Abbeville County, South Carolina

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Abbeville County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 24,295.<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> Its county seat is Abbeville.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> It is the first county (or county equivalent) in the United States alphabetically. Abbeville County included in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC Combined Statistical Area, known colloquially as the Upstate or the Upcountry.<ref name=OMB_23-01>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Both Abbeville County and the county seat, Abbeville, get their name from the town of Abbeville, France, the native home of an early settler.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="abbhist">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was originally part of Ninety-Six District, South Carolina, but was designated Abbeville County in 1785, with parts of the county later going to the creation of the counties of Greenwood and McCormick.<ref name="abbhist"/> Abbeville County was settled by mostly Scotch Irish and French-Huguenot farmers in the mid-18th century.<ref name="abbhist"/>

The Treaty of Dewitt's Corner, a historic peace negotiation with the Cherokee Indians, was signed in Dewitt's Corner (which is now known as Due West) in the county.<ref name="abbhist"/> As a result of the treaty, the Cherokee tribe broke into two factions, one of which, the Chickamauga Cherokee, continued fighting area settlers for another 30 years.

Abbeville County was a hotbed of secession before the Civil War and was also where the last Confederate council of war was held.<ref name="abbhist"/>

In 1950 Abbeville County had a population of 22,456.<ref>Encyclopædia Britannica Atlas, 1959 Edition, p. 298</ref> As of the 2020 census, this has grown to 24,295 people.<ref name=":0" />

Lynchings

There were nine documented lynchings in Abbeville, SC.

Dave Roberts known as "David Roberts","Robert Dane", 1882.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Tut Danford, 1889.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Jake "Jacob" Davis, August 21, 1893.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Will Lawton, December 6, 1893.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
James A. Nelson known as "James Macon","James Mason", 1894.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Allen Pendleton, 1905.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Will Lozier, 1915.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Anthony Crawford, a prominent landowner, farmer, businessman lynched for not selling his cotton at the price demanded. 1916.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Mark "Max" Smith, 1919.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

Template:Maplink According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (4.02%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Abbeville County is in the Savannah River basin and the Saluda River basin.

National protected area

Sumter National Forest (part)

State and local protected areas/sites

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Greenville County – north
Anderson County – north
Laurens County – northeast
Greenwood County – east
McCormick County – southeast
Elbert County, Georgia – west

Major highways

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Demographics

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2020 census

Abbeville County racial composition<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	16,744	68.92%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	6,184	25.45%
Native American	44	0.18%
Asian	71	0.29%
Pacific Islander	7	0.03%
Other/Mixed	822	3.38%
Hispanic or Latino	423	1.74%

As of the 2020 census there were 24,295 people, 9,660 households, and 6,248 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 25,417 people, 9,990 households, and 6,939 families living in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 12,079 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert.<ref name="census-density">Template:Cite web</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 69.6% white, 28.3% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 14.7% were American, 10.9% were Irish, 9.7% were English, 7.6% were German, and 5.6% were Scotch-Irish.<ref name="census-dp2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Of the 9,990 households, 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.5% were non-families, and 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age was 41.6 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $33,143 and the median income for a family was $45,147. Males had a median income of $39,217 versus $29,199 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,653. About 16.3% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">Template:Cite web</ref>

2000 census

At the 2000 census,<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 26,167 people, 10,131 households, and 7,284 families living in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 11,656 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 68.33% White, 30.29% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. 0.83% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.1% were of American, 9.7% Irish, 6.7% English, 5.5% German and 5.3% Scotch-Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 10,131 households, out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples living together, 15.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.30% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,635, and the median income for a family was $38,847. Males had a median income of $30,452 versus $21,045 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,370. About 10.10% of families and 13.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.20% of those under age 18 and 16.90% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

William C. Norris is the chairman of the Abbeville County Council, who also represents district 4.<ref name="abbcc">Template:Cite web</ref> The other members and their districts are as following:

Brandon Johnson – district 1<ref name="abbcc"/>
Christine Long – district 2<ref name="abbcc"/>
Charles Goodwin – district 3<ref name="abbcc"/>
James McCord – district 5<ref name="abbcc"/>
Rick Campbell – district 6<ref name="abbcc"/>
Bryan McClain – district 7<ref name="abbcc"/>

Law enforcement

In 2013, long-time Abbeville County Sheriff Charles Goodwin pled guilty to misconduct in office. He was put on probation for five years, sentenced to 100 hours of community service, and ordered to pay $4,500 in restitution.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Politics

Abbeville County was a typical "Solid South" county in its voting patterns until 1948 when it voted for Dixiecrat candidate and South Carolina native Strom Thurmond against Democratic candidate Harry Truman regarding his support for Civil Rights, most importantly racial integration. It resumed voting Democratic until 1968 when a majority voted for American Independent Party candidate & southern segregationist George Wallace. In 1972 the county voted overwhelmingly for Richard Nixon, and since then Abbeville has showed strong endorsement towards the Republican Party. The last Democrat to carry Abbeville County was Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996.

