The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Sumter

SUMTER, the name of four counties in the United States. I. An E. county of South Carolina, bounded W. by the Wateree river, and drained by Black river and its affluents; area, about 900 sq. m.; pop. in 1875, 31,480, of whom 23,086 were colored. The surface is generally undulating and the soil fertile, and there are extensive forests of pine. It is intersected by the Wilmington, Columbia, and Augusta railroad and its branch. The chief productions in 1870 were 189,039 bushels of Indian corn, 36,113 of sweet potatoes, 7,212 bales of cotton, 245,325 lbs. of rice, and 2,282 tons of hay. There were 905 horses, 1,126 mules and asses, 1,699 milch cows, 2,630 other cattle, 1,075 sheep, and 658 swine; 6 manufactories of carriages and wagons, 4 of tar and turpentine, and 5 saw mills. Capital, Sumter Court House. II. A S. W. county of Georgia, bounded E. by Flint river; area, about 600 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 16,559, of whom 10,639 were colored. The surface is level and the soil fertile. It is traversed by the Southwestern railroad. The chief productions in 1870 were 280,379 bushels of Indian corn, 22,085 of oats, 11,516 of peas and beans, 40,924 of sweet potatoes, 12,823 bales of cotton, 61,031 lbs. of butter, and 15,310 gallons of molasses. There were 634 horses, 1,796 mules and asses, 1,768 milch cows, 3,878 other cattle, 832 sheep, and 12,624 swine. Capital, Americus. III. A central county of Florida, bounded W. by the Withlacoochee river; area, 1,370 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 2,952, of whom 980 were colored. The surface is generally level and swampy, and there are several small lakes. The chief productions in 1870 were 67,278 bushels of Indian corn, 112,620 of sweet potatoes, 8,800 lbs. of rice, 501 bales of cotton, and 13,650 gallons of molasses. There were 14,995 cattle and 5,480 swine. Capital, Leesburg. IV. A W. county of Alabama, bordering on Mississippi, bounded E. by the Tombigbee and intersected by the Noxubee river; area, about 800 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 24,109, of whom 18,907 were colored. The surface is uneven and the soil fertile. It has water communication by the Tombigbee river, and is intersected by the Alabama and Chattanooga railroad and a branch of the Mobile and Ohio. The chief productions in 1870 were 334,110 bushels of wheat, 14,941 of sweet potatoes, 2,513 lbs. of wool, and 11,646 bales of cotton. There were 1,242 horses, 1,957 mules and asses, 2,097 milch cows, 988 working oxen, 3,644 other cattle, 2,249 sheep, and 8,024 swine. Capital, Livingston.