Chronicling America Has Newspapers from Abbeville and Yorkville 1880-1887 Which Document My Great-Great Grandfather

Chronicling America has historical newspapers. It is an internet-based, searchable database of U.S. newspapers with descriptive information and select digitization of historic pages. 

• In the basic search you can choose to search the entire archive or choose a state or a time period.
• In the advanced search option, you have additional search choices that will narrow the responses. That includes selecting individual newspapers and further selections based on searching any phrase, an exact phrase or words in proximity (Research Wiki: Chronicling America)

I found some articles from The Abbeville Press and Banner and the Yorkville Enquirer. The findings help to tell about his life. All that I have learned about Beverly has come from research findings. Years ago, I could never have imagined pulling up these newspaper articles giving details about his life.

To have been able to cite him and his whereabouts in 1887 back to 1870 has given me the courage to keep looking. If you have not attempted to learn what is out there on your ancestor give it a try today. Here is what I learned from Chronicling America:

The Beverly Vance tract of land was being sold. This is my Beverly Vance.

This is the same probate court record as the first record. Dr. W. C. Norwood owned the property. It was leased to Beverly Vance. When Dr. W. C. Norwood died, the property was sold to pay for Norwood’s debts. This is the same property that Beverly was working in 1876 when he gave his testimony to the senate in Columbia, South Carolina. The youngest child would have been Calvin Vance. He was born in 1879.  With this information, I can now search Dr. W. C. Norwood’s estate to see if he has any information on Beverly.

This is the same probate record.

The incident in the last paragraph in the first column above happened at Hodges Depot. Prisoner McGarvey was being escorted to prison in Columbia. Beverly had words with the prisoners. Knowing the Beverly was a constable in 1868 and 1876 from his senate testimonies, and the fact that he was not arrested for voicing his opinion here, I do want to research McGarvey and Jones to see if I can learn anything more about Beverly.

Beverly Vance was part of the Republican Convention of September 9, 1874 in Abbeville. He was mentioned as one of the prominent colored men who deliberated. I need to research the other men mentioned to see more I can learn about Beverly.

Beverly Vance was precinct manager for Cokesbury, Abbeville County in October 10, 1872. Where can I look to find more records for this area?

Beverly Vance was paid $6.40 his services to South Carolina as a constable. Are there any records that may have survived to document his being a constable?

Beverly Vance, as an appointed delegate to the State Convention, attended the Abbeville Republican Convention in August or September 1880. Col. Cothran, democrat, who told the Republicans, ‘this is our country and it shall remain ours.”

Sharpen the Saw

I am glad to have more I can research. Maybe you too can search out an ancestor in Chronicling America or another paper. Try it, and let us know if you get more leads in our Facebook Group.