Biography of Col. James Williams, 1740-1780, the highest ranking officer who died from wounds suffered at the Battle of Kings Mountain (October 7, 1780) during the American Revolutionary War.

The opening chapters of this encyclopedic treatment deal with the Newberry County's formation, early settlers, soldiers, notable citizens, government institutions, and social and economic development, while later chapters are given over to biographies, cemetery inscriptions, family reminiscences and folklore. At the heart of the book is a long section devoted to genealogies of pioneer families of Newberry County.

The Compact Reference Series provides the same comprehensive coverage of key social issues in 27 44-88 page softcover volumes. Each volume in the Compact Series is written at a seventh-grade level enabling young researchers to easily understand data relevant to each issue. Volumes in the Compact Series can also be used for researchers at the high-school level who may not have the reading ability to understand materials written at a higher level. Nothing in the presentation of data or the volumes themselves indicate that these books are prepared for a younger audience allowing older students to use the volumes without feeling self-conscious. The Compact Series can also be used by people whose second language is English, providing a unique opportunity to learn about social issues without having to labor through resources written with fluent adult English-speaking users in mind. Volumes in the Compact Series are completely updated and revised every two to three years.