-4)[2]

Reel 11: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (5-10)

Reel 12: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (11-19)

Reel 12: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (20-28)

Reel 13: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (29-40)

Reel 13: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (41-51)

Reel 14: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (52-61)

Reel 14: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (62-71)

Reel 15: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (72-78)

Reel 15: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (79-85)

Reel 16: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (86-105)

Reel 16: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (106-124)

Reel 17: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (125-140)

Reel 17: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (142-149) (there is no 141)

Reel 18: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (150-160)

Reel 18: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (161-172)

Reel 19: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (173-191)

Reel 19: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (192-197A)

Reel 20: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (198-201)

Reel 20: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (202-210)

Reel 21: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (210-218)

Reel 21: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (219-226)

Reel 22: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (226A-229)

Reel 22: Pinckney District (1818-1819): York District (1820-1868): Court of Equity- York County Court of Common Pleas (1869-1872) Bills of Complaint (230-234A)

[1] -            “The District/County on the title page of this roll of microfilm is used for a record with entries dated before and after the change in designation of judicial districts to counties as specified by the South Carolina Constitution of 1868.

The Equity/Common Pleas or Equity/Probate on the title page of this roll of microfilm is used for a record that began in the Court of Equity and continued into the Court of Common Pleas or the Probate Court after the Court of Equity was abolished, effective January 1, 1869, by the South Carolina Constitution of 1868.” (Microfilm note)

[2]              “York District, originally part of Pinckney Equity District, became a separate equity district according to the provisions of Act 2212 passed by the South Carolina Legislature on December 18, 1819. As specified, the causes then pending at Pinckney District, which pertained to residents of York District, were transferred to York following the next court of appeals. Several of the early bills in this series, or record, did originate in Pinckney District; hence, Pinckney District is included on the title page of this roll of microfilm.

The other variations in designations appearing on the title page of this roll of microfilm are the result of constitutional changes. The South Carolina Constitution of 1868 changed the designation of judicial districts to counties. Thus York District became York County. By that same constitution, the court of equity was abolished, effective January 1, 1869, and matters previously handled by that court were handled by the Court of Common Pleas.

In short, the bills of complaint herein filmed contain entries dated before and after the changes in official designation. A few of the earliest entries originated in the Pinckney District Court of Equity; a few of the later entries came under the jurisdiction of the York County Court of Common Pleas, The vast majority of the bills in this series, however, originated in the York District Court of Equity and were settled by that court.” (Microfilm note)

Provenance

York District and York County Court Records Microfilm Collection was donated to the Archives by Ms. Louise Pettus on October 21, 1996.

Copyright

For information concerning copyright please contact the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University.

York District and York County Court Records Microfilm Collection - Accession 909

Share

COinS