Economy

In 1999, Abbeville County had the highest level of economic development and job creation per capita in all of South Carolina.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Factors contributing to Abbeville's economic growth include some of the lowest electricity operating costs in South Carolina and the broader southeastern region of the United States, right-to-work laws forcing the cost of labor down, and direct workforce training through the Piedmont Technical College.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Throughout 2023 and early 2024, the unemployment rate of Abbeville has fluctuated around 4%.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2022, the GDP of Abbeville County was $666.9 million (roughly $27,450 per capita).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In chained 2017 dollars, its per-capita real GDP was $22,685.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Abbeville has 417 employment establishments (private and public organizations covered by unemployment insurance).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of Q3 2023, some of the top 20 employers in the state include the city of Abbeville, Erskine College, Hardee's, Ingles, Prysmian Group, Sage Automotive Interiors, and Wayfair.<ref name=":1" />

Employment and Wage Statistics by Industry in Abbeville County, South Carolina<ref name=":1" />
Industry	Employment Counts	Employment Percentage (%)	Average Annual Wage ($)
Accommodation and Food Services	337	6.5	16,380
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	223	4.3	35,880
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	35	0.7	31,200
Construction	127	2.4	46,800
Educational Services	683	13.1	41,028
Finance and Insurance	75	1.4	49,504
Health Care and Social Assistance	484	9.3	59,072
Information	122	2.3	78,000
Manufacturing	1,784	34.3	62,036
Other Services (except Public Administration)	96	1.8	35,724
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	111	2.1	101,660
Public Administration	478	9.2	42,588
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	14	0.3	36,504
Retail Trade	439	8.4	21,788
Transportation and Warehousing	65	1.3	55,380
Utilities	47	0.9	80,860
Wholesale Trade	77	1.5	62,660
Total	5,197	100.0%	49,729

Education

School districts

There are two school districts in the county: Abbeville County School District takes up the majority of the area, while some parts are in the Greenwood School District 51.<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref> Most Abbeville County schools are part of the Abbeville County School District.<ref name="abbk12">Template:Cite web</ref> The following schools are within the district:

Abbeville County Adult Education<ref name="abbk12"/>
Abbeville High School (grades 9–12)<ref name="abbk12"/>
Abbeville County Career Center (supplementary career education - grades 10–12)<ref name="abbk12"/>
Cherokee Trail Elementary (grades K–7)<ref name="abbk12"/>
Diamond Hill Elementary (grades K–7)<ref name="abbk12"/>
Dixie High School (grades 8–12)<ref name="abbk12"/>
John C. Calhoun Elementary (grades K-5)<ref name="abbk12"/>
Long Cane Primary (grades K–2)<ref name="abbk12"/>
Westwood Elementary (grades 3–5)<ref name="abbk12"/>
Wright Middle School (grades 6–8)<ref name="abbk12"/>

Other schools

Calhoun Falls Charter School (part of the South Carolina Public Charter School District, whereby students from any part of the state may attend)

Colleges and universities

Erskine College, a four-year Christian liberal arts college, with 575 undergraduates, is located in Due West, South Carolina
Piedmont Technical College, hosts a branch campus in Abbeville, SC

Communities

City

Abbeville (county seat and largest community)

Towns

Calhoun Falls
Donalds
Due West
Honea Path (mostly in Anderson County)
Lowndesville
Ware Shoals (mostly in Greenwood County; partly in Laurens County)

Census-designated places

Notable people

File:John C. Calhoun.jpeg

Portrait of John C. Calhoun, famous politician from Abbeville County.

John C. Calhoun (1782–1850), born in the Abbeville District, U.S. congressman and U.S. senator from South Carolina, secretary of war, secretary of state, and vice president of the United States<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896">Template:Cite book</ref>
Langdon Cheves (1776–1857), born in Abbeville County at Rocky River, banker and U.S. congressman from South Carolina<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896"/>
Anthony Crawford (c. 1865–1916), prominent landowner, farmer, and businessman who was lynched for not selling his cotton at the price demanded
Francis Alanson Cunningham (1804–1864), born in the Abbeville District, physician and United States Congressman from Ohio<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896" />
Leomont Evans (born 1974), former American football player in the NFL and the first iteration of the XFL<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Joshua Hill (1812–1891), born in the Abbeville District, U.S. senator from Georgia<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896" />
Thomas D. Howie (1908–1944), American army officer, killed during the Battle of Normandy during World War II, while trying to capture the French town of Saint-Lô. He is known as "The Major of St. Lo"
Abner Smith Lipscomb (1816–1890), born in the Abbeville District, member of the Alabama Legislature and Supreme Court Justice of both Alabama and Texas<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896" />
James L. Petigru (1789–1863), born in the Abbeville District, was the attorney general of South Carolina and a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. He was the leader of the anti-nullificationalists in the state house<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896" />

References

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External links

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