Why Genealogists Need to Identify the Neighbors
The tax digest is a solid means of identifying the neighbors of ancestors. Each district has a representative (usually a captain) who lists the names and acreage in his neighborhood. And it is certainly worth the effort to make a copy of this neighborhood, because these people will confirm that you have the correct ancestor. Example. Suppose that your ancestor was one of the John Smith's in the county. A search of the deeds, wills, estates and marriages could easily create a disaster. That is why the names of the neighbors are so important. They witnessed documents, deeded properties, and married daughters and sons. A deed for John Smith which contains some of the names from your ancestor's district will help clarify that you have the correct John Smith. Common names were frequently used in the old days and it is easy to get confused. Now, suppose there is a daughter who married a John Smith. It is very important to ascertain his exact birth and death dates, and the local church graveyard is a good source for this. One must be exacting in the details, because confusion is always nearby!
Index to South Carolina Wills and Estates
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