This detailed family history concerns the Pedens of South Carolina, and was published shortly after a reunion of 1899 between the Peden, Alexander and Morton families.
Comprised of a series of testimonies describing the various branches and lineage of the Peden family, this book stands as one of the most intensive and complete genealogical histories of its kind. The Peden name is traced to the mid-18^th century. The common ancestors of the Peden family are John Peden, born 1709, and Margaret McDill, born 1715 - both were from Ireland and married there. Gradually, couple and their children migrated to the colonies of North America. Once settled they married other Irish and Scottish migrants, thus forming a variety of branches of the Peden family tree.
By 1899, when this book was published, some descendants of John and Margaret were living in Texas, Georgia and Iowa, while the vast majority remaining in South Carolina where the reunion was held. Many surnames appear on the attendees list, reflecting the size and diversity of the family. The individual accounts of different branches and houses relate interesting family stories, the jobs and lives of notable members, and historic details. Though the investigations are very thorough, on occasion information on lineages is simply absent or sparse. Nevertheless as a record for family historians, or simply enthusiasts of genealogy, this book is an emblematic example of good research.