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 501 - 524 of 524
Namesort ascending Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Method
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
Allen Smith Freedman January 19, 1867 at S.B. Chappells Residence Homicide pistol
Allen Holmes March 4, 1882 at Oscar Seigler Residence Homicide
Allen Bauknight freedman June 11, 1866 at William Bauknights Accident
Alick Croker boy September 29, 1878 at Mrs. Marshes premises Accident
Alice Adkinson October 18, 1898 at Republican Church Homicide
Alfred Hollingsworth October 10, 1898 at David Strothers place Homicide razor
Alexander P. Kennard February 16, 1847 in the District Natural Causes
Albert Watson June 15, 1892 at the plantation of W.B. Maffett Natural Causes
Albert Jones April 29, 1885 at Pickens Reynolds house Homicide
Albert Brunson June 26, 1895 at Edgefield CH Accident train
Al White October 12, 1898 at Mundy[?] Place Homicide
Aggy Latily[?] negro woman slave June 21, 1848 at the plantation of N L Griffin Unknown
Adam Barker August 10, 1879 at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd Suicide
Adam negro man Slave, boy August 3, 1850 at Vaucluse Factory Accident
Abram man slave August 17, 1860 at the Residence of Gen[?] Jas B. Griffin Accident snake
Abram slave October 8, 1860 at the Residence of H. B. Raborns Natural Causes
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
Aaron slave December 5, 1852 at A. Bushnells Shop Homicide chisel
Aaron slave December 3, 1851 at the house of Larkin Swearinghim Homicide cow hide
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
A. G. Leek February 23, 1859 at A. G. Leeks Residence Other
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident

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