DILLON COUNTY, SC HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

*None Listed

Dillon County, South Carolina: A Genealogical Overview

Located in the northeastern corner of South Carolina in the heart of the Pee Dee region, Dillon County is a land defined by its rich agricultural soil and its strategic position along the border with North Carolina. As one of South Carolina’s youngest counties, its history is deeply intertwined with the development of the railroad and the rise of bright-leaf tobacco as a major cash crop. For genealogists, research in Dillon County is a two-part journey: exploring its 20th-century records locally, and delving into the deep colonial and antebellum history of its parent county, Marion.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Dillon County’s very recent creation is the single most important fact for any family researcher to understand.

  • 1910: County Formed: Dillon County was officially established on February 5, 1910.
  • Parent County: It was formed entirely from the northern and eastern portions of Marion County. All genealogical and land records for ancestors living within the modern boundaries of Dillon County prior to 1910 are located in Marion County. This is the essential starting point for any pre-20th-century research.
  • Subsequent Formations: The county’s boundaries have remained unchanged since its creation.
  • Name Origin: The county and its seat were named in honor of James W. Dillon (1826-1913), a successful local businessman and advocate whose efforts were instrumental in bringing the railroad through the area and in campaigning for the creation of the new county.
  • County Seat History: Dillon was established as the county seat upon the county’s formation in 1910 and has remained the center of government ever since. The Dillon County Courthouse was completed in 1911 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

II. Settlement and Early History

The history of the land that is now Dillon County is, until 1910, the history of Marion County and the greater Pee Dee region.

  • Early Inhabitants: The area was the traditional territory of the Pee Dee and later the Cheraw and Catawba peoples.
  • Colonial and Antebellum Settlement: English, Welsh, Scots-Irish, and Huguenot settlers began to patent land along the Little Pee Dee River in the mid-18th century, migrating both from the coast and down the Great Wagon Road. The economy was initially based on subsistence farming, livestock, and naval stores. By the 19th century, it had developed into a cotton-based plantation economy dependent on the labor of enslaved African Americans.
  • Key Historical Events (in the region):
    • Revolutionary War: The swamps and rivers of the Pee Dee, including areas now in Dillon County, were a primary theater of operations for General Francis “The Swamp Fox” Marion and his militia during their guerrilla campaigns against the British.
    • Railroad Development: The arrival of the Wilson and Short Cut Railroad (later part of the Atlantic Coast Line) in the 1880s was the catalyst for the region’s modern development. The town of Dillon was founded along this new rail line.
    • The Rise of Tobacco: In the late 19th century, bright-leaf tobacco cultivation was introduced and quickly became the dominant economic force, leading to the establishment of tobacco warehouses and a thriving market in Dillon that fueled the push for a separate county.
    • Interstate 95 and “South of the Border”: The construction of I-95 through the county in the mid-20th century transformed its economy. The iconic roadside attraction “South of the Border,” founded near the state line in 1949, became a nationally known landmark.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

Record research is clearly divided by the 1910 creation date.

  • Dillon County Courthouse (Records from 1910-Present): Located at 301 W. Main Street, Dillon, SC 29536.
    • Clerk of Court: Holds land records (deeds, plats, mortgages), and civil and criminal court dockets.
    • Judge of Probate: This office holds all probate records (wills, estate administrations, guardianships) and is also the repository for marriage licenses from July 1911 to the present.
  • Marion County Courthouse (Records Prior to 1910): For all 18th and 19th-century research, genealogists must visit the courthouse in Marion, SC, which holds all land, court, and probate records for the area before Dillon was created.
  • Vital Records:
    • Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in South Carolina began on January 1, 1915. Records from this date forward are held by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).
    • Marriage Records: South Carolina did not require marriage licenses until July 1, 1911. Records from that date are held by the Dillon County Probate Judge. For marriages before 1911, evidence must be found in other sources like church records, Bibles, newspaper announcements, or estate documents.
  • Libraries and Societies:
    • Dillon County Library: The main branch in Dillon maintains a local history collection with valuable resources for genealogical research.
    • Dillon County Historical Society: Manages a museum and archives, and serves as a key point of contact for information on local families and history.
  • State-Level Resources:
    • South Carolina Department of Archives and History (SCDAH): Located in Columbia, the SCDAH holds microfilm copies of Dillon and Marion county records, as well as colonial and state land plats and other essential historical documents.
  • Bordering Jurisdictions:
    • Marion County, SC (south)
    • Florence County, SC (southwest)
    • Marlboro County, SC (west)
    • Robeson County, North Carolina (north)
    • Columbus County, North Carolina (east)

Please share any resources you have and will do lookups or links to resources you are aware of. Thanks