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
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
Henry Goodman May 4, 1851 at or near to William H Adams on little horse Creek Accident
Bartly negro man January 16, 1846 in the woods near the plantation of Dr Wm M Bent Unknown
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Richard Lundy December 7, 1891 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
William H Maharey May 25, 1863 at Haslin Factory on the Procelian Manufacturing Company Accident
infant, (male) infant, (male) April 29, 1857 at Potterville Homicide
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
Mary female Slave January 13, 1853 at Isaac Bowles[?] Accident
Henry Jones September 21, 1855 Accident
Susan Medlock April 7, 1894 at Johnston Homicide
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Ann Kimball September 4, 1895 at China grove church Homicide
James Frazier Babie October 24, 1890 at D. B Hollingworth Accident
Peter Negro man December 30, 1859 at the Plantation of Mr Wm Bunch Accident
Nelson Smith freedman, boy October 4, 1866 at Andrew Warts Homicide
Charly Washington boy November 22, 1891 at the house of George Washington near Bauknights ferry Accident
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
Charley Ryan May 9, 1892 at T. H. Ramsford Plantion Homicide
Pompy Robinson November 1, 1898 at Norris Place Natural Causes
infant child infant child December 9, 1891 at a colored cemetary Accident
Richard J. Barton December 28, 1866 at Mrs Lucinda Bartons Accident
Adam Barker August 10, 1879 at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd Suicide
John J. Cobb July 23, 1843 at William Elkins Mill Pond Suicide
infant, child infant, child November 29, 1894 at the plantation of J. P. Roton Natural Causes
Lewis slave May 21, 1861 at S. H. Roggers Suicide
Mary Gillam January 1, 1891 at Mrs Francis Wrights Plantation Natural Causes
Lidda Hampton November 24, 1893 at A Derrecks Natural Causes
Abram slave October 8, 1860 at the Residence of H. B. Raborns Natural Causes
Robert J. Butler September 15, 1864 at Hamburg Homicide
Edmond Smallwood October 19, 1892 at E. C. Ridgells Plantation Natural Causes
Rose negro woman Slave March 14, 1846 at Michael Longs Homicide
Charley Geeter October 27, 1881 at Violets Geeter's house Accident
Aggy Latily[?] negro woman slave June 21, 1848 at the plantation of N L Griffin Unknown
Hampton Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
Larrence Valentine December 28, 1893 at Mt[?] Willing Accident
Rose three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Luther Harris May 26, 1899 at the plantation of George F Towns Homicide
Hardy Boulware January 2, 1862 at Hardy Boulwares Homicide
Dave Gillam August 25, 1892 at the house of Cal Smiths Homicide
Robert slave, boy April 8, 1847 at Edward Hampton's Suicide
Lizzie Greeg July 4, 1884 at Capt Taliar[?] Hearin[?] Natural Causes
infant infant December 15, 1892 at Mr. Pleasant Grave Yard Accident
William White December 10, 1898 at Savanah River Accident
Alice Adkinson October 18, 1898 at Republican Church Homicide
Charles negro man February 27, 1850 at Scotts Shoals on Savannah River Accident
Sindy Brighthop August 21, 1898 on S.W. Gardners place Homicide
Warren Kirkland November 16, 1858 at Benjamin Bartons Homicide
Lizzy Rardon September 28, 1879 at Clansey Holloways plantation Accident

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