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 Typesort ascending Death Method
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Thomas Styson June 22, 1856 at R. M. Fullers Homicide hoe
Joe Weston January 31, 1895 in Edgefield County Homicide
Lee Ryan September 27, 1877 at the plantation of Abram F Broadwater Homicide iron instrument
Thomas Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide pistol
Aaron slave December 5, 1852 at A. Bushnells Shop Homicide chisel
Andy Padgett July 5, 1891 near Ridge Spring Homicide knife
Johnson Peterson March 9, 1892 at Deny[?] S.C. Homicide pistol
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Stephen Stalmaker August 30, 1850 at J.M.C. Freeland's Homicide plank
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Ned Dozier September 27, 1893 at MJ Holsteins Homicide
infant infant March 24, 1892 at Pinksville Homicide
Henry Mobley December 11, 1899 at Johnston Homicide pistol
Yancy Hardy December 31, 1877 at Dr. GJ[?] Butlers Plantation Homicide pistol
Harry slave May 20, 1863 at Jesse Gomellions Homicide knife
Rose negro woman Slave March 14, 1846 at Michael Longs Homicide
Willie Toney March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
W. Brooker Toney August 12, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide pistol
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide
Prince negro boy December 23, 1849 at Thos G. Lamars Mills on little horse creek Homicide knife
Whit Terry October 19, 1894 J.K. Corleys Place Homicide
William Samuel April 26, 1891 at Scima[?] Hill Church Homicide
Isham Glover August 9, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
William negro man, boy, slave February 13, 1849 at R. F. Barretts Homicide knife
Rose three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Aaron slave December 3, 1851 at the house of Larkin Swearinghim Homicide cow hide
Stanmore B. Chappell January 19, 1867 at S.B. Chappells Residence Homicide pistol
Hammond Frasier November 6, 1897 at Trenton S.C. Homicide pistol
Jacob Horn February 25, 1866 at the hous of Jacob Horns Homicide
Isham Glover August 10, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
Margaret Simpkins September 21, 1879 on Jas C Brooks Plantation Homicide shotgun
Peter negro man June 16, 1838 at a Mr. Azariah[?] Abneys Homicide stick
Andrew Trapp December 4, 1869 near Trapps Mills Homicide knife
Thomas Glover August 2, 1893 at Bill Werk[?] Residence Homicide
Will Collens October 20, 1894 at Gaines SC Homicide
Robert Parks September 27, 1894 at Parkville Homicide lick
Green negro boy July 23, 1850 at the house of John Cheatham Homicide knife
Warren Kirkland November 16, 1858 at Benjamin Bartons Homicide
Robert J. Butler September 15, 1864 at Hamburg Homicide
Henry Burt June 21, 1895 at Henry Burts Homicide knife
Joshua Hammond Jr. September 6, 1849 at a place belonging to John Bauskett[?] on little horse creek Homicide fence rail
John Butler October 23, 1850 at the House of Mr Seth Butler Homicide knife
Britton McClendon November 11, 1850 near the residence of Henry C. Turner Homicide large hunting knife
Prince slave January 15, 1865 at John Seiglers Homicide knife
Jno. C Swearingin April 24, 1895 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Henry Padget freedman November 14, 1866 at Wm Padgets premises on Clouds Creek Homicide
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Dave Parkman December 16, 1897 at Cheatham place Homicide pistol
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide

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