Edgefield County, SC
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," 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
Name | Deceased Description | Date | Inquest Location | Death Type | Death Method |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andrew | slave | September 3, 1850 | at A.P. Butlers plantation | Homicide | rail |
Benjamin F. Jones | March 24, 1845 | at W B Griffins | Homicide | shotgun | |
Dave Gillam | August 25, 1892 | at the house of Cal Smiths | Homicide | ||
Thomas O'Donald | September 13, 1869 | at Dr. John E. Padgetts | Homicide | pistol | |
Wesley | male slave, child | October 5, 1857 | at the residence of Sophia A Tilman | Homicide | |
Arthur Morris | June 20, 1898 | at M. W Clarks | Homicide | pistol | |
John Agner | December 26, 1883 | at Mr. John Agner's | Homicide | knife | |
Mahlon Jones | December 25, 1891 | at Landrams Farm | Homicide | ||
Harry | slave | December 25, 1858 | at Col Arthur Sinkins[?] | Homicide | knife |
Henry | male slave | July 15, 1858 | at Edgefield C.H. | Homicide | hickory stick |
Bridgett Etheridge | June 26, 1893 | at John Etheridges Residence | Homicide | hoe | |
Elijah Reynolds | April 11, 1878 | at Johnstons | Homicide | pistol | |
Lewis Bartie | July 26, 1864 | at Mount Zion Church | Homicide | shotgun | |
Wallace E. Bland | July 4, 1880 | at Edgefield C. House | Homicide | ||
Joseph W. Glover | September 2, 1844 | at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel | Homicide | ||
Alice Adkinson | October 18, 1898 | at Republican Church | Homicide | ||
Robert Neid | free man of Colour | August 26, 1847 | at Vaudun[?] Factory | Homicide | dirk knife |
Isaah Golden | August 27, 1860 | at Silverton Beach iland | Homicide | knife | |
Presley Wise | July 11, 1891 | at D W. Padgetts plantation | Homicide | ||
Lizzy | three negro children | October 2, 1846 | at the house of Philip Brogden | Homicide | axe |
J. M. Long | October 10, 1891 | at J. M. Longs | Homicide | ||
Eldred Glover | March 2, 1852 | at the house of John Doby | Homicide | pistol | |
Richmond | slave | March 3, 1857 | at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House | Homicide | |
Scipio | slave | April 1, 1862 | at E. J. Youngbloods | Homicide | hatchet |
Thomas Styson | June 22, 1856 | at R. M. Fullers | Homicide | hoe | |
John E. Elsmore | November 28, 1869 | at the house of John E. Elsmore | Homicide | pistol | |
Carey Ashley | October 11, 1879 | at J W Wises[?] plantation | Homicide | pistol | |
Al White | October 12, 1898 | at Mundy[?] Place | Homicide | ||
Joseph Riddle | April 10, 1856 | at Hamburg | Homicide | ||
William Cloud | July 8, 1851 | at the Spaun[?] Hotel | Homicide | pistol | |
J. H. Christian | July 21, 1856 | in the village of Edgefield in Room No 11, in B. J. Ryans Hotel | Homicide | pistol | |
John Laudrum | October 11, 1869 | at Dons Steam Mills near Rocky Creek | Homicide | knife | |
Elick Youngblood | child | March 21, 1881 | at S[?] R Warren | Homicide | |
Andy Padgett | July 5, 1891 | near Ridge Spring | Homicide | knife | |
Riller | three negro children | October 2, 1846 | at the house of Philip Brogden | Homicide | |
Ned Dozier | September 27, 1893 | at MJ Holsteins | 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 |
Rufus Harling | September 16, 1897 | at Clarks Hill | Homicide | ||
John McKinny | September 26, 1894 | at W P. Lipfords[?] | Homicide | ||
Whit Terry | October 19, 1894 | J.K. Corleys Place | Homicide | ||
Rose | three negro children | October 2, 1846 | at the house of Philip Brogden | Homicide | |
Isham Glover | August 9, 1892 | at Edgefield C.H. | 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 | |
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 | |
William Padgett | February 22, 1894 | at W.D. Readys plantation | Homicide |