Camden's Eric Barnes to speak at Sumter County Genealogical Society meeting May 25

The next membership meeting of the Sumter County Genealogical Society will be held on Monday, May 25, beginning at 7 p.m. in the fellowship hall of Swan Lake Presbyterian Church, 912 Haynsworth St. Refreshments will be served following the speaker's presentation.

The speaker will be Eric Barnes from Camden, who created and hosts "The Historyman Podcast," which covers a wide variety of historical topics. He memorializes history through his various writing and audio projects including the blog, podcast and comic book series. This discussion will focus on the "Associational Documents" of the American Revolution. These were binding pledges, petitions and boycotts created by the Continental Congress and local patriot groups. They served to unify the colonies against British rule, enforce economic boycotts and formally document citizens' commitment to the American cause.

Join the meeting to learn about William Henry Drayton's "Charge to the Camden Grand Jury," which was published on Dec. 12, 1774, in the Charleston Gazette. Discover its influence in Colonial South Carolina and effect on the American Cause. Sumter's very own Mattew Singleton was the grand jury foreman this Resolve was addressed to.

The society meets monthly from September through May. Visitors are welcome to attend. Admission is free to the public. Interested persons can join the society. Membership includes four newsletters during the year and free use of the Sumter County Genealogical Society Research Center. Annual dues are $30 for an individual membership and $35 for a family. Readers can call the society's Research Center for additional information at (803) 774-3901.