This book contains a narrative history of the town of Abbeville, South Carolina, from its beginnings until the early twentieth century. "Three disastrous fires in the 1870s destroyed many of the public records of this area," requiring the author to gather information from alternate sources, including articles from numerous authors. "The variety of authors enables the reader to see Abbeville life from different perspectives." In his search, he "was frequently impressed by accounts of life in the town of Abbeville. They included contemporary records, but were primarily reminiscent accounts of persons and events in its history, and they reflected the atmosphere of the town." Two themes run through Abbeville's history: a strong sense of pride and honor; and, recurring incidents of violence. These themes are emphasized by accounts which the author "found interesting as well as important." The author has included materials which will be of particular interest to genealogists and other students of family history: names of residences from the census, church records, and other sources as well as businesses and institutions. The author "made a special effort to include some account of the life of the blacks in Abbeville's history and to integrate them in the story. During most of its past, they were a majority in the population of the town."