During the latter part of 1997, Sharon F. Corey began talking to various people whom she thought would be interested in beginning a Chesterfield Genealogical Society. On January 11, 1998, Sharon Freeman Corey of Chesterfield County, SC; James C. Pigg of York County, SC; Patsy Brock Leviner of Marlboro County, SC; Naomi Teal Campbell, Steve Bailey, and Julious Burr all of Anson County, NC met together to commit to the establishment of the Society. Officers were elected, James C. Pigg as President and Archivist, Sharon Freeman Corey as First Vice-President and Corresponding Secretary, Patsy Brock Leviner as Second Vice-President, Julious Burr as Secretary and Treasurer, and the group unanimously voted to petition for a Charter in the South Carolina Genealogical Society. With John L. Andrews, Jr.’s, of the Old Darlington District Chapter, guidance, the petition was submitted with the O.D.D.C. sponsorship. On January 18, 1998, the Board of the South Carolina Genealogical Society met and accepted the petition. Then on January 25, 1998,  Doris Bateman, representing the South Carolina Genealogical Society, presented the Chesterfield District Chapter with its’ Charter before approximately 70 people who attended the first meeting.

In November of 2000 the Grand Opening of the Chesterfield Genealogical Research Library was held in the lower level of the Chesterfield Post Office. This was a joint venture with the Greater Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce (Visitors Center) and the Historical Society of Chesterfield County (History Museum). As a result of finally having a location to store the research materials donated by our generous members, our collections grew by leaps and bounds. Within a year we were already in need of more space. With the help of the President of the Historical Society of Chesterfield County, Margaret C.Dotson, we were very fortunate to find the perfect location at 115 Green Street in Chesterfield.

During January and February of 2002, necessary renovations were made to the new building and the move to that location took place in February. The new location for the research library had such overwhelming success that within three years we were already almost out of room for additional research materials. So, with purchase of the Old Chesterfield Middle School by the Town of Chesterfield, our President, Sharon F. Corey, asked Chesterfield Town Council Members in September 2004 for use of the Library Room in that building. In January of 2005, Chesterfield Mayor, John Douglas, dropped in at the Chesterfield Genealogical Research Library to inform us that plans were to turn the entire Old Middle School building into a YMCA for Chesterfield County. This was great news because Chesterfield County has never had a YMCA, but this meant there would not be any room for our research library there.

But, the Mayor asked if we might be interested in having joint space in the Old Chesterfield County Courthouse instead. Of course we were delighted with this offer and after the purchase of the Old Courthouse was made in July of 2005, we began our move into three rooms on the West side of the lower floor of the Old Courthouse plus THE OLD VAULT!

The Old Chesterfield Courthouse was renamed the Chesterfield Visitors Center and our organization and research library was back with our old friends again, The Greater Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce (Visitors Center and Gift Shop), the Historical Society of Chesterfield County (History Museum), plus the Chesterfield Art Gallery and Arts Commission. The entire building Re-Opened the second week in September and the Grand Opening was held in conjunction with the Olde Towne Celebration on October 1, 2005.

Original Members

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