It took half a decade -- but it's done.

In presenting awards last Sunday at the Orangeburg County Historical Society meeting, Ewart Irick said a group of local women deserve a hearty congratulations for their effort to develop genealogical records, an effort that spanned the past five years.

"What they did was they went to the cemeteries around the city and the community," said Irick, president of the Battle of Eutaw Springs Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. "It's just unbelievable. They are the ones in the trenches doing the work."

That five years of work resulted in the recent release of nine volumes that Irick says record the vast majority of the grave sites in Orangeburg County.

Orangeburg residents Nancy Faulling, Evelyn Weathersbee and Winnie Betsill were recognized Sunday for their longtime effort.

Recognizing what Irick says is their "dedicated service with preservation and documentation of local history and genealogy," Faulling, Weathersbee and Betsill were awarded the Martha Washington Medal.

The MWA is typically presented by the national society, state societies or chapters to ladies for their outstanding service to SAR programs. Membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution is not required, but DAR members may also be recipients.

Also from Orangeburg, Pauline Gramling was recognized during the meeting for "her dedicated service to the historical society, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Sons of the American Revolution."

Gramling was presented the SAR Medal of Appreciation and ce.jpgicate.

Faulling, Betsill and Weathersbee spent the past five years recording thousands of graves in hundreds of known and little-known cemeteries around the county.

Faulling said the effort is important since it will allow researchers to trace a family line down to the actual site of the family plot.

"Besides, it was just fun!" Betsill added.

The group said the work was not all dates, numbers, deaths. There were some the women found interesting.

"One said 'Born in this century, died in this century,'" Faulling said. "There was nothing more about her" birth date or death.

Each of the nine volumes is now on sale at the Historical Society. The prices for each range from $10 to $30, depending on the volume. The entire set can be purchased for $215.

For more information, contact the Historical Society at 803-535-0022.

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