Kershaw County, South Carolina

Kershaw County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 65,403. The county seat and largest community 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, SC 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. Welsh Baptists moved the area in large numbers in the 1740s and 1750s. At the time, in England and Wales Protestants who were not from the established Anglican church were politically disadvantaged in various ways, however, in South Carolina they could still practice freely (provided that they called their churches "meeting houses.") Baptists from Abergavenny, Trap, Carmarthenshire, Llanbedr, Crickhowell, Vale of Grwyney, Abertillery, Griffithstown and Brecon arrived in what has since become Kershaw County between 1740 and 1760, primarily arriving as large family units. They were joined by a similar migration of English Baptists who came from Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, Boston, Lincolnshire, Coningsby, Grantham, as well as Christchurch, Dorset and Lymington. From about 1800 until about 1867, the county was known as Kershaw District.

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 in 1780 and the Battle of Hobkirk's Hill in 1781.

After the state seceded from the Union, six men from Kershaw served in the American Civil War as Confederate generals: James Cantey (1818–1873), James Chesnut (1815–1885), John Doby Kennedy (1840–1896), Joseph Brevard Kershaw (1822–1894), and John Bordenave Villepigue (1830–1862), Zachariah C. Deas (1819–1882). Richard Rowland Kirkland, a Confederate soldier, 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.

Under the 1868 South Carolina Constitution, the Kershaw District became home rule Kershaw County with the state representatives also being county commissioners. 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. (February 1, 1836 – July 22, 1903) was an American clergyman, politician, and educator. When Francis Lewis Cardozo was elected in South Carolina as Secretary of State in 1868, he was the first African American to hold a statewide office in the United States.

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 740.26 sqmi, of which 726.61 sqmi is land and 13.65 sqmi (1.84%) 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.

Earthquakes
Between December 2021 and December 2022, southeastern Kershaw County experienced over 80 earthquakes, 11 of which exceeded a 2.5 magnitude. 6 of the quakes exceeded a 3.0 magnitude, the largest of which registering at a 3.6.

National protected areas

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

State and local protected areas

 * Camden Battlefield and Longleaf Pine Preserve
 * Goodale State Park
 * Liberty Hill Wildlife Management Area
 * Powderkegg Wildlife Preserve
 * Savage Bay Heritage Park

Major water bodies

 * Beaver Creek
 * Black Creek
 * Catawba River
 * Lake Wateree
 * Lynches River
 * Raglins Creek
 * Wateree River

Adjacent counties

 * Lancaster County – north
 * Chesterfield County – northeast
 * Lee County – southeast
 * Sumter County – southeast
 * Richland County – southwest
 * Darlington County – east
 * Fairfield County – west

Major highways

 * (Camden)
 * (Cheraw)
 * (Camden 1)
 * (Camden 2)
 * (Kershaw)
 * (Camden 1)
 * (Camden 2)
 * (Kershaw)
 * (Camden 2)
 * (Kershaw)

Major infrastructure

 * Camden Station
 * Woodward Field (Kershaw County Airport)

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 65,403 people, 24,544 households, and 16,019 families residing in the county.

2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 61,697 people, 23,928 households, and 17,114 families living in the county. The population density was 84.9 /mi2. There were 27,478 housing units at an average density of 37.8 /mi2. 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.

2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 52,647 people, 20,188 households, and 14,918 families living in the county. The population density was 72 /mi2. There were 22,683 housing units at an average density of 31 /mi2. 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.

Economy
In 2022, the GDP was $2.7 billion (about $38,411 per capita), and the real GDP was $2.2 billion (about $31,215 per capita) in chained 2017 dollars.

, some of the largest employers in the county include Food Lion, Hengst Automotive, Lowe's, Target, and Walmart.

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 public charter 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
 * Montessori School of Camden

Elementary schools

 * Camden Elementary School
 * Lugoff Elementary School
 * Wateree Elementary School
 * Blaney Elementary School
 * Doby's Mill Elementary School
 * North Central Elementary School
 * Midway Elementary School
 * Pine Tree Hill Elementary School
 * Jackson Elementary School
 * Montessori School of Camden

City

 * Camden (county seat and largest community)

Towns

 * Bethune
 * Elgin

Census-designated places

 * Abney Crossroads
 * Boykin
 * East Camden
 * Lugoff

Other unincorporated communities

 * Antioch
 * Buffalo
 * Cassatt
 * DeKalb
 * Liberty Hill
 * Mt. Pisgah
 * Westville