Foundations of the Etheredge Family in South Carolina

All family tree information obtained from Ten Generations of the Etheredge-Etheridge-Ethridge Family in America ,
compiled by my great-aunt Fae Alice Etheredge and Ema Lee Etheredge Tipton.
John Etheridge
b, 1500, Tottenham, Middlesex Co., England
d. 1550, Tottenham

William Etheridge
b. 1535, Tottenham, Middlesex Co., England
d. 1577, Tottenham
m. 1564, All Hollows Parish, Tottenham

Thomas Etheridge
b. 1564, Tottenham, Middlesex Co., England
d. 1612, Tottenham
m. 1594, All Hollows Parish, Tottenham

The English roots of the family were firmly planted at

All Hollows parish in Tottenham, a northern suburb of
London located in Middlesex Co. Written records do
not go beyond the turn of the sixteenth century, but the
church is documented as dating from the 1200's. Like
it's cousin's Wessex and Essex, Middlesex was likely
settled as the "middle kingdom of the Saxon's" prior to
the Norman invasion. Earlier spellings of Etheredge
portend to this supposed
Sibell Page
Saxon beginning: Ederyche,
Etheric, and Ethelryche.
Amazingly, All Hollows still
functions as an Anglican
parish in the London
diocese, sitting proudly just
Anne Pate
east of the manor house
known as Bruce Castle.

There is little evidence to explain why Thomas left

England in 1640. Review of his grandfather and fathers

Thomas Etheridge
b. 1604, Tottenham, Middlesex Co., England
d. 1671, Norfolk Co., Virginia

wills show a devotion to the Anglican faith, and thus a

likely supporter of the King during the English Civil War.
Outbreak of armed
Christian Marrington
conflict in the early 1640s
by Parliament against
the Crown is a possible
motivating factor in his
departure.

Norfolk Co. records show

b. 1645, Norfolk Co., Virginia
that Thomas was granted
d, 1719, Norfolk Co., Virginia
200 acres of land at the
m. 1780
head of Gayther's Creek,
a branch of the Elizabeth
River 11/1/1647. The 200 acres was bestowed in 50 acre increments for the
transportation of 4 individual's from England to the new colony, which
follows the land-grant system that was in place in Virginia around 1640.
Thomas Etheridge

Eleanor Bright

Aaron Etheredge
b, 1680, Norfolk Co., Virginia
d. 1740, Norfolk Co., Virginia
m. 1719

Sarah Hanbury

Caleb Etheredge
b. 1721, Norfolk Co., Virginia
d. 1791, Halifax Co., North Carolina

Agnes Clarke

Caleb and his brother Lott appear to have moved to Edgecombe Co., North
Carolina in 1740. The land they owned on the north side of Fishing Creek
fell into the newly formed Halifax Co. when it was formed in 1758.
William Etheredge
b. 1755, Edgecombe Co., North Carolina
d. 1809, Edgefield Co., South Carolina
m. 1784

William and his three

brothers served in Capt.
William Brinkley's Co. of
the 1st Regiment of North
Carolina Militia under
the command of Col. Samuel Jarvis in the Revolutionary
War (North Carolina State Records, Vol XVII, pg. 1,060).
Martha

William purchased 375 acres of land in Edgefield Co. from

his brother Lewis on 5/13/1789. Upon his death in 1809,
the land was split in thirds and given to his children,
William Jr., Allen, and a son-in-law John Sentel. The son
Allen then appears to have acquired that portion granted
to William and the portion granted his sister and husband.

William Etheredge, Jr.

b. 1787, Edgefield Co., South Carolina
d. 1846, Edgefield Co., South Carolina
m. 1808 [1]
m. 1821 [2]
m. 1836 [3]

[1] Kate Lucius

[2] Letha Lucy Jennings

Through 3 marriages between 1808 and 1836, William Jr. appears to have acquired the
original 375 acres of land along the Little Saluda River that his father originally
left his three kids upon his death in 1846, he in all liklihood received the remaining
estate, which he then passed on to his 3 son's in turn. In his will dated 1846, William Jr.
leaves each of his son's what amounts to 125 acres. The document infers that Tyre and
Guilford were to stay on the land and live with his widow until they were married.
Joseph Etheredge
b. 1809, Edgefield Co., South Carolina
d. 1893, Saluda, South Carolina
m. Elizabeth Inabinet, 1840
Tyre Etheredge
b. 1849, Edgefield Co., South Carolina

Tyre Etheredge
b. 1831, Edgefield Co., South Carolina
d. 1915, Leesville, South Carolina
m. Matilda Matthews, 1850

Enlisted in Co. M, 7th SC

Inf. Was wounded &
hospitalized before the
surrender. Walked home
from Virginia.

Guilford Etheredge
b. 1836, Edgefield Co., South Carolina
d. 1863, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
m. 1855, Amanda Elizabeth Addy

Enlisted in Co. B, 14th SC

d. 1928, Saluda, South Carolina
Inf. On 8/12/1861 at Camp
m. Sarah Adranna Parlee Riser
Butler near Aiken, SC.
According to Broken
Fortunes: South Carolina
soldiers who died in the
service of their country & state in the War for Southern Independence 1861-1865 by
Randolph W. Kirkland, pg. 106, he was mortally wounded at Gettysburg, likely on July 1st
on Seminary Ridge. His is one of twenty-one Confederate soldiers buried in marked but

unidentified graves at St. Marks Lutheran Church Cemetery in Saluda Co.

