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 251 - 300 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Charles negro boy November 14, 1842 On Mr Thos Oliver's Plantation, at or near Said Oliver's residence Accident
J. E. Black May 8, 1861 at the Residence of J. E. Black Other
Matt Loyd February 24, 1891 at Mr. Carmal cemetary near the Old Wills Natural Causes
Joseph Powel August 18, 1879 at [??] Accident
Henry negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at New Savannah in beach Island Accident
Elijah Flour[?] youth July 24, 1849 at the hous of Mrs Salley Spradley Accident
Blanchy Wilson November 30, 1893 on the plantation of Robert Hastings Accident
Sallie Busch August 21, 1892 at Lewis Beans plantation Natural Causes
infant child infant child July 24, 1892 at Promised Land School house Unknown
John Brown December 20, 1844 at the house of John Brown Natural Causes
Jesse Limbecker June 18, 1869 at Hamburg Accident
Gertrude infant child December 1, 1891 at Edgfield Court house Accident
James Edward Settle boy March 9, 1884 on Henry Hill Plantation Accident
Joe Weston January 31, 1895 in Edgefield County Homicide
Bluford Abney November 14, 1894 at M.A. Colemans plantation Natural Causes
Louisa Wooden October 13, 1893 at Mose Woden Accident
Charles negro boy March 7, 1857 at Archy Clark residence Accident
Sallie Holmes December 20, 1893 at D. P. Bodies[?] Accident
Prince negro man October 27, 1844 at Mrs Elizabeth Timmermans Suicide
Enoch Douglass August 11, 1879 near Wesly Barrs on the rail road Accident
Ryal Negro Slave July 28, 1851 at Mr Thos McKies Batteau landing on Big Stephen's Creek Accident
Rachiel Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Henry Ethredge June 2, 1899 at the plantation of P.B. Mayson Accident
J. B. Whittle November 28, 1894 at Mrs Whittles Natural Causes
Sam Slave June 14, 1858 at Henry Spiers[?] Accident
Tandy Holmes September 21, 1894 at or on Dr. W.C. Prescotts Plantation Homicide
Adam negro man Slave, boy August 3, 1850 at Vaucluse Factory Accident
James Thomas colored July 20, 1869 at Liberty Hill County Homicide
Garett Doby October 11, 1880 at William Rufus Natural Causes
Alick Croker boy September 29, 1878 at Mrs. Marshes premises Accident
male baby male baby May 24, 1891 at the Saluda River Homicide
Allen Bauknight freedman June 11, 1866 at William Bauknights Accident
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
Ben Shubrick col December 24, 1869 at Negro heade Lane Natural Causes
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
infant infant March 24, 1892 at Pinksville Homicide
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook Accident
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident

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