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
Henry Goodman May 4, 1851 at or near to William H Adams on little horse Creek Accident
Henry Turner September 24, 1878 at Johnstons Homicide
Selena Allen child, boy, baby December 12, 1890 at Mrs Blacks[?] Plantation Accident
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
Infant Boy Child Colored Infant Boy Child Colored February 15, 1883 at the residence of Charles Coleman Unknown
William H Maharey May 25, 1863 at Haslin Factory on the Procelian Manufacturing Company Accident
infant child infant child November 23, 1891 at the plantation of Willis Owdom[?] Accident
John Shumport[?] November 7, 1851 at John Shumports[?] Accident
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Mary female Slave January 13, 1853 at Isaac Bowles[?] Accident
Anderson B. Branham January 6, 1892 at the plantation of M. C. Parker Unknown
Fed Martin convict September 1, 1895 at Poor House and CH Unknown
James L. Hill January 10, 1867 at James L Hills Accident
Harriet negro woman July 20, 1859 at the residence of JB Rease Natural Causes
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
Sam negro, slave September 18, 1846 at the residence of Mrs Nancy Delaughter Natural Causes
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident
Jim Brown Child April 19, 1882 on Jasper Talbert Premises Unknown
Rhoda female slave July 4, 1857 at Dorn's[?] Mill Natural Causes
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
Dick male slave July 13, 1859 at Ted Scurrys residence Accident
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
Mary Slave May 17, 1847 at the Plantation of A. Perrin Homicide
John J. Cobb July 23, 1843 at William Elkins Mill Pond Suicide
infant child infant child June 14, 1891 at Kenny Grave Yard Accident
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Joseph Moore Jr. April 19, 1846 at the house of Dr John D. Nicholson Natural Causes
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
Robert J. Butler September 15, 1864 at Hamburg Homicide
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
John E. Paul June 14, 1892 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Aggy Latily[?] negro woman slave June 21, 1848 at the plantation of N L Griffin Unknown
Lilla Olophant female infant August 18, 1879 at Simpton[?] Pinns[?] Accident
Martha Lanham January 29, 1892 at Wilts[?] Curryes place Natural Causes
John McKinny September 26, 1894 at W P. Lipfords[?] Homicide
Joe slave, boy September 13, 1860 at the residence of D. M. Glover Homicide
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
infant child infant child September 15, 1861 at the residence of Mrs Margret Willis Accident
Willie G. Harris March 25, 1897 at Edgefield CH Homicide
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
negro man negro man April 10, 1850 near Kilcreases Ferry Accident
infant infant December 15, 1892 at Mr. Pleasant Grave Yard Accident
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
Polly Vines April 20, 1892 at the house of Ben. Holt Natural Causes

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