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 251 - 300 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
William Harlin February 19, 1856 at a new place sitting by Mr James Swearingem(Jr) on the Akien Road Accident
James Reynolds December 20, 1860 at the residence of James Reynolds Homicide
Polly Vines April 20, 1892 at the house of Ben. Holt Natural Causes
Apling negro man April 5, 1849 in the woods in said district near the Lexington line on a branch of McGier Creek Homicide
George Ross June 29, 1898 at Adoms[?] place Homicide
George Washington Crowder October 19, 1866 at Grannetville Accident
H. P. Church December 27, 1842 in the house of C. H. Goodman in the Vilage of Edgefield Other
B. C. Bryan March 16, 1884 at B C Bryan Residence Natural Causes
Joe infant negro August 26, 1860 at John Huiets Accident
infant child infant child April 14, 1895 at Charley Moors Homicide
Pete slave October 31, 1864 at Liberty hill Unknown
J. B. Whittle November 28, 1894 at Mrs Whittles Natural Causes
Henry negro man June 3, 1849 at the house of Mrs Mary Harrison Accident
Tandy Holmes September 21, 1894 at or on Dr. W.C. Prescotts Plantation Homicide
Robert Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
William Padgett February 22, 1894 at W.D. Readys plantation Homicide
infant child infant child December 14, 1877 at Dr. K N Hudsons plantation Homicide
male baby male baby May 24, 1891 at the Saluda River Homicide
Edmund Brown December 24, 1853 at the house of Wm Merchantile[?] Homicide
Allen Bauknight freedman June 11, 1866 at William Bauknights Accident
Minda negro girl August 17, 1851 at Mr Geo Robinsons Unknown
Seware[?] Stuart November 4, 1893 at J.[?] E. Griffiths Accident
Willis Asbell December 7, 1877 at Ridge Spring Homicide
Isham Glover August 9, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
George Hatcher freedman June 19, 1867 at B. W. Hatchers Mill on Shaws creek Natural Causes
Joe Weston January 31, 1895 in Edgefield County Homicide
Tilman Attaway April 14, 1849 at the corner of the Oharer[?] old field Accident
Kizziah[?] slave, servant March 11, 1860 at the residence of Mr M Lanham Natural Causes
Bluford Abney November 14, 1894 at M.A. Colemans plantation Natural Causes
Louisa Wooden October 13, 1893 at Mose Woden Accident
Violet negro woman (slave) March 25, 1844 at John Dinkinses Suicide
Allen Holmes March 4, 1882 at Oscar Seigler Residence Homicide
Solomon Ellenberg February 18, 1859 near the Residence of G.M. Ouzts[?] Suicide
Charles slave, boy September 25, 1861 at Elijah Watson Homicide
Henry Ethredge June 2, 1899 at the plantation of P.B. Mayson Accident
Charles slave July 31, 1851 at the house of John M. Norris Esqr in Edgefield Accident
Eunice Hogan October 26, 1851 at the house of John Briskey Homicide
J. J. Jennings November 16, 1860 at J J Jennings Suicide
infant infant March 24, 1892 at Pinksville Homicide
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
Henry Turner September 24, 1878 at Johnstons Homicide
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes
Joseph Shaw July 26, 1858 at the residence of John H Shaw near Edgefield C.H. Accident
Lula Smith child June 22, 1894 at James A Satcher's Plantation Homicide
Infant Boy Child Colored Infant Boy Child Colored February 15, 1883 at the residence of Charles Coleman Unknown
John Young June 27, 1891 at the residence of John Young Accident
Robert W. Kincade December 27, 1845 at the house of Baley[?] Corley Natural Causes
Peter Negro man December 30, 1859 at the Plantation of Mr Wm Bunch Accident
John Henry King October 29, 1865 in Hamburg Homicide
Isham Glover August 10, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide

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