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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alick Croker | boy | September 29, 1878 | at Mrs. Marshes premises | Accident | |
James Edward Settle | boy | March 9, 1884 | on Henry Hill Plantation | Accident | |
William Prince | July 9, 1851 | at the house of John W Garrett | Accident | ||
Curry | slave | March 17, 1856 | at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation | Accident | |
George Mitchel | June 21, 1881 | at J. R Corleys | Accident | ||
infant | infant | January 24, 1893 | at Clintonwards | Accident | |
Ellen | slaves | March 4, 1860 | at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek | Accident | boat |
Albert Brunson | June 26, 1895 | at Edgefield CH | Accident | train | |
A. R. Steel | girl child | August 28, 1869 | at Graniteville | Accident | |
Callen O'Neall | November 11, 1855 | at Luke Havirds[?] | Accident | ||
Kenneth Martor[?] | January 15, 1852 | at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek | Accident | ||
Lizzie Darian | child | November 21, 1894 | at Waldo Richardsons | Accident | |
Henry Langley | April 2, 1848 | at Wm Vances | Accident | wagon | |
Lindy Jones | March 15, 1882 | at George Holingsworth House | Accident | ||
Isaac Grimer | December 10, 1868 | at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road | Accident | ||
Lewis Glanton | September 8, 1846 | near the church of Antioch | Accident | horse | |
Robert Johnston | May 23, 1891 | at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R | Accident | ||
Liz | slaves | March 4, 1860 | at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek | Accident | boat |
Howard Gale | June 13, 1879 | at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill | Accident | ||
Elijah Sullivan | April 24, 1898 | at Cow-buel[?] place | Accident | ||
Sam | Slave | June 14, 1858 | at Henry Spiers[?] | Accident | |
Sallie Young | December 8, 1890 | at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation | Accident | ||
Charley Geeter | October 27, 1881 | at Violets Geeter's house | Accident | ||
Thomas Rosseter[?] | August 30, 1852 | at Hamburg SC | Accident | ||
Mary Harrison | September 10, 1894 | at Dornville | Accident | ||
infant child | infant child | January 18, 1892 | at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger | Accident | |
George Washington Crowder | October 19, 1866 | at Grannetville | Accident | ||
Benjamin Cockroft | March 18, 1847 | in the woods near the house of Beryman[?] Bledsoe | Accident | ||
George Bowers | May 26, 1891 | at Kenards bend | Accident | mule | |
Emanuel | slave | March 12, 1856 | at Matthew McGraw's plantation | Accident | |
Peter | slaves | March 4, 1860 | at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek | Accident | boat |
Wallace Halloway | June 25, 1895 | at Edgefield Court house | Accident | train | |
Charles S. Harrison | November 25, 1878 | at E.C. House | Accident | pistol | |
Hampton Weaver | colored | July 17, 1869 | at the house of and on the farm of James T Outz | Accident | shotgun |
Solomon | negro man | June 24, 1844 | near the Mill of George A. McKee on Stevens Creek | Accident | |
Lizzy Rardon | September 28, 1879 | at Clansey Holloways plantation | Accident | ||
Ora Weaver | February 21, 1891 | at the plantation of D B. H Holfarth[illegible - ink blot] | Accident | ||
Joseph Ruffington | January 9, 1893 | at Thos O Attaways | Accident | ||
Sarah Lucas | October 30, 1890 | at Mr. M L Holson | Accident | ||
Isaac Oliphant | November 9, 1882 | at Ritch Thomson | Accident | ||
John Scott | May 10, 1851 | at Vaucluse[?] Factory | Accident | horse | |
Fannie Ford | March 5, 1893 | at Trenton S.C. | Accident | train | |
Minnie Johnson | December 22, 1892 | at John Bettis plantation | Accident | ||
Tom Waldrum | colored man (Free) | January 20, 1857 | in the woods near Mr Avory Franklins | Accident | |
Betsey | slaves | March 4, 1860 | at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek | Accident | boat |
John | slave | September 27, 1863 | at the residence of Johnson A Bland | Accident | |
Unknown | October 10, 1869 | at Graniteville | Accident | train | |
Sis Bonham | child | February 18, 1894 | at M.B. Davenports | Accident | |
Willis Cumings | child | October 10, 1890 | at C. M. Lanhams | Accident | |
W. W. Miller Sr. | white man | July 10, 1891 | at J M. Mays place | Accident |