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 151 - 200 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Ora Weaver February 21, 1891 at the plantation of D B. H Holfarth[illegible - ink blot] Accident
Victor male slave April 24, 1859 at A. L. Dearing Plantation Natural Causes
John David Twiggs September 15, 1864 in Hamburg Homicide
Apling negro man April 5, 1849 in the woods in said district near the Lexington line on a branch of McGier Creek Homicide
Edmond Price April 30, 1892 at Kennys Graveyard Unknown
Joseph Powel August 18, 1879 at [??] Accident
W. W. Miller Sr. white man July 10, 1891 at J M. Mays place Accident
Mahlon Jones December 25, 1891 at Landrams Farm Homicide
Sarah Lucas October 30, 1890 at Mr. M L Holson Accident
James Mitchell February 18, 1879 at L D Laudrums Natural Causes
Infred Padgett July 12, 1848 at the Joal of Edgefield Natural Causes
Solomon negro man June 24, 1844 near the Mill of George A. McKee on Stevens Creek Accident
Al White October 12, 1898 at Mundy[?] Place Homicide
James Edward Settle boy March 9, 1884 on Henry Hill Plantation Accident
Blassingame Wise April 27, 1848 at or near the Negro quarter of Mrs Wiley Glover, on Savannah River Suicide
Eddie Watson Infant April 25, 1892 at Bob Stevens Natural Causes
Doublin male slave, boy April 5, 1857 at the Residence of Mrs Delila Philips Natural Causes
Edmund Brown December 24, 1853 at the house of Wm Merchantile[?] Homicide
Enoch Douglass August 11, 1879 near Wesly Barrs on the rail road Accident
Louisa Wooden October 13, 1893 at Mose Woden Accident
Lucius Walker October 5, 1869 at James Doziers plantation Accident
Elijah Sullivan April 24, 1898 at Cow-buel[?] place Accident
Bettie Willis March 24, 1892 at the Croker place the home of Miss Bettie Willis Natural Causes
Tilman Attaway April 14, 1849 at the corner of the Oharer[?] old field Accident
Rachiel Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Jim Coleman freidman November 15, 1866 at the Mackey Place on horse Creek Accident
Caroline Coleman July 25, 1893 at Brisel[?] Blacks Residence Natural Causes
Lucious Perry November 8, 1891 at the plantation of Ben Boatwright Homicide
Alick Croker boy September 29, 1878 at Mrs. Marshes premises Accident
Tandy Holmes September 21, 1894 at or on Dr. W.C. Prescotts Plantation Homicide
Unknown April 11, 1860 at or near W.J. Walkers Unknown
Presley Wise July 11, 1891 at D W. Padgetts plantation Homicide
Willis Cumings child October 10, 1890 at C. M. Lanhams Accident
Charles slave July 31, 1851 at the house of John M. Norris Esqr in Edgefield Accident
Howard Gale June 13, 1879 at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill Accident
Henry negro man June 3, 1849 at the house of Mrs Mary Harrison Accident
Allen Bauknight freedman June 11, 1866 at William Bauknights Accident
Sam negro, slave September 18, 1846 at the residence of Mrs Nancy Delaughter Natural Causes
Joseph Shaw July 26, 1858 at the residence of John H Shaw near Edgefield C.H. Accident
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
Rhoda female slave July 4, 1857 at Dorn's[?] Mill Natural Causes
Robert W. Kincade December 27, 1845 at the house of Baley[?] Corley Natural Causes
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
Selena Allen child, boy, baby December 12, 1890 at Mrs Blacks[?] Plantation Accident
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident

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