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 51 - 100 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
George Washington Crowder October 19, 1866 at Grannetville Accident
Cesar Negro, negro boy July 7, 1843 at the house of Elijah Watson Homicide
Luther Sullivan October 26, 1898 near John Stuarts Homicide
W. W. Miller Sr. white man July 10, 1891 at J M. Mays place Accident
Tom negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at H. L. Maysons in Beach island Accident
infant infant January 10, 1898 at Johnston Homicide
Albert Jones April 29, 1885 at Pickens Reynolds house Homicide
Joe infant negro August 26, 1860 at John Huiets Accident
Pete slave October 31, 1864 at Liberty hill Unknown
John McManas December 4, 1883 at the Jail Accident
John H. Anderson March 21, 1891 at Tom Anderson place Homicide
Thomas child of Thomas M Chandler September 11, 1850 at Thos M. Chandler's house, and at the old Pottery Accident
Julia Banks September 4, 1891 at Mr Banks Plantation Natural Causes
James Leppard February 13, 1893 at F. M. Leppards Natural Causes
John G. Riddle July 3, 1860 at the residence of Mr Richard Burton Natural Causes
William Harlin February 19, 1856 at a new place sitting by Mr James Swearingem(Jr) on the Akien Road Accident
Moses Blalock May 19, 1882 on the Plantation of W G McDavid Homicide
John Webb March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Pink Williams October 6, 1898 at or near Mr E.F. Pickles residence Homicide
George Ross June 29, 1898 at Adoms[?] place Homicide
Henry Jennings September 14, 1891 at the residense of diceased Natural Causes
Jim slave June 10, 1859 at M, L, Bonham Esqr residence on the Pine House road Natural Causes
Julia Mundy June 17, 1881 at Jas H Banknight Homicide
Tandy Holmes September 21, 1894 at or on Dr. W.C. Prescotts Plantation Homicide
Albert Watson June 15, 1892 at the plantation of W.B. Maffett Natural Causes
Lidia Watson January 26, 1894 at J E Macks Accident
Charles slave, boy September 25, 1861 at Elijah Watson Homicide
Cland Elam child March 17, 1892 at A. J. Norris Place Accident
Allen Bauknight freedman June 11, 1866 at William Bauknights Accident
James Perry December 27, 1894 at Mt Enon Church Accident
William Padgett February 22, 1894 at W.D. Readys plantation Homicide
Jesse Moragna[?] March 3, 1882 at Luke Moragines[?] House Accident
Toby negro man July 10, 1844 near Bauskett Bridge on Stevens Creek Accident
David West boy January 30, 1862 at Graniteville Accident
Minda negro girl August 17, 1851 at Mr Geo Robinsons Unknown
Mingo Mosley January 13, 1883 at Samuel[?] Corley's Accident
Fannie Patton November 18, 1898 at Francis Williams house Accident
Louisa Wooden October 13, 1893 at Mose Woden Accident
Reubin Weaver December 28, 1895 at Elijah Boatwrights Plantation Natural Causes
George Hatcher freedman June 19, 1867 at B. W. Hatchers Mill on Shaws creek Natural Causes
Lila Washington February 20, 1879 at Wesley Barns Mill Accident
Julia Hightower child November 9, 1890 at Mr Sam Marshes Place Accident
James Frazier Babie October 24, 1890 at D. B Hollingworth Accident
Ansabelle Brown October 21, 1866 near the Tambor[?] Soba[?] Rail Road Unknown
Alexander P. Kennard February 16, 1847 in the District Natural Causes
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Charley Ryan May 9, 1892 at T. H. Ramsford Plantion Homicide
Susan Medlock April 7, 1894 at Johnston Homicide
Nelson Smith freedman, boy October 4, 1866 at Andrew Warts Homicide

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