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
Clem slave, boy October 3, 1858 at Tabitha Abney's Accident
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
Ned Dozier September 27, 1893 at MJ Holsteins Homicide
William Bailey July 19, 1846 at the House of Samuel C Scott Homicide
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook Accident
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
Ernest Bean April 6, 1884 at the Mill of B[?] Hill Accident
Unknown August 30, 1866 at Fosity[?] Creek ford Unknown
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
Sarah Scurry September 28, 1844 at the House of Sarah Scurry Suicide
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
Infant Boy Child Infant Boy Child June 18, 1883 at Marsh Grobe Yard Accident
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
A. G. Leek February 23, 1859 at A. G. Leeks Residence Other
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
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Dudley Roundtree August 10, 1856 at the dwelling house of the late Dudley Roundtree Natural Causes
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
John Matthews October 13, 1829 at the house of William Adams Other
John McKinny September 26, 1894 at W P. Lipfords[?] Homicide
Martin B. Elam January 28, 1851 at Mrs Mary Elams Other
Esther Jeter April 17, 1893 at Huiets x Roads Accident
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
Thomas Prince July 31, 1848 at the Joal of Said District Natural Causes
infant child infant child January 10, 1892 at Trenton Accident
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
Mary Bright Hanpt[?] October 6, 1881 at Bright Hanpt[?] Unknown
Willie G. Harris March 25, 1897 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
Levi H. McDaniel March 9, 1859 at or near the 17 mile Post on the Scotts Ferry Road Homicide
Berry Butler October 9, 1892 at J. H Lagroons[?] plantation Accident
Eldrige Padgett February 9, 1859 at Eidson Padgetts Accident
Cooper slave March 17, 1852 at the plantation of L.H. Mundy decd Natural Causes
J. M. Long October 10, 1891 at J. M. Longs Homicide
Ed Glover July 8, 1882 at Poore House Accident
John slave September 27, 1863 at the residence of Johnson A Bland Accident
Whit Terry October 19, 1894 J.K. Corleys Place Homicide
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
H. P. Church December 27, 1842 in the house of C. H. Goodman in the Vilage of Edgefield Other
Joseph Powel August 18, 1879 at [??] Accident
Joel Etheridge November 29, 1893 at Joel Etheridge Residence Unknown

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