Abbeville, South Carolina
Encyclopedia
For other communities of the same name, see Abbeville (disambiguation)
.
Abbeville is a city in Abbeville County
, South Carolina
, United States
, 86 miles (138 km) west of Columbia
. Its population was 5,237 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat
of Abbeville County
. Settled by French immigrants, it was named along with the county for the French town of the same name
.
In 1910 Abbeville had a population of 4,459. In 1950 Abbeville had a population of 5,395.
In 2011, Abbeville High won its fifth South Carolina high school football state championship. It was the first state title in the 1A division.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²), all land.
, and 79 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48 persons.
of 2000, there were 5,840 people, 2,396 households, and 1,574 families residing in the city. The population density
was 995.2 people per square mile (384.1/km²). There were 2,654 housing units at an average density of 452.3 per square mile (174.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.46% White, 48.48% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races
, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.
There were 2,396 households out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples
living together, 23.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 80.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,756, and the median income for a family was $30,040. Males had a median income of $28,339 versus $21,824 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,274. About 16.3% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.2% of those under age 18 and 20.9% of those age 65 or over.
Abbeville is the center of a small urban cluster with a total population of 6,038 (2000 census).
Abbeville has the unique distinction of being both the birthplace and the deathbed of the Confederacy
. On November 22, 1860, a meeting was held at Abbeville, at a site since dubbed "Secession Hill
", to launch South Carolina
's secession
from the Union
; one month later, the state of South Carolina
became the first state to secede.
It was also the birthplace of noted states rights advocate John C. Calhoun
.
At the end of the Civil War
, with the Confederacy in shambles, Confederate President Jefferson Davis
fled Richmond, Virginia
and headed south, stopping for a night in Abbeville at the home of his friend Armistead Burt
. It was on May 2, 1865, in the front parlor of what is now known as the Burt-Stark Mansion
that Jefferson Davis
officially acknowledged the dissolution of the Confederate
government.
and Ruby Ridge
. In February 2007, Steven Bixby was convicted on 17 counts including the two murders, as well as lesser charges of kidnapping and conspiracy. He was given two death sentences for the murders plus 125 years in prison on the other charges.
Copper Wire Tower. Built in 2009, the tower is 373 ft (106 m) tall and has 30 floors.
Abbeville (disambiguation)
Abbeville is a city in northern France.Abbeville can also mean:* Abbeville-Saint-Lucien, in France* Abbeville, Manitoba, in Canada* Abbeville, Dublin in Ireland, a country house* Abbeville, Tipperary in Ireland, a country houseIn the United States:...
.
Abbeville is a city in Abbeville County
Abbeville County, South Carolina
Abbeville County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2010, its population was 25,147. Its county seat is Abbeville. It is the first county in the United States alphabetically.-History:...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 86 miles (138 km) west of Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
. Its population was 5,237 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Abbeville County
Abbeville County, South Carolina
Abbeville County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2010, its population was 25,147. Its county seat is Abbeville. It is the first county in the United States alphabetically.-History:...
. Settled by French immigrants, it was named along with the county for the French town of the same name
Abbeville
Abbeville is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Location:Abbeville is located on the Somme River, from its modern mouth in the English Channel, and northwest of Amiens...
.
History
Abbeville was established by French Hugenots in 1764.In 1910 Abbeville had a population of 4,459. In 1950 Abbeville had a population of 5,395.
In 2011, Abbeville High won its fifth South Carolina high school football state championship. It was the first state title in the 1A division.
Geography
Abbeville is located at 34°10′43"N 82°22′45"W (34.178572, -82.379200).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²), all land.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Abbeville had a population of 5,237. The racial makeup of Abbeville was 2,458 White, 2,645 African American, 10 Native American, 23 Asian, 22 from other racesRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 79 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48 persons.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 5,840 people, 2,396 households, and 1,574 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 995.2 people per square mile (384.1/km²). There were 2,654 housing units at an average density of 452.3 per square mile (174.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.46% White, 48.48% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.
There were 2,396 households out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 23.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 80.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,756, and the median income for a family was $30,040. Males had a median income of $28,339 versus $21,824 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $13,274. About 16.3% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.2% of those under age 18 and 20.9% of those age 65 or over.
Abbeville is the center of a small urban cluster with a total population of 6,038 (2000 census).
