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 401 - 450 of 524
Namesort ascending Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Method
Enoch Douglass August 11, 1879 near Wesly Barrs on the rail road Accident
Emanuel Johnson October 7, 1893 at Wards Accident train
Emanuel slave March 12, 1856 at Matthew McGraw's plantation Accident
Emaline Jackson August 27, 1894 at Dr Childs Plantation Natural Causes
Elmira Jackson May 18, 1884 at George Holingsworths House Accident
Ellick negro man April 26, 1851 at the house of W. F Prescott Suicide rope
Ellen slaves March 4, 1860 at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek Accident boat
Elleck free boy December 13, 1866 at Johnathan Gregorys Accident
Elijah Sullivan April 24, 1898 at Cow-buel[?] place Accident
Elijah Reynolds April 11, 1878 at Johnstons Homicide pistol
Elijah Flour[?] youth July 24, 1849 at the hous of Mrs Salley Spradley Accident
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Eldrige Padgett February 9, 1859 at Eidson Padgetts Accident
Eldred Glover March 2, 1852 at the house of John Doby Homicide pistol
Edward Johnston December 26, 1892 at William Bushes Unknown
Edward Horton August 7, 1879 near Wesley Barrs[?] Accident sunstroke
Edward slave, boy October 22, 1857 at the residence of Wm Miller Natural Causes
Edward slave, boy October 22, 1858 at the residence of Wm Miller Natural Causes
Edmund Brown December 24, 1853 at the house of Wm Merchantile[?] Homicide
Edmond Smallwood October 19, 1892 at E. C. Ridgells Plantation Natural Causes
Edmond Sharpton December 20, 1866 at the House of Mrs J.P. Brewer Homicide pistol
Edmond Price April 30, 1892 at Kennys Graveyard Unknown
Edinborough Ryan December 30, 1882 at Mrs D. L Bussy Plantation Accident
Eddie Watson Infant April 25, 1892 at Bob Stevens Natural Causes
Ed Glover July 8, 1882 at Poore House Accident
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
Dudley Roundtree August 10, 1856 at the dwelling house of the late Dudley Roundtree Natural Causes
Doublin male slave, boy April 5, 1857 at the Residence of Mrs Delila Philips Natural Causes
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
Dilsey Seigler September 20, 1869 at Miles Mills Natural Causes
Dick male slave July 13, 1859 at Ted Scurrys residence Accident
David West boy January 30, 1862 at Graniteville Accident
Dave Parkman December 16, 1897 at Cheatham place Homicide pistol
Dave Gillam August 25, 1892 at the house of Cal Smiths Homicide
Dave negro man Slave March 16, 1849 at Kilcrease's Ferry Accident boat
Darling Willis March 4, 1859 at Wade Holeston warter Suicide pistol
Daniel slave, boy May 27, 1862 at John H. Fair Homicide shotgun
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
Curry slave March 17, 1856 at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation Accident
Cooper slave March 17, 1852 at the plantation of L.H. Mundy decd Natural Causes
Clem slave, boy October 3, 1858 at Tabitha Abney's Accident
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Cland Elam child March 17, 1892 at A. J. Norris Place Accident
Charly Washington boy November 22, 1891 at the house of George Washington near Bauknights ferry Accident
Charley Ryan May 9, 1892 at T. H. Ramsford Plantion Homicide
Charley Geeter October 27, 1881 at Violets Geeter's house Accident
Charles S. Harrison November 25, 1878 at E.C. House Accident pistol
Charles M. Creswell August 5, 1869 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Charles Cobb March 13, 1893 at or near Johnston Homicide umbrella

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