As far as we know, all the Salleys are descended from Henry Salley who emigrated from Switzerland to Orangeburg County, SC, in 1735. The Aiken Country family are descended from Henry Salley, Jr., and Martin Salley, both of whom were born in Switzerland. The Orangeburg Country family (of which I am one) are descended from John Salley, a younger brother who was born here. These names are spelled in their modern equivalents. I have two books: one about the Aiken family;the other about the Orangeburg family. I have heard of a French connection, but know little about it. I am no professional genealogist, but I know a few things about our family and would welcome enquiries. Best, George Salley

Hi From San Antonio, Texas,

I am trying to do some research into my family tree. My father, Billy Judge (later changed his name to William Jay) Salley was born in Hazel Green, (Wolfe Co.) KY. He was the son of Robert Mason Salley and Tina Day Salley. My grandfather was a horse breeder and was the sheriff of Wolfe Co. He was shot and killed on election day Nov 4, 1935 by a drunk man. He was sheriff at the time of his death. His father was named Colonel Haskell Salley. I don't know if he was actually a colonel or if he was just named that. If you have any information that might help my search please let me know. We are caucasian and I know that there are a great deal of Salley's that are black. Do you know if Salley, SC (the town that has so many Salley's) are black or white?

Thank you for your help.

Winona Salley Goldsberry

Dear Winona - I have looked in my two books on the South Carolina Salleys (a book for each branch to be mentioned later) but cannot find any of the names you mentioned. I have not finished looking though, and will let you know if I find anything. You may know this, but all the Salleys are descended from Henry Salley (anglicized spelling) who emigrated from Switzerland in c. 1735 to Orangeburg County, SC. He had two sons born in Switzerland (most of the Aiken County, SC, Salleys are descended from them). He had another son born in this country, from whom most of the Orangeburg County Salleys are descended (including me). It is known that a good many Salleys went out West in the 1830s (some to Kentucky), but their con-nection to their SC forebears is (in a good many cases)lost. The town of Salley is in Aiken County. Most of the SC Salleys are of European descent, but there are some African-American Salleys. You may e-mail me directly at factoid@ix.netcom.com if you think I can help. I'll be happy to help if I can. Best wishes, George Salley

I guess you already know that the line of 3rd son John Salley is covered on pages 58-88 in the Wannamaker-Salley-MacKay-Bellinger Genealogies by J.S. Wannamaker l937. Your middle name, would it be Bull

My father's middle name was Bull, and I always thought that was mine too. But when I joined the army (over 40 years ago) I had to have a birth certificate and discovered that I only had the initial. My army ID card said George B(IO)Salley, Jr.

I failed to say that my Dad's name is listed in the WSMB book, along with his brothers Charles Harvin Salley and Donald Decature Salley. Where do you fit in, Ron?

Winona,
Our SALLEY/SALLEE line came to Wolfe Co.,KY. from VA. Colonel Haskell was the s/o Greenberry SALLEE b.1826 Martha COOPER. E-mail me

Checked thru Salley Book Supplement Wannamaker Book the only George B. I found was in the Wannamaker so thought it might be your dad. Got the Salley book, Wannamaker book Rumph - Frederick book years ago since I knew many in them were my wife's relatives. Her direct lines show up in the Shuler Book, Moorer Book, l899 Dantzler Book undated Connor pamplet. The son of the author of the Wannamaker book a distant Shuler cousin of Maxine (my wife) his wife, Maxine's 2nd cousin once removed. Told her if were ever went to Orangeburg that atleast half the people see would see would somehow be related to her. All of her maternal lines came from Orangeburg District and Beaufort District, even her paternal line started out in S.C. The Wannamaker book also contains some of Maxine's Beaufort District Chisholm line. I have no connection to S.C. but always found Maxine's families a whole lot more interesting than mine.

Any families who have lived in SC for 200 years or so are definitely related. That may be true of other states, but, if so, I've never heard about it.

Hi Arnold,

Glad to hear from you. I would like to know exactly how we might be related/connected with our family line. Please send anything you might have that will help me trace my roots. Where do you live? I lived the first 10 years of my life in Ohio but my father was transferred to Houston. I lived in that awful town until I got married and my husband and I moved to the East Texas town of Tyler. We lived there almost 20 years. My husband is an executive with Coca-Cola Enterprises and we have been transferred several times. We went from Tyler to Shreveport, LA and then to San Antonio. This is truly the best place we have ever lived. I visited Hazel Green a couple of summers ago and tried to do some tracing. I was trying to locate anything on my grandfather Robert Mason Salley who was the sheriff of Hazel Green in the early 30's. He was shot and killed by a man by the last name of Peck on election day. My father was only four years old when his Dad died. So....we don't have a great deal of family history to go on. Please e-mail me at MDGWJG@aol.com where you can write a longer letter. Glad to hear from you. Maybe we are distant cousins?

Thanks,

Winona Salley Goldsberry