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
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
Bartly negro man January 16, 1846 in the woods near the plantation of Dr Wm M Bent Unknown
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
infant child infant child November 23, 1891 at the plantation of Willis Owdom[?] Accident
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Anderson B. Branham January 6, 1892 at the plantation of M. C. Parker Unknown
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
Sam negro, slave September 18, 1846 at the residence of Mrs Nancy Delaughter Natural Causes
Rhoda female slave July 4, 1857 at Dorn's[?] Mill Natural Causes
Ben Shubrick col December 24, 1869 at Negro heade Lane Natural Causes
John Shumport[?] November 7, 1851 at John Shumports[?] Accident
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
Fed Martin convict September 1, 1895 at Poor House and CH Unknown
Selena Allen child, boy, baby December 12, 1890 at Mrs Blacks[?] Plantation Accident
Richard J. Barton December 28, 1866 at Mrs Lucinda Bartons Accident
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
Lewis slave May 21, 1861 at S. H. Roggers Suicide
Adam Barker August 10, 1879 at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd Suicide
John Hester May 13, 1846 at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy Accident
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
John E. Paul June 14, 1892 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
Martha Lanham January 29, 1892 at Wilts[?] Curryes place Natural Causes
Rose negro woman Slave March 14, 1846 at Michael Longs Homicide
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
Rose three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Charley Geeter October 27, 1881 at Violets Geeter's house Accident
John McKinny September 26, 1894 at W P. Lipfords[?] Homicide
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
negro man negro man April 10, 1850 near Kilcreases Ferry Accident
Robert slave, boy April 8, 1847 at Edward Hampton's Suicide
Willie G. Harris March 25, 1897 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Nancy Slave June 19, 1847 at the house of Mrs G. Rily's Suicide
Lizzie Greeg July 4, 1884 at Capt Taliar[?] Hearin[?] Natural Causes
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
infant child infant child June 14, 1891 at Kenny Grave Yard Accident
Charles M. Creswell August 5, 1869 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Belaus[Velaus?] slave, boy March 30, 1863 at Robert Smiths Accident
Lizzy Rardon September 28, 1879 at Clansey Holloways plantation Accident
infant child infant child April 14, 1895 at Charley Moors Homicide

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