Kershaw County, South Carolina

Kershaw County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2010 census, its population was 61,697.  The county seat and largest city is Camden. The county was created in 1791 from parts of Claremont, Lancaster, Fairfield, and Richland counties. It is named for Col. Joseph Kershaw (1727-1791), an early settler and American Revolutionary War patriot.

Kershaw County is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History 
Kershaw County was named for Col. Joseph Kershaw (1727-1791), an early settler considered as "the father of Camden". Originally part of Camden District, Kershaw County was formed in 1791 from parts of Claremont, Lancaster, Fairfield, and Richland counties. The county seat is Camden, the oldest inland city in South Carolina. This site was settled around 1732 by English traders and farmers who moved inland from Charleston.

During the American Revolutionary War, the British occupied Camden from June 1780 to May 1781. Fourteen battles took place in the area, including the Battle of Camden (August 16, 1780) and the Battle of Hobkirk's Hill (April 25, 1781).

Several notable soldiers have come from Kershaw County. After the state seceded from the Union, six men served in the American Civil War as Confederate generals: James Cantey (1818-1873), James Chesnut (1815-1885), Zachariah C. Deas (1819-1882), John Doby Kennedy (1840-1896), Joseph Brevard Kershaw (1822-1894), and John Bordenave Villepigue (1830-1862). Richard Rowland Kirkland, a Confederate soldier and hero at the Battle of Fredericksburg, was also from Kershaw County. He served under General Kershaw. In the last months of the war, Union troops under Gen. William T. Sherman burned parts of Camden in February 1865, in their March to the Sea.

During the Reconstruction era, some freedmen and other men of color were elected to various political offices. Among them was Henry Cardozo, who had been pastor of Old Bethel Methodist Church in Charleston, South Carolina. He served in the state senate as a Republican from Kershaw County, from 1870 to 1874.

During World War I, two Kershaw County men were awarded the Medal of Honor in two separate actions while fighting in France in October 1918. The first was Richmond Hobson Hilton, recognized for actions taking place on October 11, 1918, during which he lost an arm. The second was John Canty Villepigue on October 15, 1918; he was wounded so severely in the action for which he was recognized that he died several months later from his injuries. Villepigue was a descendant of General John B. Villepigue noted above.

Statesman and financier Bernard M. Baruch (1870-1965), labor leader Lane Kirkland, and baseball player Larry Doby, the first African-American player in the American League, were each born in Kershaw County. Former South Carolina Governor John C. West was also from Kershaw County.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which  is land and  (1.9%) is water. Kershaw County is one of three counties that compromises Lake Wateree, in which the lake is compromised with the Wateree River, which flows through Kershaw County.

Adjacent counties
Richland County - southwest
Lee County - southeast
Fairfield County - west
Lancaster County - north
Chesterfield County - northeast
Sumter County -  southeast
Darlington County - east

Parks and recreation
Goodale State Park
Lake Wateree Shaw AFB Recreational Area

National landmarks
Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site
Camden Battlefield, site of the Battle of Camden
Boykin Mill Complex
Kendall Mill Historic District

Major highways
 Interstate 20
 US 1
 US 521
 US 601
 SC 34
 SC 97
 SC 261
 SC 12
 SC 903
 SC 522

Demographics

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 52,647 people, 20,188 households, and 14,918 families living in the county.  The population density was 72 people per square mile (28/km²).  There were 22,683 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile (12/km²).  The racial makeup of the county was 71.61% White, 26.29% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races.  1.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 20,188 households out of which 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were married couples living together, 13.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.10% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.40 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,804, and the median income for a family was $44,836. Males had a median income of $32,246 versus $22,714 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,360.  About 9.70% of families and 12.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.90% of those under age 18 and 14.10% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 61,697 people, 23,928 households, and 17,114 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 27,478 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 71.3% white, 24.6% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.7% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 28.1% were American, 7.8% were English, 7.7% were Irish, and 6.3% were German.

Of the 23,928 households, 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.5% were non-families, and 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age was 40.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,064 and the median income for a family was $53,053. Males had a median income of $40,794 versus $30,553 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,777. About 12.1% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.6% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The Kershaw County School District serves as the governing body for all public schools in Kershaw County.

Central Carolina Technical College has two branches located in Camden.

Kershaw County is home to Camden Military Academy, the official state military academy of South Carolina. The Montessori School of Camden is a private school located in Camden.

High schools
 Camden High School
 Lugoff-Elgin High School
 North Central High School
 Woolard Technology Center

Middle schools
 Camden Middle School 
 Lugoff-Elgin Middle School
 North Central Middle School 
 Leslie M. Stover Middle School

Elementary schools
 Camden Elementary School
 Lugoff Elementary School
 Wateree Elementary School
 Blaney Elementary School
 Doby's Mill Elementary School
 Baron DeKalb Elementary School 
 Mt. Pisgah Elementary School
 Midway Elementary School
 Pine Tree Hill Elementary School 
 Jackson Elementary School
 Bethune Elementary School

Transportation
Woodward Field (Kershaw County Airport)
Camden station

Politics

Communities

City
Camden (county seat)

Towns
Bethune
Elgin

Census-designated places
Boykin
Lugoff

Unincorporated communities
Antioch
Cassatt
DeKalb
Liberty Hill
Westville

Gallery

See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Kershaw County, South Carolina

References

External links
 Kershaw Chamber of Commerce
 Kershaw County Website
 Kershaw County History and Images

 
Category:Columbia metropolitan area (South Carolina)
Category:1791 establishments in South Carolina
Category:Populated places established in 1791