Florence County, South Carolina: History
Florence County was formed from main sections of Darlington and Marion Counties, plus other townships from Williamsburg and Clarendon Counties, starting in 1888. The last section of Williamsburg County was not added until 1921. Florence County was named after its county seat, Florence, which its founder, General William Harllee, in turn, named for his daughter, Florence. On December 26, 1921, Black American male Bill McAllister was lynched for having an affair with a White woman.