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
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Samuel Harrison February 18, 1881 at [inelligible - faded] Accident
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
Isham Glover August 10, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Joel W. Warren November 9, 1894 at Joseph Mirren[?] House Natural Causes
Wallace E. Bland July 4, 1880 at Edgefield C. House Homicide
George Robinson January 12, 1892 at the plantation of E. B. Davis Natural Causes
Jno. C Swearingin April 24, 1895 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Alexander P. Kennard February 16, 1847 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
Chaney negro woman December 11, 1855 at the dwelling house of Mrs Randall in the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Milledge Stuard October 8, 1881 at Mount [??] Yard Natural Causes
Curry slave March 17, 1856 at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation Accident
Ana May Blocker child December 2, 1894 at Ben Boatwrights farm 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
Emanuel slave March 12, 1856 at Matthew McGraw's plantation Accident
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Elmira Jackson May 18, 1884 at George Holingsworths House Accident
infant Boy infant Boy October 29, 1894 at [?] Coleman 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
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Frank Milton child January 26, 1894 at Sanders Loricks Natural Causes
infant child infant child January 18, 1892 at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger Accident
Mid[?] Griffin February 2, 1895 at the Govelace[?] 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
infant infant January 22, 1894 at Oak Gilchrist House Natural Causes
W. T. Mathis November 11, 1897 at the Yeldell place Natural Causes
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
Mary Grace Aldrich infant child August 11, 1856 at Graniteville Homicide
Gus West October 11, 1883 at Jack Holms Unknown
Emaline Jackson August 27, 1894 at Dr Childs Plantation Natural Causes
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
Tom Waldrum colored man (Free) January 20, 1857 in the woods near Mr Avory Franklins Accident
Sallie Young December 8, 1890 at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation Accident
Jim McKie October 26, 1898 near John starks Homicide
John Webb March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
George Ross June 29, 1898 at Adoms[?] place Homicide
Charles M. Creswell August 5, 1869 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Belaus[Velaus?] slave, boy March 30, 1863 at Robert Smiths Accident
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide

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