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
Isham Glover August 10, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
Ned Dozier September 27, 1893 at MJ Holsteins Homicide
Sarah Scurry September 28, 1844 at the House of Sarah Scurry Suicide
George Robinson January 12, 1892 at the plantation of E. B. Davis Natural Causes
infant infant March 24, 1892 at Pinksville Homicide
Samuel Harrison February 18, 1881 at [inelligible - faded] Accident
Unknown August 30, 1866 at Fosity[?] Creek ford Unknown
A. G. Leek February 23, 1859 at A. G. Leeks Residence Other
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
John Young June 27, 1891 at the residence of John Young Accident
Benjamin Cockroft March 18, 1847 in the woods near the house of Beryman[?] Bledsoe Accident
Wallace E. Bland July 4, 1880 at Edgefield C. House Homicide
Curry slave March 17, 1856 at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation Accident
Ben Shubrick col December 24, 1869 at Negro heade Lane Natural Causes
Alexander P. Kennard February 16, 1847 in the District Natural Causes
Nelson Smith freedman, boy October 4, 1866 at Andrew Warts Homicide
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes
William Bailey July 19, 1846 at the House of Samuel C Scott Homicide
Milledge Stuard October 8, 1881 at Mount [??] Yard Natural Causes
Clem slave, boy October 3, 1858 at Tabitha Abney's Accident
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
John Hester May 13, 1846 at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy Accident
infant child infant child November 17, 1891 at Mr M Toneys place Unknown
Esther Jeter April 17, 1893 at Huiets x Roads Accident
Willie Toney March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Levi H. McDaniel March 9, 1859 at or near the 17 mile Post on the Scotts Ferry Road Homicide
infant child infant child January 18, 1892 at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger Accident
Edward Johnston December 26, 1892 at William Bushes Unknown
Elmira Jackson May 18, 1884 at George Holingsworths House Accident
John slave September 27, 1863 at the residence of Johnson A Bland Accident
Abram slave October 8, 1860 at the Residence of H. B. Raborns Natural Causes
W. T. Mathis November 11, 1897 at the Yeldell place Natural Causes
Lesthia Ridlehouse[Ridlehover?] January 5, 1892 at the Residence of Mrs Edny Mary Accident
Cooper slave March 17, 1852 at the plantation of L.H. Mundy decd Natural Causes
Nancy Slave June 19, 1847 at the house of Mrs G. Rily's Suicide
Whit Terry October 19, 1894 J.K. Corleys Place Homicide
Martin B. Elam January 28, 1851 at Mrs Mary Elams Other
Sallie Young December 8, 1890 at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation Accident
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
William Samuel April 26, 1891 at Scima[?] Hill Church Homicide
Thomas Prince July 31, 1848 at the Joal of Said District Natural Causes
Gus West October 11, 1883 at Jack Holms Unknown
Dudley Roundtree August 10, 1856 at the dwelling house of the late Dudley Roundtree Natural Causes
Joel Etheridge November 29, 1893 at Joel Etheridge Residence Unknown
John David Twiggs September 15, 1864 in Hamburg Homicide
Edmond Price April 30, 1892 at Kennys Graveyard Unknown
Will Collens October 20, 1894 at Gaines SC Homicide
Lawrence Frazier child January 14, 1895 at D.B. Holingsworths Accident
Milledge Fuller freedman February 18, 1867 at John Ransford plantation Accident
Sarah Lucas October 30, 1890 at Mr. M L Holson Accident

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