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
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
infant child infant child November 23, 1891 at the plantation of Willis Owdom[?] Accident
Harriet negro woman July 20, 1859 at the residence of JB Rease Natural Causes
Anderson B. Branham January 6, 1892 at the plantation of M. C. Parker Unknown
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident
Susan Medlock April 7, 1894 at Johnston Homicide
Jim Brown Child April 19, 1882 on Jasper Talbert Premises Unknown
Sam negro, slave September 18, 1846 at the residence of Mrs Nancy Delaughter Natural Causes
Ann Kimball September 4, 1895 at China grove church Homicide
Rhoda female slave July 4, 1857 at Dorn's[?] Mill Natural Causes
Ben Shubrick col December 24, 1869 at Negro heade Lane Natural Causes
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
Charly Washington boy November 22, 1891 at the house of George Washington near Bauknights ferry Accident
Henry Turner September 24, 1878 at Johnstons Homicide
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
Infant Boy Child Colored Infant Boy Child Colored February 15, 1883 at the residence of Charles Coleman Unknown
Selena Allen child, boy, baby December 12, 1890 at Mrs Blacks[?] Plantation Accident
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Pompy Robinson November 1, 1898 at Norris Place Natural Causes
Peter Negro man December 30, 1859 at the Plantation of Mr Wm Bunch Accident
Hardy Boulware January 2, 1862 at Hardy Boulwares Homicide
John Hester May 13, 1846 at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy Accident
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
infant, child infant, child November 29, 1894 at the plantation of J. P. Roton Natural Causes
Lilla Olophant female infant August 18, 1879 at Simpton[?] Pinns[?] Accident
John E. Paul June 14, 1892 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Joe slave, boy September 13, 1860 at the residence of D. M. Glover Homicide
Martha Lanham January 29, 1892 at Wilts[?] Curryes place Natural Causes
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide
infant child infant child September 15, 1861 at the residence of Mrs Margret Willis Accident
Edmond Smallwood October 19, 1892 at E. C. Ridgells Plantation Natural Causes
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
Larrence Valentine December 28, 1893 at Mt[?] Willing Accident
Lidda Hampton November 24, 1893 at A Derrecks Natural Causes
Dick male slave July 13, 1859 at Ted Scurrys residence Accident
negro man negro man April 10, 1850 near Kilcreases Ferry Accident
Nancy Slave June 19, 1847 at the house of Mrs G. Rily's Suicide
Mary Slave May 17, 1847 at the Plantation of A. Perrin Homicide
Dave Gillam August 25, 1892 at the house of Cal Smiths Homicide
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
infant child infant child June 14, 1891 at Kenny Grave Yard 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
Charles M. Creswell August 5, 1869 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Tom negro slave December 18, 1858 at Chlo Watsons Homicide
Alice Adkinson October 18, 1898 at Republican Church Homicide

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