Bud Cade Etheredge

b. 1851, Leesville, South Carolina
d. 1914, Tift Co., Georgia

The Hill's Atlas of Edgefield Co ., circa 1825, shows the site of the "Etheridge Mill", likely spot of the William Etheredge family
tract that they purchased from his brother Lewis. Look's like that site might be underneath the far western reaches of Lake
Murray??

In 1856, appears that Joseph, experiencing some financial success, was able to purchase his
own land from Charles Dunkin. This came in four separate transactions, 647 acres of land,
357 acres with a house that was platted in 1837, 100 acres Abraham McGraw platted in
1843 and another 191 acres of pine wood landtotalling 1,295 acres.

So it was just a bunch of Thomas', William's and Tyre's???

WellOK.but.
The following is taken from the "Etheredge/Etheridge Family History website. The writer is
not identifiedbut full credit for this text goes to the website host or creator:
http://www.etheredge-etheridge.org/hf1s1.htm

The Etheredge surname originated in the United Kingdom. It is derived from an old
English name, Aethelric, which meant "noble rule." How did our family come to acquire
such a noble name that originated thousands of miles away?
We obtained the name from Joseph Etheredge, who was a farmer and slave owner of English
descent. He lived in the Germanville Township of Edgefield Co., South Carolina during the
nineteenth century. After the Civil War the slaves took the surnames of their masters. Our
traceable history begins with people who were born slaves and were the property of Joseph.
We know of eleven brothers and sisters who acquired Joseph's last name. Most of us who
spent our formative years in South Carolina on occasions have heard some elders speak
during unguarded moments of relationships that were never to be discussed in public.
There were repeated implications of a blood relationship between the eleven and Joseph.
The nature of the blood relationship is not known and the truth is likely to forever remain
a mystery. The names of the eleven are: Samuel, Mark, Henry, Martin, Letha, Watkins,
Tyre, William, Gilford, Arthur, and West.
We have no factual knowledge of the quality of life for the eleven during the years of

slavery and the Civil War. There is no reason to believe it was any different than the many
descriptions of slavery found in non-fiction works currently in print. There is no record
of extreme cruelty beyond the cruelty of slavery itself.
The brothers and sisters lived in the vicinity of Augusta and Aiken Roads in an area which
would later be known as "Etheredge Town" in Saluda County. How did this come about?
The purchase of the land which eventually became "Etheredge Town" was transacted on
Christmas Day in 1885. Joseph Etheredge (a white man) sold to Samuel Etheredge (a black
man) 195 acres of land. The sale is recorded in the courthouse in Edgefield, South
Carolina
For all men by these present that I Joseph Etheredge of Edgefield County, South
Carolina in consideration of the sum of eleven and seventy dollarsPaid by Samuel
Etheredge of said County and Statesell and release into the said Samuel
Etheredge, his heirs, executors, and administrator one tract or parcel of land
containing 195 acreswitnessed by hand and seal this twenty fifth day of
December in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty five, five
the one hundred and twentieth year of the Independence of the United States
of America.
Signed - Joseph Etheredge
Witnessed by - Joel Etheredge and Tyre Etheredge

About 1900, Samuel Etheredge sold portions of his land to his sons in 20-acre parcels for
$0.25/acre and "Etheredge Town" grew. This was very good for the family because earlier,
the state of South Carolina had passed a law that said that if a black person did not do
farm labor or domestic work, he would have to obtain a license to work. Owning their
own land made the family independent, this was better than sharecropping, which was a
step above slavery. They cleared much of the land and farmed it, planting cotton, corn,
wheat, and gardens. Lumber from the land was dressed at the sawmill and used to build
homes for families, the school, and St. John CME Church. Clouds Creek, which ran

adjacent to the property is prominent on the map above on what must have been the
western side of the original property.
After years of continuous farming, the land became less productive and the younger
members of the family began to leave the farm to seek other employment. Easing of
employment restrictions and advances in transportation made the transition easier. Many
of the family members moved to the big cities in the North and South. Thus a lot of the land
was lost due to delingquent taxes. The rest was sold gradually over the years. The land,
which is now once again timberland, is now worth over $200,000.

Why, as Southerners, do we cling to tightly to our family histories? My great-aunt spent her
entire retirement traveling to dirt road, whitewashed, churches and kudzu choked
cemeteries from Virginia to Texas looking for the family. Harper Lee commented on this
seemingly Southern obsession in To Kill a Mockingbird"Being southerns, it as a source of
shame to some members of the favily that we had no recorded ancestors on either side of the
Battle of Hastings."
I guess we all have at least one Gail Hightower in the tree preaching his "galloping horses"
of the past. I've obviously drank of the geneology cool-aid, and am proud of my family
historyveterans of two rebellions, one successfuland one not. After listening to family
lore and even dipping my own toes into the libraries for over 30 years, nobody, no book, no
story had stricken me as deeply as Samuel and Joseph's. As the author alludes to, the mere
fact that the transaction took place is incredible enough, with far reaching and mostly
unknown ramifications. Any motivating factors behind Joseph's actions will not be guessed
at here. Acknowledging that slavery was an absolute part of this families history is no big
stretch, however achnowledging that Joseph and Samuel's story is also an absolute part of
this families story is likely to lead to a few raised eyebrows and hushed conversations. Not
pretending for one second that I can empathize with either one of their situationsI can
at least offer my hearfelt thanks for motivating me to look deeper, keep reading, keep
listening, and keep sharing. Thank you JosephThank you Samuel.