Abbeville and the American Civil War
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. On November 22, 1860, a meeting was held at Abbeville, at a site since dubbed "Secession Hill
Secession Hill
Secession Hill, just east of modern-day Secession Street in Abbeville, South Carolina, is the site where local citizens gathered on November 22, 1860 to adopt the ordinance of South Carolina's secession from the Union...
", to launch South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
's secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
from the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
; one month later, the state of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
became the first state to secede.
It was also the birthplace of noted states rights advocate John C. Calhoun
John C. Calhoun
John Caldwell Calhoun was a leading politician and political theorist from South Carolina during the first half of the 19th century. Calhoun eloquently spoke out on every issue of his day, but often changed positions. Calhoun began his political career as a nationalist, modernizer, and proponent...
.
At the end of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, with the Confederacy in shambles, Confederate President Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
fled Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and headed south, stopping for a night in Abbeville at the home of his friend Armistead Burt
Armistead Burt
Armistead Burt was a U.S. Representative from South Carolina.Born at Clouds Creek, near Edgefield, Edgefield County, South Carolina, Burt moved with his parents to Pendleton, South Carolina...
. It was on May 2, 1865, in the front parlor of what is now known as the Burt-Stark Mansion
Burt-Stark Mansion
The Burt-Stark Mansion, also known as Armistead Burt House, in Abbeville, South Carolina was the site of the last Council of War of cabinet members of the Confederate government...
that Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
officially acknowledged the dissolution of the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
government.
2003 Right-of-Way Standoff
On December 8, 2003, in a 14-hour standoff that stemmed from a land-survey dispute, two Abbeville lawmen were gunned down by West Abbeville resident Steven Bixby. This siege has been compared by both sympathizers of the Bixbys and law enforcement agents to the events of WacoWaco Siege
The Waco siege began on February 28, 1993, and ended violently 50 days later on April 19. The siege began when the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms attempted to execute a search warrant at the Branch Davidian ranch at Mount Carmel, a property located east-northeast of Waco,...
and Ruby Ridge
Ruby Ridge
Ruby Ridge was the site of a violent confrontation and siege in northern Idaho in 1992. It involved Randy Weaver, his family, Weaver's friend Kevin Harris, and agents of the United States Marshals Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation...
. In February 2007, Steven Bixby was convicted on 17 counts including the two murders, as well as lesser charges of kidnapping and conspiracy. He was given two death sentences for the murders plus 125 years in prison on the other charges.
Architectural mention
Abbeville is the location of the tallest building in South Carolina, the PrysmianPrysmian
Prysmian is an Italian-based multinational corporation headquartered in Milan and listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, manufacturing and laying cables for the energy and telecommunications sectors, it's the market leader, also thanks to the acquisition of Draka Holding...
Copper Wire Tower. Built in 2009, the tower is 373 ft (106 m) tall and has 30 floors.
Notable residents
- James S. CothranJames S. CothranJames Sproull Cothran was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for South Carolina's 3rd congressional district. He served for one term from 1887 to 1891.-Biography:...
, (1830–1897), born near Abbeville, United States Congressman from South Carolina - John Henry Logan, (1822–1885), born in Abbeville, physician, served as a surgeon in the Confederate Army during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, professor at Atlanta Medical College, and editor of the Atlanta Medical Journal. - Benjamin Glover ShieldsBenjamin Glover ShieldsBenjamin Glover Shields was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives from Alabama. He was born in Abbeville, South Carolina....
, (1808–1850), born in Abbeville, was a United States Congressman from AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. - John C. CalhounJohn C. CalhounJohn Caldwell Calhoun was a leading politician and political theorist from South Carolina during the first half of the 19th century. Calhoun eloquently spoke out on every issue of his day, but often changed positions. Calhoun began his political career as a nationalist, modernizer, and proponent...
, 7th American Vice President under Andrew Jackson, notable States Rights Activist, and later the 16th Secretary of State of the United States - Thomas D. HowieThomas D. HowieThomas Dry Howie was an American army officer, killed during the Battle of Normandy during World War II, while trying to capture the French town of Saint-Lô. He is known as "The Major of St...
, (April 12, 1908 – July 17, 1944) was an American army officer, killed during the Battle of Normandy during World War II, while trying to capture the French town of Saint-Lô. He is known as "The Major of St. Lo".