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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Young | June 27, 1891 | at the residence of John Young | Accident | ||
Duke | negro man | March 25, 1855 | near Dennis Carpenters | Accident | |
Alexander P. Kennard | February 16, 1847 | in the District | Natural Causes | ||
Bob | negro | September 23, 1864 | in the District | Natural Causes | |
Flora Harrison | November 4, 1890 | at Liberty Hill | Homicide | ||
George Watkins | October 10, 1866 | at George Watkins | Homicide | ||
infant child | infant child | September 9, 1891 | at Wards | Natural Causes | |
Rose | three negro children | October 2, 1846 | at the house of Philip Brogden | Homicide | |
John E. Paul | June 14, 1892 | at Edgefield CH | Homicide | ||
Gus West | October 11, 1883 | at Jack Holms | Unknown | ||
Martha Lanham | January 29, 1892 | at Wilts[?] Curryes place | Natural Causes | ||
James Booth | August 23, 1878 | at E. C. House | Homicide | ||
William Samuel | April 26, 1891 | at Scima[?] Hill Church | Homicide | ||
Lizza | colered woman | October 7, 1866 | at the house of Thomas S. Miller | Natural Causes | |
Robert | slave, boy | April 8, 1847 | at Edward Hampton's | Suicide | |
Robert Johnston | May 23, 1891 | at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R | Accident | ||
E. M. Whatley | August 31, 1893 | at E M Whatley's | Suicide | ||
Thomas Rosseter[?] | August 30, 1852 | at Hamburg SC | Accident | ||
Willie Toney | March 26, 1899 | at Edgefield Court House | Homicide | ||
Elmira Jackson | May 18, 1884 | at George Holingsworths House | Accident | ||
negro man | negro man | April 10, 1850 | near Kilcreases Ferry | Accident | |
Edward Johnston | December 26, 1892 | at William Bushes | Unknown | ||
Lewis | slave | May 21, 1861 | at S. H. Roggers | Suicide | |
infant child | infant child | June 14, 1891 | at Kenny Grave Yard | Accident | |
Isaac Grimer | December 10, 1868 | at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road | Accident | ||
Lesthia Ridlehouse[Ridlehover?] | January 5, 1892 | at the Residence of Mrs Edny Mary | Accident | ||
Wesley | male slave, child | October 5, 1857 | at the residence of Sophia A Tilman | Homicide | |
Rose | negro woman Slave | March 14, 1846 | at Michael Longs | Homicide | |
Jack | negro boy | May 14, 1852 | at the house of H. W. Posey | Accident | |
infant male child | infant male child | January 3, 1894 | in Edgefield County | Natural Causes | |
Henry | negro man Slave | August 21, 1850 | at New Savannah in beach Island | Accident | |
infant | infant | January 10, 1898 | at Johnston | Homicide | |
Pete | slave | October 31, 1864 | at Liberty hill | Unknown | |
John H. Anderson | March 21, 1891 | at Tom Anderson place | Homicide | ||
Jack Taylor | April 11, 1892 | at the house of Hal[?] Miles | Natural Causes | ||
Harry | negro boy | September 9, 1858 | at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks | Accident | |
R. Mackgrath | January 5, 1852 | at the house of John Dobey | Other | ||
James Leppard | February 13, 1893 | at F. M. Leppards | Natural Causes | ||
Nancy Weaver | December 20, 1893 | at Edgefield Court House | Accident | ||
Lawrence Frazier | child | January 14, 1895 | at D.B. Holingsworths | Accident | |
Warren Kirkland | November 16, 1858 | at Benjamin Bartons | Homicide | ||
Elick Youngblood | child | March 21, 1881 | at S[?] R Warren | Homicide | |
Pink Williams | October 6, 1898 | at or near Mr E.F. Pickles residence | Homicide | ||
Belaus[Velaus?] | slave, boy | March 30, 1863 | at Robert Smiths | Accident | |
William C. Goff | May 7, 1865 | at Bethany Church | Accident | ||
George Washington Crowder | October 19, 1866 | at Grannetville | Accident | ||
Thomas Glover | August 2, 1893 | at Bill Werk[?] Residence | Homicide | ||
Charles | negro boy | November 14, 1842 | On Mr Thos Oliver's Plantation, at or near Said Oliver's residence | Accident | |
Edward | slave, boy | October 22, 1857 | at the residence of Wm Miller | Natural Causes | |
Albert Watson | June 15, 1892 | at the plantation of W.B. