Below you will find a list of sources of Greenville County history arranged by the author's last name.
Ashmore, Nancy Vance. Greenville: Woven from the Past - An Illustrated History. Northridge, California: Windsor Publications, Inc., 1986.
Ashmore writes a history of Greenville County with photographs for 177 pages. In so doing, she also includes short biographies of important people within its development, such as Charles Hard Townes, Vardry McBee, and Elias Earle. Following her narrative history come photographs of mid-1980s Greenville. She then details the "Partners in Progress" with Greenville - local institutions that shaped the county in the mid-1980s. She ends her work with a chronology of Greenville history.
Batson, Mann. A History of the Upper Part of Greenville County South Carolina. Taylors, South Carolina: Faith Printing Company, 1993.
Batson's study of the upper eight townships of the county - Chick Springs, O'Neal, Highland, Glassy Mountain, Saluda, Cleveland, Bates, and Paris Mountain - focuses not on chronology but on human-interest stories not found in other narratives that focus on the city of Greenville.
Browning, William D. Firefighting in Greenville: 1840 - 1990. Greenville, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1991.
Browning writes an institutional history of the Greenville Fire Department from a single hand pump in 1840 to the present incarnation. He details the evolution of the department personnel, department equipment, and department buildings. Despite including numerous pictures to go with his detailed narrative, the work appears to be a mere advertisement for the value of a fire department within the city.
Campbell, Dean Stuart. Eyes to the Hills. Tamaczar Productions, 1994.
Subtitled "A Photographic Odyssey of the 'Dark Corner' of South Carolina," Campbell does not delve deep into the history of the Dark Corner but does provide a multitude of photographs coupled with explanatory blips about the area.
Carlton, David L. Mill and Town in South Carolina, 1880-1920. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1982.
This book gives a wonderful description of social and political impacts on the textile industry in South Carolina, and how the mill workers reacted both to the townspeople and to the reforms. It shows their point of view as to why they themselves were against reform (initially) and how that plays into the rise in Coleman Blease's popularity among the mill laborers.
Anyone interested in Progressive politics, in the unexpected reactions of people to political ideas, or in the political life of Coleman Blease would find a great deal of information in this book.
Chepesiuk, Ronald. Palmetto Women: Images from the Winthrop University Archives. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 1999.
This pictorial book contains copied photographs and paintings of women from this area that belong to Winthrop University archives with some identification and commentary about the images. These images range in age and subject from the 17th century to the recent past.
Crain, Dean J. A Mountain Boy's Life Story. Greenville, South Carolina: The Baptist Courier Co., 1914.
Crain's brief autobiographical book gives insight into mountain life at the turn of the century in the Dark Corner of Greenville County.
Crittenden, Colonel Stephen Stanley. History of Christ Church, Greenville, South Carolina, 1826-1901. Greenville, South Carolina: Christ Church Guild, 1967.
The Christ Church Guild that reprinted Crittenden's speech before the Diocesan Convention in 1901 included many pictures within the detailed speech. Crittenden gives a more detailed account of the church than does Thomas in Know Your Church, as Crittenden focuses on the development of the church as a whole and not Thomas's view of it in sections.
David, Charles A. Greenville of Old. Greenville, South Carolina: Historic Greenville Foundation, 1998.
The recollections of political cartoonist Charles A. David form the basis of this work. David, who lived in Greenville between 1850s and the 1930s, writes a series of memories of no longer than a few pages on various Greenville trademarks - the Old County Jail, Townes Street, and hogs on Buncombe Road to name a few. Within David's memoirs are examples of his political cartoons. The forward by Dr. T. Lloyd Benson gives an accurate portrayal of the Greenville of David's time.
De Bow's Review. September, 1852. "Portraiture of Vardry McBee of South Carolina."
First printed in DeBow's Review, this article provides a brief summary of Vardry McBee. It can be useful in discovering important personal information and facts about one of the most influential Greenvillians in the nineteenth century.
Edgar, Walter. South Carolina: A History. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 1998.
As the Claude Henry Neuffer professor of Southern Studies at the University of South Carolina, Edgar compiles an exhaustive amount of information into South Carolina A History. The book spans from the 17th century and the Chicora Indians to modern technologically advanced South Carolina. Edgar is very thorough and vivid in his accounts and allows anyone, from a professor at a major institution to a person reading for pleasure on the side, to read and understand the history of South Carolina.
Ellison, George, ed. James Mooney's History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees. Asheville, North Carolina: Bright Mountain Books. 1992.
This composition of James Mooney's work reflects the great amount of detail Mooney exhibited in his work towards the Cherokee. Mooney himself used as many primary sources as he could in revealing the actual Cherokee formulas written in the original language. He tries to be as authentic as possible in recounting the different sacred practices. Each ritual and different use of herbs is explained in its entirety. Translations are also given in English to better interpret the actual Cherokee traditions. Some of Mooney's work in Ellison's edited version is taken from Mooney's research for the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 1897-1898.
Eubanks, John Evans. Ben Tillman's Baby. Augusta, Georgia, 1950.
The South Carolina dispensary as proposed by Tillman is traced from its conception to its repeal in this informative book that has become the authority on the dispensary.
Goodwin, Gary. Cherokees in Transition: A Study of Changing Culture and Environment Prior to 1775. Chicago: University of Chicago Department of Geography. 1977.
This in-depth research paper from the University of Chicago is a study on Cherokee culture before and immediately after European contact. It attempts to piece together Cherokee society as best it can before white interaction. Many useful statistics are given regarding environment, settlements, agriculture, and animals. Goodwin gives the clearest explanation of the Cherokee's adoption of horses and other means of transportation. Also, an extensive and invaluable list of strictly Cherokee use of medicinal herbs is given.
Greenville Mountaineer
The Greenville Mountaineer is the newspaper from Greenville that ran in the first half of the nineteenth century. It ran every Friday. It was a four-page paper that included articles, public speeches, and one to one-and-a-half pages of advertisements for local businesses, events, and personal items. The Bob Jones University Library has a full collection from January 17, 1829, to January 11, 1850, but they cannot be microfilmed or photocopied. The Greenville County Public Library has a collection on microfilm, but it is not complete, and not always easy to read. (Bob Jones University also has a collection of the Greenville Republican from July 12, 1826, to August 30, 1828; and of the Southern Patriot from February 28, 1851, to February 17, 1853.)
Guess, Joseph. A Medical History of Greenville County, South Carolina. Greenville, South Carolina: Greenville County Medical Society, 1959.
Guess chronicles the history of medicine in the county from the beginning physicians of the frontier to the health care system in the 1950s. He discusses, among other items, the social placement of medical professionals and the development of hospitals in the area.
Howard, James A. Dark Corner Heritage. Landrum, South Carolina: Howard, 1980.
Howard's book is a valuable resource about the Dark Corner with information on topics from moon shining to churches.
Hudson, Charles. The Southeastern Indians. Knoxville, Tennessee: University of Tennessee Press. 1976.
This book encompasses research on all different types of Southeastern Indians, but focuses on aspects of each group. Much detail is given regarding specific Cherokee food and cooking methods. A glossary of terms helps the reader to better understand many Cherokee words. Cherokee war customs and leaders are described and the actual Cherokee words from many of these aspects are recorded. The book also goes into great detail about Cherokee society—from children, gender roles, housing, and towns.
Huff, A.V. Greenville: The History of the City and County in the South Carolina Piedmont. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 1995.
Huff's history is an excellent introduction to Greenville's history. He traces themes such as business, religion, and the arts in his 400 page book.
Huss, John E. Senator for the South. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1961.
Senator for the South is a biography on the life of Olin D. Johnston written by a personal friend while Johnston was still living. It gives a wonderful insight into the person of Johnston, telling stories of his childhood and his adult life, and revealing to others why he is who he is. Huss includes many direct quotes, by Johnston and others. The book covers Johnston's life up to age 65, during his Senatorial career, four years before his death.
This book is a good source for personal information on Johnston, coming from someone who knew him well. However, as such, it is also a biased point of view and would not reveal anything negative about him.
Industrial Committee, Greenville Chamber of Commerce. A Specific Survey of the Greenville, South Carolina Area. Greenville, South Carolina: The Committee, 1955.
Although the Greenville Chamber of Commerce obviously designed this pamphlet as an advertisement to encourage settlement in the area, it provides statistics, maps, and pictures of Greenville in the mid-1950s. Emphasis is placed on the textile industry in an effort to attract both workers and businessmen to the area.
Kirkpatrick, Mac C. and Thomas K. Perry. Southern Textile Basketball Tournament: a history, 1921- 1997. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co., 1997.
This book covers the history of the Basketball Tournaments sponsored by the textile industry in Greenville. Dr. Lawrence P. Hollis started the tournament in 1921, after being inspired by meeting the inventor of the game, Dr. James A. Naismith. The first hundred pages of the book is divided by decade, from the 1920's to the 1990's. Stories are told about each year's tournaments, describing the highlights, famous players who came from the leagues, etc. The majority of the book, however, 200 pages, is filled with informative appendices. The first one is the rosters from each year's tournament, and the rest include topics such as player profiles, a timeline, and war-time rosters.
This is a specialized topic, but for anyone who needs information about it, this book would be very helpful. There is not much else available on the basketball tournaments.
Klein, Rachel. Unification of A Slave State. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: North Carolina Press, 1990.
Klien, an associate professor at the University of California, San Diego, describes the progression of the state from the 1760's until the unification of the state through the Compromise of 1808. She details the rise of the backcountry planter, from poor rustic settlers to wealthy slaveholding class, and the effect that has on the entire state. She gives in depth statistics to evidence her claims and uses very intricate sources to detail the synopses.
Lattem, George and Nicholas P. Mitchell. Government in the County and the City of Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville, South Carolina: Furman University Press, 1941.
George, an instructor at a local high school, and Mitchell, a professor of Political Science at Furman University, write an account of pre-World War II Greenville. They begin their work by dedicating about 15 pages to the history of both the city and the county. They then discuss the government of the two bodies right before World War II. The authors discuss both the bureaucracy and the elected officials and bring up problems of the day - such as how to control the metropolitan area outside the city's control.
Logan, John H. A History of the Upper Country of South Carolina: From the Earliest Periods to the Close of the War of Independence. Charleston: Walker, Evans, and Company. 1960.
John Logan gives an illustrative description of the pre-European South Carolina upcountry. The actual physical landscape and the difference from today's landscape are explained. The book accounts for the different Cherokee methods of forest clearing and the reasoning behind these intentional fires. Vivid descriptions of the hunted game and wildlife are useful in portraying a truly historical account of the area.
Males, Thomas E. The Cherokee People: The Story of the Cherokees from Earliest Origins to Contemporary Times. Tulsa, Oklahoma: Council Oak Books. 1992.
Males' book provided excellent insight into a number of specific Cherokee topics, such as warfare and medicine. The book is a virtual encyclopedia of Cherokee information of all sorts and includes excellent original drawings to illustrate. Vivid descriptions of Cherokee war rituals and armor were given, and direct quotations were very useful in depicting the actual Cherokee weaponry. Males also lists many interesting Indian medicinal uses of herbs and the illnesses they were prescribed for. Thomas Males uses many primary sources in this compilation of Cherokee culture.
May, John Amasa and Joan Reynolds Faunt. South Carolina Secedes. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 1960.
The South Carolina Secession Convention of 1860 is thoroughly recorded and discussed in this account. May and Faunt provide a factual account of the South Carolina vote for secession, including minutes and vote tallies, as well as pictures of each convention delegate. The book is useful for both statistical records and reflectional comments from important players in the secession discussion.
McBee Sons & Co. Daybook
This is a daybook from Vardry McBee's store in Greenville. The front cover says McBee Sons & Co. and McBee's Factory, but all through the book it appears to be for the Reedy River Factory, also owned by McBee. It includes daily entries for who bought things, what they bought, how much the items cost, and running accounts for the customers. Most of the entries are somewhat confusing, however; it is difficult to understand exactly what things mean. The main part of the book ran from March 1846 to October 1847. In the back, there is a section of "hands," workers in the mill, who apparently had accounts at the store, though it does not say for which store. This section devotes two to four pages for each "hand," for their running account. It ran from 1857 to 1858. The daybook is kept at the Greenville County Public Library.
McKay, Henry Bacon. The Story of Reedy River. Greenville, South Carolina: Keys Printing Company, 1969.
McKoy's account of the Reedy River area is useful as a secondary source that describes the Reedy River and its importance in Greenville history. Through the use of anecdotes, maps, and direct quotes, McKoy combines oral and written history to explain the Reedy River's role in affecting the demographic and economic expansion of Greenville County. There is also a large number of local family names and landmarks listed.
Partridge, Dave. The First 80 Years: Greenville Hospital System. Greenville, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1992.
Partridge expounds the year-by-year history of the hospital system and the major players within its development. He includes photographs of the major moments in the development of the system.
Perdue, Theda. Cherokee Women: Gender and Culture Change, 1700-1835. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press. 1999.
Theda Perdue gives a view of Cherokee women and their importance in society. Every aspect of a Cherokee woman's everyday life is detailed and the gender roles are clearly defined. The book gives insight into pre-white contact society and post-white contact society and gives quotes for everything from preparation of food and clothing to sexuality in Cherokee society. The book explains how Cherokee society would have come to a halt without women, thus making them surprisingly powerful. This is one of the utmost authorities regarding Cherokee women studies.
Ramsay, David. History of South Carolina. Newberry, South Carolina: W. J. Duffie, 1858.
History of South Carolina spans from 1670 to 1808. Ramsay begins with the first settlement in South Carolina and finishes with the compromise of 1808. He covers the entire formation of the state during that time period and allows the reader to see how South Carolina was formed and unified over 138 years.
Reid, Alred, ed. The Arts in Greenville: 1800 - 1960. Greenville, South Carolina: Furman University Press, 1960.
Noticing a lack of works on Greenville's cultural history Reid edits this work of local leaders to fill the gap. It discusses the history of society, music, and architecture, painting, theater, and literature in Greenville up until 1960s.
Richardson, James M. History of Greenville County South Carolina, 1826-1901. Greenville, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1930.
Richardson's work detailing the history if Greenville County is split into two parts - a narrative history of some 130 pages and biographical sketches that encompass about 200 more. As a former state senator representing his home district, Richardson was well aware of the historical context of Greenville County relative to other South Carolina counties. The only shortfall of the narrative is that it ends in 1930. The biographical sketches ranges from small businesses to political figures but only ranges from those who had "much to do with shaping the history of Greenville County during the last half-century." As such, Richardson's biographies provide a valuable source of information for the period 1870 to 1930.
Sawyer, Richard D. Greetings from Camp Sevier, Greenville, South Carolina, 1917-1919. Greenville, South Carolina: R.D. Sawyer, 1996.
Sawyer, under the employ of the Greenville County Historical Society, gives a detailed timeline of life at the World War I camp, Camp Sevier. Located on Paris Mountain, the camp trained troops from the surrounding states for action in the war. Sawyer uses detailed information, postcards from the camp, and maps to relate the camp's history.
Schaper, William August. Sectionalism and Representation. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1901.
Schaper describes South Carolina as a state divided. He guides the reader through the process of how the state became unified and more evenly represented. He gives detailed figures and an abundance of information of each important step that was made in the unification of South Carolina.
Simpkins, Francis Butler. The Tillman Movement in South Carolina. Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1926.
Simpkins begins by providing background information about the social and political atmosphere prior to Tillman's emergence as a leader and follows him as he becomes governor and supports the dispensary.
Smith, Roy McBee. Vardry McBee, 1775-1864: A Man of Reason in an Age of Extremes. Columbia, South Carolina: R.L.Bryan Co., 1992.
Telling the story of Vardry McBee's life, this biography relates factual and anecdotal information about McBee himself while placing his life in the broader context of his time and place. This book is full of information, names, and places during this time in Greenville and South Carolina's history and sketches the McBee family history from the first of this family in the New World and includes Vardry McBee's children.
Snowden, Yates. History Of South Carolina. Vol. II. Chicago, Illinois: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1920.
Snowden writes a detailed account of the major periods in South Carolina history. He gives the reader a good over of some of the minor actions that took place during the period between 1760 and 1808.
Taylor, John S. Sixteenth South Carolina Regiment, CSA from Greenville County, South Carolina. Greenville, South Carolina: Taylor, 1964.
Taylor, the chairman of the Greenville County Confederate Centennial Commission, gives a detailed account of the men and battles fought by the men of the 16th South Carolina Infantry. He named all the officers of the regiment, the largest from Greenville County, their ranks and their place of death. He then follows their historical course in narrative form. He continues with a few letters from the front and then lists all the men who served in the regiment.
Thomas, Charles Edward. A Brief History of St. Phillip's Episcopal Church, Greenville, South Carolina, 1914-1973. Greenville, South Carolina: St. Phillip's Episcopal Church, 1973.
Thomas writes a short history of the church, focusing on the mid to late 1900s. Emphasis is on the contemporary and not on history throughout most of the pamphlet.
Thomas, Charles Edward. Know Your Church : Christ Church (Episcopal) Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville, South Carolina: Christ Episcopal Church, 1971.
The collected articles of Thomas from the church bulletin form a short pamphlet giving a history of various sections of the church. At the end of the pamphlet, Thomas gives a timeline of the church's history.
Whitmire, Mrs Beverly T. The Presence of the Past: Epitaphs of 18th and 19th Century Pioneers in Greenville County, South Carolina and Their Descendants. Baltimore: Gateway Press, 1976.
This book contains a listing of epitaphs and the birth and death dates of cemeteries in Greenville County. The names are indexed and then organized alphabetically according to the cemetery in which they are found.
Who's Who in American Women. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Nashville: Marquis-Who's Who, 1961.
This book lists the names of prominent women in America. Included in this list is typically each woman's birth date, organizations, occupations, accomplishments, and other biographical information.