Edgefield County, SC

County Name: 
Edgefield
State: 
South Carolina

Total population (1850): 39,262
Enslaved population (1850): 22,725
Percent slave: 58%
Extant nineteenth-century inquests: 524
Date range: 1829-1899
Percentage of violent crimes in county sample: 39% (202/524)

The small, rural district of Edgefield, South Carolina was the Deadwood of its day, amassing a reputation for murder and mayhem unique in the nation. Forget the gangs of New York, the toughs in tailored suits strutting about Edgefield's Court House Square were up for almost anything. Take this typical exchange between Thomas Cherry and Charles Cobb.

Cherry: "You Damn puppy."

Cobb: "What are you?"

Cherry: "Do you mean to call me a Damn puppy?"

Cobb: "What are you?"

Cherry: "If you call me a Puppy, I will ag you in the face."

Cobb: "You are nothing else."

With that Cherry stabbed Cobb through the face with an umbrella.

"If we over in Edgefield insult each other, there is generally a fight or a funeral afterwards."

"If we over in Edgefield insult each other, there is generally a fight or a funeral afterwards," noted Ben Tillman, one of the ten men of the district to serve the state as governor. Like Tillman, circuit judge Thomas Mackey took an almost perverse pride in the region's reputation. "I am going to hold court in Edgefield," he told a friend, "and I expect a somewhat exciting term, as the fall shooting is about to start."

Like most reputations, Edgefield's was at once deserved and exaggerated. At 39 percent, Edgefield County does have the highest proportion of violent crimes in the CSI:D sample. At 35 percent, Greenville County is not that far behind. More important, Edgefield's reputation for affairs of honor masks the mountain of dishonorable violence revealed by the morgue. Men spoiling for a fight on the street are rarely much different at home. In June 1893, Bill Gasten was sitting near his wood pile when his wife emerged from the house to draw some water from the well. Something she said set him off and he grabbed up a walking stick, hit her with it, then threw her down and began choking her. Emerging from the kitchen, her sister grabbed up the stick and told Bill to "let his wife alone." She had just started back to the kitchen when Bill cracked her head with a hoe.

Edgefield County, SC Inquests

Displaying 1 - 50 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
infant child infant child November 23, 1891 at the plantation of Willis Owdom[?] Accident
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
Anderson B. Branham January 6, 1892 at the plantation of M. C. Parker Unknown
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Sam negro, slave September 18, 1846 at the residence of Mrs Nancy Delaughter Natural Causes
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Jno. C Swearingin April 24, 1895 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Rhoda female slave July 4, 1857 at Dorn's[?] Mill Natural Causes
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident
Selena Allen child, boy, baby December 12, 1890 at Mrs Blacks[?] Plantation Accident
Peter Negro man December 30, 1859 at the Plantation of Mr Wm Bunch Accident
Ana May Blocker child December 2, 1894 at Ben Boatwrights farm Natural Causes
Ben Shubrick col December 24, 1869 at Negro heade Lane Natural Causes
Nancy Slave June 19, 1847 at the house of Mrs G. Rily's Suicide
Mary Slave May 17, 1847 at the Plantation of A. Perrin Homicide
John E. Paul June 14, 1892 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Lizzie Greeg July 4, 1884 at Capt Taliar[?] Hearin[?] Natural Causes
Martha Lanham January 29, 1892 at Wilts[?] Curryes place Natural Causes
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
infant Boy infant Boy October 29, 1894 at [?] Coleman Natural Causes
Adam Barker August 10, 1879 at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd Suicide
John Hester May 13, 1846 at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy Accident
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Lidda Hampton November 24, 1893 at A Derrecks Natural Causes
Mid[?] Griffin February 2, 1895 at the Govelace[?] Place Natural Causes
negro man negro man April 10, 1850 near Kilcreases Ferry Accident
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide
infant child infant child September 15, 1861 at the residence of Mrs Margret Willis Accident
infant infant January 22, 1894 at Oak Gilchrist House Natural Causes
Charley Geeter October 27, 1881 at Violets Geeter's house Accident
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
infant child infant child June 14, 1891 at Kenny Grave Yard Accident
Hardy Boulware January 2, 1862 at Hardy Boulwares Homicide
Emaline Jackson August 27, 1894 at Dr Childs Plantation Natural Causes
Lewis negro man March 20, 1846 at & in the Revd Mr. Brooks Plantation Accident
infant infant January 10, 1898 at Johnston Homicide
Isaac Oliphant November 9, 1882 at Ritch Thomson Accident
Henry slave, boy May 1, 1857 at Arthur Glovers House, Horns Creek Accident
John Webb March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
John H. Anderson March 21, 1891 at Tom Anderson place Homicide

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