Edgefield County, SC
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," 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
Name | Deceased Description | Date | Inquest Location | Death Type | Death Method |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Randal | negro man | May 9, 1844 | at Grancis Bettis's plantation on Horns Creek | Homicide | cow skin |
William Cloud | July 8, 1851 | at the Spaun[?] Hotel | Homicide | pistol | |
Charles | slave, boy | September 25, 1861 | at Elijah Watson | Homicide | |
Luther Harris | May 26, 1899 | at the plantation of George F Towns | Homicide | ||
Robert Neid | free man of Colour | August 26, 1847 | at Vaudun[?] Factory | Homicide | dirk knife |
Robert J. Butler | September 15, 1864 | at Hamburg | Homicide | ||
Henry Burt | June 21, 1895 | at Henry Burts | Homicide | knife | |
Harry Anderson | December 16, 1882 | at Clinton Ward | Homicide | pistol | |
Lizzy | three negro children | October 2, 1846 | at the house of Philip Brogden | Homicide | axe |
Eugene McCarty | May 11, 1861 | at Edgefield Court house | Homicide | pistol | |
Eldred Glover | March 2, 1852 | at the house of John Doby | Homicide | pistol | |
Mary Randall | October 19, 1857 | at the Residence of John Randall | Homicide | razor | |
John E. Elsmore | November 28, 1869 | at the house of John E. Elsmore | Homicide | pistol | |
Carey Ashley | October 11, 1879 | at J W Wises[?] plantation | Homicide | pistol | |
Flora Harrison | November 4, 1890 | at Liberty Hill | Homicide | ||
Aaron | slave | December 5, 1852 | at A. Bushnells Shop | Homicide | chisel |
Nelson Smith | freedman, boy | October 4, 1866 | at Andrew Warts | Homicide | |
Gus Blocker | August 18, 1892 | at the plantion of July Blocker | Homicide | ||
Elick Youngblood | child | March 21, 1881 | at S[?] R Warren | Homicide | |
Jno. C Swearingin | April 24, 1895 | at Edgefield CH | Homicide | ||
Riller | three negro children | October 2, 1846 | at the house of Philip Brogden | Homicide | |
Lee Ryan | September 27, 1877 | at the plantation of Abram F Broadwater | Homicide | iron instrument | |
Julia Van | June 20, 1892 | at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond | Homicide | ||
Frank Holson | freedman | January 9, 1867 | at Lee Holson | Homicide | pistol |
Thomas Booth | August 23, 1878 | at E. C. House | Homicide | pistol | |
James Bledsoe | May 15, 1893 | at Dr D.P. Lalsrones[?] Residence | Homicide | pistol | |
Sam Howard | Freedman | August 6, 1866 | at L. L. Halls | Homicide | knife |
James Thomas | colored | July 20, 1869 | at Liberty Hill County | Homicide | |
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 | |
Aaron | slave | December 3, 1851 | at the house of Larkin Swearinghim | Homicide | cow hide |
Stanmore B. Chappell | January 19, 1867 | at S.B. Chappells Residence | Homicide | pistol | |
Namro | negro man | August 11, 1844 | at the house of Rob King Esqr | Homicide | club or stick |
Yancy Hardy | December 31, 1877 | at Dr. GJ[?] Butlers Plantation | Homicide | pistol | |
Andrew | slave | September 3, 1850 | at A.P. Butlers plantation | Homicide | rail |
Rose | negro woman Slave | March 14, 1846 | at Michael Longs | Homicide | |
W. Brooker Toney | August 12, 1878 | at E. C. House | Homicide | pistol | |
James S. Aiton | June 19, 1893 | at J.S. Aiton deceased | Suicide | pistol | |
Nancy | Slave | June 19, 1847 | at the house of Mrs G. Rily's | Suicide | |
Ras | slave | December 6, 1850 | at D Dennys Mill | Suicide | |
Daniel | slave, boy | April 28, 1859 | at L. Halls Tisery[?] | Suicide | |
Solomon Ellenberg | February 18, 1859 | near the Residence of G.M. Ouzts[?] | Suicide | ||
Blassingame Wise | April 27, 1848 | at or near the Negro quarter of Mrs Wiley Glover, on Savannah River | Suicide | ||
Violet | negro woman (slave) | March 25, 1844 | at John Dinkinses | Suicide | |
Lizzie Carson | January 29, 1892 | at John J Carson Coleman Township | Suicide | pistol | |
Lovina | negroe girl, a slave | September 4, 1860 | at Doct H M Folks[Faulk?] | Suicide | |
Basil M. Boone | November 4, 1855 | at the residence of Daniel Boone | Suicide | rifle | |
Aron | slave, boy | June 15, 1862 | near the White house | Suicide | vine |
Adam Barker | August 10, 1879 | at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd | Suicide | ||
Sarah Scurry | September 28, 1844 | at the House of Sarah Scurry | Suicide |