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 251 - 300 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Kizziah[?] slave, servant March 11, 1860 at the residence of Mr M Lanham Natural Causes
Sam Slave June 14, 1858 at Henry Spiers[?] Accident
infant child infant child July 24, 1892 at Promised Land School house Unknown
Unknown April 11, 1860 at or near W.J. Walkers Unknown
Lovina negroe girl, a slave September 4, 1860 at Doct H M Folks[Faulk?] Suicide
Presley Wise July 11, 1891 at D W. Padgetts plantation Homicide
Allen Holmes March 4, 1882 at Oscar Seigler Residence Homicide
Gertrude infant child December 1, 1891 at Edgfield Court house Accident
Howard Gale June 13, 1879 at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill Accident
Al White October 12, 1898 at Mundy[?] Place Homicide
Prince negro man October 27, 1844 at Mrs Elizabeth Timmermans Suicide
Blassingame Wise April 27, 1848 at or near the Negro quarter of Mrs Wiley Glover, on Savannah River Suicide
Charity Johnson March 11, 1847 at the Residence of Charity Johnson, late deceased Natural Causes
Joseph Riddle April 10, 1856 at Hamburg Homicide
Eddie Watson Infant April 25, 1892 at Bob Stevens Natural Causes
infant child infant child December 14, 1877 at Dr. K N Hudsons plantation Homicide
Ryal Negro Slave July 28, 1851 at Mr Thos McKies Batteau landing on Big Stephen's Creek Accident
Ned Dozier September 27, 1893 at MJ Holsteins Homicide
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
A. G. Leek February 23, 1859 at A. G. Leeks Residence Other
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook 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
Unknown August 30, 1866 at Fosity[?] Creek ford Unknown
Harriet negro woman July 20, 1859 at the residence of JB Rease Natural Causes
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
Jim Brown Child April 19, 1882 on Jasper Talbert Premises Unknown
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
William Bailey July 19, 1846 at the House of Samuel C Scott Homicide
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
Henry Turner September 24, 1878 at Johnstons Homicide
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel 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
Clem slave, boy October 3, 1858 at Tabitha Abney's Accident
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
Infant Boy Child Colored Infant Boy Child Colored February 15, 1883 at the residence of Charles Coleman Unknown
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Esther Jeter April 17, 1893 at Huiets x Roads Accident
John slave September 27, 1863 at the residence of Johnson A Bland Accident
Lilla Olophant female infant August 18, 1879 at Simpton[?] Pinns[?] Accident
infant child infant child January 10, 1892 at Trenton Accident
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
Joe slave, boy September 13, 1860 at the residence of D. M. Glover Homicide

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