09/10/2026
Have you ever wondered about the man behind Part I of The Annals of Newberry?
John Belton O’Neall (1793–1863) was one of the most influential figures in 19th-century Newberry County. He was a lawyer, politician, judge, historian , businessman, and enslaver who eventually became Chief Justice of South Carolina.
His home and plantation, Springfield, was located west of Newberry near Bush River. O’Neall inherited the property from his grandmother, Hannah Kelly, and lived there for much of his life.
In 1859, he published The Annals of Newberry, Historical, Biographical and Anecdotical—a massive work documenting the people, families, places, churches, businesses, and events of early Newberry. Today, it remains one of the most valuable sources for researching our county’s history.
His Springfield plantation was home to enslaved people whose names and lives are only partially preserved in the historical record. By 1860, records indicate that he owned two plantations and 83 enslaved people.
He also authored The Negro Law of South Carolina in 1848, documenting laws governing enslaved and free Blacks.
Helena, a community in Newberry County, South Carolina, was named after his wife,Helen Pope.
John Belton O’Neall died December 27, 1863, and was buried in Rosemont Cemetery in Newberry, SC.
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