History and Project Goals

     The first permanent European settler to arrive in what is now known as Laurens County, South Carolina, was John Duncan, a native of Aberdeen, Scotland.  He built his cabin three miles above the creek that now bears his name.   John Duncan's arrival in 1752 signaled the first of thousands who would homestead in the former Ninety-Six District, after Governor James Glen signed the 1755 Cherokee treaty which ceded all land south of the Indian Boundary line.

     With over 200 years of recorded history in Laurens County, (and thankfully, no court house fires) the goals of the Laurens County Geographical DNA Project are to:

  1. Establish modal haplotypes (DNA signatures) for early Laurens County settlers.
  2. Help people connect to early Laurens pioneers.
  3. To assist descendants in breaking through their genealogical "brick-walls".

Since many early Laurens' settlers remained in the area for several generations, the project may prove to be especially beneficial for female line "brick-walls".  There may be other lines from surrounding counties formed from Ninety-Six District that wish to participate as well. Old Ninety-Six spans across five counties, Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens and McCormick.

Eligibility to Participate

Direct descendants on an all male or all female line from early Laurens County settlers.

Males may also participate in mtDNA testing if their mother is from a qualifying Laurens line.  Participants do not need to currently reside in Laurens County, or even South Carolina, they just need to have a direct Y-line (paternal) or M-line (maternal) to a Laurens County ancestor.

The Laurens County DNA Project is NOT a scientific study, but rather, a genealogical hobbyist project, began to assist participants in connecting their ancestors.  Participants are responsible for the cost of their testing, unless the line qualifies for scholarship funding.

For information on the following:

To inquire about joining the
Laurens Co., SC Geographical DNA Project
please contact:

Katherine Bolt Borges
Website & DNA Project Administrator
(Volunteer - not employed by, or affiliated
with any DNA testing company)

Member:
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Project est. 7 Mar 2005
Header graphics:
Image from 1883 Kizer-Hellams Laurens Co. SC map.
Map available for purchase from Laurens Co. Library.
Middle Photo: Vintage postcard of the Laurens
County Courthouse.
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