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
William Prince July 9, 1851 at the house of John W Garrett Accident
Harriet negro woman July 20, 1859 at the residence of JB Rease Natural Causes
James L. Hill January 10, 1867 at James L Hills Accident
John Shumport[?] November 7, 1851 at John Shumports[?] Accident
infant infant March 24, 1892 at Pinksville Homicide
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook Accident
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Fed Martin convict September 1, 1895 at Poor House and CH Unknown
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
Jim Brown Child April 19, 1882 on Jasper Talbert Premises Unknown
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
John Young June 27, 1891 at the residence of John Young Accident
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
Henry Turner September 24, 1878 at Johnstons Homicide
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
Infant Boy Child Colored Infant Boy Child Colored February 15, 1883 at the residence of Charles Coleman Unknown
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
Richard J. Barton December 28, 1866 at Mrs Lucinda Bartons Accident
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Bartly negro man January 16, 1846 in the woods near the plantation of Dr Wm M Bent Unknown
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
Joe slave, boy September 13, 1860 at the residence of D. M. Glover Homicide
Rose negro woman Slave March 14, 1846 at Michael Longs Homicide
Edward Johnston December 26, 1892 at William Bushes Unknown
infant child infant child January 10, 1892 at Trenton Accident
Rose three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
Lesthia Ridlehouse[Ridlehover?] January 5, 1892 at the Residence of Mrs Edny Mary Accident
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
Dick male slave July 13, 1859 at Ted Scurrys residence Accident
Berry Butler October 9, 1892 at J. H Lagroons[?] plantation Accident
Robert slave, boy April 8, 1847 at Edward Hampton's Suicide
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
J. M. Long October 10, 1891 at J. M. Longs Homicide
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
Joseph Moore Jr. April 19, 1846 at the house of Dr John D. Nicholson Natural Causes
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
William Samuel April 26, 1891 at Scima[?] Hill Church Homicide
Lewis slave May 21, 1861 at S. H. Roggers Suicide
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Lilla Olophant female infant August 18, 1879 at Simpton[?] Pinns[?] Accident
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Willie Toney March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Lawrence Frazier child January 14, 1895 at D.B. Holingsworths Accident

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