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
Jno. C Swearingin April 24, 1895 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Isham Glover August 10, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
George Robinson January 12, 1892 at the plantation of E. B. Davis Natural Causes
Jim Brown Child April 19, 1882 on Jasper Talbert Premises Unknown
Nelson Smith freedman, boy October 4, 1866 at Andrew Warts Homicide
William Bailey July 19, 1846 at the House of Samuel C Scott Homicide
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
Ana May Blocker child December 2, 1894 at Ben Boatwrights farm Natural Causes
Henry Turner September 24, 1878 at Johnstons Homicide
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
Sarah Scurry September 28, 1844 at the House of Sarah Scurry Suicide
Curry slave March 17, 1856 at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation Accident
Infant Boy Child Colored Infant Boy Child Colored February 15, 1883 at the residence of Charles Coleman Unknown
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
A. G. Leek February 23, 1859 at A. G. Leeks Residence Other
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes
Peter Negro man December 30, 1859 at the Plantation of Mr Wm Bunch Accident
William Prince July 9, 1851 at the house of John W Garrett Accident
Benjamin Cockroft March 18, 1847 in the woods near the house of Beryman[?] Bledsoe Accident
Harriet negro woman July 20, 1859 at the residence of JB Rease Natural Causes
Joe slave, boy September 13, 1860 at the residence of D. M. Glover Homicide
Mid[?] Griffin February 2, 1895 at the Govelace[?] Place Natural Causes
infant child infant child November 17, 1891 at Mr M Toneys place Unknown
infant infant January 22, 1894 at Oak Gilchrist House Natural Causes
Martin B. Elam January 28, 1851 at Mrs Mary Elams Other
infant child infant child January 18, 1892 at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger Accident
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
Thomas Prince July 31, 1848 at the Joal of Said District Natural Causes
Dick male slave July 13, 1859 at Ted Scurrys residence Accident
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
Emaline Jackson August 27, 1894 at Dr Childs Plantation Natural Causes
W. T. Mathis November 11, 1897 at the Yeldell place Natural Causes
Lidda Hampton November 24, 1893 at A Derrecks Natural Causes
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
Levi H. McDaniel March 9, 1859 at or near the 17 mile Post on the Scotts Ferry Road Homicide
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
infant Boy infant Boy October 29, 1894 at [?] Coleman Natural Causes
John slave September 27, 1863 at the residence of Johnson A Bland Accident
Sallie Young December 8, 1890 at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation Accident
Lilla Olophant female infant August 18, 1879 at Simpton[?] Pinns[?] Accident
Abram slave October 8, 1860 at the Residence of H. B. Raborns Natural Causes
Hardy Boulware January 2, 1862 at Hardy Boulwares Homicide
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
Cesar Negro, negro boy July 7, 1843 at the house of Elijah Watson Homicide
Luther Sullivan October 26, 1898 near John Stuarts Homicide
Edmond Price April 30, 1892 at Kennys Graveyard Unknown
Henry slave, boy May 1, 1857 at Arthur Glovers House, Horns Creek Accident

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