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 351 - 400 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort ascending
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes
Fed Martin convict September 1, 1895 at Poor House and CH Unknown
Milton Barter[?] youth August 24, 1849 at Capt. Andrew J Hammonds Mills Accident
Susan Medlock April 7, 1894 at Johnston Homicide
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
Isham Glover August 10, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
Harriet negro woman July 20, 1859 at the residence of JB Rease Natural Causes
Ann Kimball September 4, 1895 at China grove church Homicide
Ansabelle Brown October 21, 1866 near the Tambor[?] Soba[?] Rail Road Unknown
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
George Robinson January 12, 1892 at the plantation of E. B. Davis Natural Causes
Charly Washington boy November 22, 1891 at the house of George Washington near Bauknights ferry Accident
Jim Brown Child April 19, 1882 on Jasper Talbert Premises Unknown
J. J. Jennings November 16, 1860 at J J Jennings Suicide
Nelson Smith freedman, boy October 4, 1866 at Andrew Warts Homicide
John Whitlock boy September 8, 1869 at Grainteville Accident
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
W. T. Mathis November 11, 1897 at the Yeldell place Natural Causes
Dick male slave July 13, 1859 at Ted Scurrys residence Accident
William White December 10, 1898 at Savanah River Accident
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Eva Blocker February 11, 1893 at J. P. Wrights Plantation Accident
infant, child infant, child November 29, 1894 at the plantation of J. P. Roton Natural Causes
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
William M. Tredaway March 27, 1851 at the house of William M Tredaway at Beach Island Homicide
Sallie Young December 8, 1890 at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation Accident
Edmond Smallwood October 19, 1892 at E. C. Ridgells Plantation Natural Causes
Lilla Olophant female infant August 18, 1879 at Simpton[?] Pinns[?] Accident
Elleck free boy December 13, 1866 at Johnathan Gregorys Accident
Abram slave October 8, 1860 at the Residence of H. B. Raborns Natural Causes
Larrence Valentine December 28, 1893 at Mt[?] Willing Accident
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
infant child infant child November 17, 1891 at Mr M Toneys place Unknown
Joe slave, boy September 13, 1860 at the residence of D. M. Glover Homicide
Tom Slave, old negro man January 12, 1853 near the residence of Harry Scott Accident
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
infant child infant child January 18, 1892 at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger Accident
Dave Gillam August 25, 1892 at the house of Cal Smiths Homicide
Hartwell Roper June 17, 1869 at the residence of Rev. J.P. Mealing Natural Causes
Harry negro boy September 9, 1858 at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks Accident
Thomas child of Thomas M Chandler September 11, 1850 at Thos M. Chandler's house, and at the old Pottery Accident
Solomon negro man June 24, 1844 near the Mill of George A. McKee on Stevens Creek Accident
Alice Adkinson October 18, 1898 at Republican Church Homicide
Nancy Weaver December 20, 1893 at Edgefield Court House Accident
John G. Riddle July 3, 1860 at the residence of Mr Richard Burton Natural Causes
Rebeca Eidson May 29, 1861 at the Residence of William Eidson Natural Causes
Wade Medlock July 12, 1894 at Benjamin Boatwrights Plantation Unknown

Get in touch

  • Department of History
    220 LeConte Hall, Baldwin Street
    University of Georgia
    Athens, GA 30602-1602
  • 706-542-2053
  • admin@ehistory.org

eHistory was founded at the University of Georgia in 2011 by historians Claudio Saunt and Stephen Berry

Learn More about eHistory

Supporters

+ American Council of Learned Societies
+ DigiLab, Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, University of Georgia