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 451 - 500 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort ascending
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Pompy Robinson November 1, 1898 at Norris Place Natural Causes
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
Sam negro, slave September 18, 1846 at the residence of Mrs Nancy Delaughter Natural Causes
Harriet negro woman July 20, 1859 at the residence of JB Rease Natural Causes
Rhoda female slave July 4, 1857 at Dorn's[?] Mill Natural Causes
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Edmond Smallwood October 19, 1892 at E. C. Ridgells Plantation Natural Causes
Larrence Valentine December 28, 1893 at Mt[?] Willing Accident
infant child infant child June 14, 1891 at Kenny Grave Yard Accident
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
Dick male slave July 13, 1859 at Ted Scurrys residence Accident
Nancy Slave June 19, 1847 at the house of Mrs G. Rily's Suicide
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
Dave Gillam August 25, 1892 at the house of Cal Smiths Homicide
John E. Paul June 14, 1892 at Edgefield CH Homicide
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
Martha Lanham January 29, 1892 at Wilts[?] Curryes place Natural Causes
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
William White December 10, 1898 at Savanah River Accident
John Hester May 13, 1846 at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy Accident
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
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
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
Joe slave, boy September 13, 1860 at the residence of D. M. Glover Homicide
negro man negro man April 10, 1850 near Kilcreases Ferry Accident
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide
Pink Williams October 6, 1898 at or near Mr E.F. Pickles residence Homicide
Tom negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at H. L. Maysons in Beach island Accident
William C. Goff May 7, 1865 at Bethany Church Accident
Mahlon Jones December 25, 1891 at Landrams Farm Homicide
James Mitchell February 18, 1879 at L D Laudrums Natural Causes
John McManas December 4, 1883 at the Jail Accident
Thomas child of Thomas M Chandler September 11, 1850 at Thos M. Chandler's house, and at the old Pottery Accident
Lewis negro man March 20, 1846 at & in the Revd Mr. Brooks Plantation Accident
infant male child infant male child January 3, 1894 in Edgefield County Natural Causes
John G. Riddle July 3, 1860 at the residence of Mr Richard Burton Natural Causes
infant infant January 10, 1898 at Johnston Homicide
Moses Blalock May 19, 1882 on the Plantation of W G McDavid Homicide
John H. Anderson March 21, 1891 at Tom Anderson place Homicide
Belaus[Velaus?] slave, boy March 30, 1863 at Robert Smiths Accident
Charles M. Creswell August 5, 1869 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Harry negro boy September 9, 1858 at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks Accident
Alice Adkinson October 18, 1898 at Republican Church Homicide
John David Twiggs September 15, 1864 in Hamburg Homicide
Nancy Weaver December 20, 1893 at Edgefield Court House Accident

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