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
Simon C. Wood[?] December 26, 1857 at Wm Calelaziers[?] Natural Causes
Lawrence Frazier child January 14, 1895 at D.B. Holingsworths Accident
Lona May Hamilton child October 18, 1893 at or near Longmires PO[?] Natural Causes
Cesar Negro, negro boy July 7, 1843 at the house of Elijah Watson Homicide
Caroline Free negro August 26, 1858 four miles from Hamburg Unknown
J. E. Black May 8, 1861 at the Residence of J. E. Black Other
Solomon negro man June 24, 1844 near the Mill of George A. McKee on Stevens Creek Accident
Elijah Flour[?] youth July 24, 1849 at the hous of Mrs Salley Spradley Accident
John McManas December 4, 1883 at the Jail Accident
Rebeca Eidson May 29, 1861 at the Residence of William Eidson Natural Causes
white man white man October 21, 1849 in the woods near Holsonbakers[?] old fields Natural Causes
Thomas Glover August 2, 1893 at Bill Werk[?] Residence Homicide
Dilsey Seigler September 20, 1869 at Miles Mills Natural Causes
John G. Riddle July 3, 1860 at the residence of Mr Richard Burton Natural Causes
Ora Weaver February 21, 1891 at the plantation of D B. H Holfarth[illegible - ink blot] Accident
Henry slave, boy May 1, 1857 at Arthur Glovers House, Horns Creek Accident
Moses Blalock May 19, 1882 on the Plantation of W G McDavid Homicide
William Perry January 7, 1894 in the county and state aforesaid Accident
Jack Taylor April 11, 1892 at the house of Hal[?] Miles Natural Causes
Isaac Jones July 1, 1881 at Ridge Spring Natural Causes
Lucious Perry November 8, 1891 at the plantation of Ben Boatwright Homicide
Lila Washington February 20, 1879 at Wesley Barns Mill Accident
Willis Cumings child October 10, 1890 at C. M. Lanhams Accident
Wilson Griffin freedman February 13, 1867 at Luke Rodgers Homicide
Sam Slave June 14, 1858 at Henry Spiers[?] Accident
James Thomas colored July 20, 1869 at Liberty Hill County Homicide
Edinborough Ryan December 30, 1882 at Mrs D. L Bussy Plantation Accident
Lovina negroe girl, a slave September 4, 1860 at Doct H M Folks[Faulk?] Suicide
Doublin male slave, boy April 5, 1857 at the Residence of Mrs Delila Philips Natural Causes
Levi S. Mathews July 13, 1892 at G. C. Wheerles[?] Residence Natural Causes
Jesse Limbecker June 18, 1869 at Hamburg Accident
Jesse Moragna[?] March 3, 1882 at Luke Moragines[?] House Accident
Bettie Willis March 24, 1892 at the Croker place the home of Miss Bettie Willis Natural Causes
Charity Johnson March 11, 1847 at the Residence of Charity Johnson, late deceased Natural Causes
Richard Mims August 1, 1899 at the plantation of Mrs. H. Carter Accident
Mingo Mosley January 13, 1883 at Samuel[?] Corley's Accident
Sallie Holmes December 20, 1893 at D. P. Bodies[?] Accident
J. F. Styron April 21, 1891 at residence of J. F. Styron[?] Accident
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
infant child infant child November 23, 1891 at the plantation of Willis Owdom[?] Accident
A. G. Leek February 23, 1859 at A. G. Leeks Residence Other
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
Wallace E. Bland July 4, 1880 at Edgefield C. House Homicide
Anderson B. Branham January 6, 1892 at the plantation of M. C. Parker Unknown
Benjamin Cockroft March 18, 1847 in the woods near the house of Beryman[?] Bledsoe Accident
Jno. C Swearingin April 24, 1895 at Edgefield CH Homicide
John Shumport[?] November 7, 1851 at John Shumports[?] Accident
Alexander P. Kennard February 16, 1847 in the District Natural Causes
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Fed Martin convict September 1, 1895 at Poor House and CH Unknown

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