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 Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Susan Medlock April 7, 1894 at Johnston Homicide
Ernest Bean April 6, 1884 at the Mill of B[?] Hill Accident
Ann Kimball September 4, 1895 at China grove church Homicide
Joseph Shaw July 26, 1858 at the residence of John H Shaw near Edgefield C.H. Accident
Ben Shubrick col December 24, 1869 at Negro heade Lane Natural Causes
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
Charly Washington boy November 22, 1891 at the house of George Washington near Bauknights ferry Accident
Robert W. Kincade December 27, 1845 at the house of Baley[?] Corley Natural Causes
John Shumport[?] November 7, 1851 at John Shumports[?] Accident
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook Accident
Infant Boy Child Infant Boy Child June 18, 1883 at Marsh Grobe Yard Accident
Fed Martin convict September 1, 1895 at Poor House and CH Unknown
Pompy Robinson November 1, 1898 at Norris Place Natural Causes
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
James L. Hill January 10, 1867 at James L Hills Accident
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Eunice Hogan October 26, 1851 at the house of John Briskey Homicide
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
Larrence Valentine December 28, 1893 at Mt[?] Willing Accident
Mary Bright Hanpt[?] October 6, 1881 at Bright Hanpt[?] Unknown
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident
Nancy Slave June 19, 1847 at the house of Mrs G. Rily's Suicide
Joseph Moore Jr. April 19, 1846 at the house of Dr John D. Nicholson Natural Causes
Dave Gillam August 25, 1892 at the house of Cal Smiths Homicide
Eldrige Padgett February 9, 1859 at Eidson Padgetts Accident
infant child infant child January 10, 1892 at Trenton Accident
Ed Glover July 8, 1882 at Poore House Accident
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
William White December 10, 1898 at Savanah River Accident
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
John Hester May 13, 1846 at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy Accident
Berry Butler October 9, 1892 at J. H Lagroons[?] plantation Accident
infant, child infant, child November 29, 1894 at the plantation of J. P. Roton Natural Causes
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
J. M. Long October 10, 1891 at J. M. Longs Homicide
John Matthews October 13, 1829 at the house of William Adams Other
Edmond Smallwood October 19, 1892 at E. C. Ridgells Plantation Natural Causes
Thomas child of Thomas M Chandler September 11, 1850 at Thos M. Chandler's house, and at the old Pottery Accident
Harry negro boy September 9, 1858 at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks Accident
James Mitchell February 18, 1879 at L D Laudrums Natural Causes
H. P. Church December 27, 1842 in the house of C. H. Goodman in the Vilage of Edgefield Other

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