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
Fed Martin convict September 1, 1895 at Poor House and CH Unknown
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
William Prince July 9, 1851 at the house of John W Garrett Accident
James L. Hill January 10, 1867 at James L Hills Accident
John Shumport[?] November 7, 1851 at John Shumports[?] Accident
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook Accident
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
John McKinny September 26, 1894 at W P. Lipfords[?] Homicide
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
Berry Butler October 9, 1892 at J. H Lagroons[?] plantation Accident
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
Willie G. Harris March 25, 1897 at Edgefield CH Homicide
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
Mary Slave May 17, 1847 at the Plantation of A. Perrin Homicide
J. M. Long October 10, 1891 at J. M. Longs Homicide
Lizzie Greeg July 4, 1884 at Capt Taliar[?] Hearin[?] Natural Causes
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports 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
Adam Barker August 10, 1879 at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd Suicide
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
infant child infant child September 15, 1861 at the residence of Mrs Margret Willis Accident
infant child infant child January 10, 1892 at Trenton Accident
Charley Geeter October 27, 1881 at Violets Geeter's house Accident
Pete slave October 31, 1864 at Liberty hill Unknown

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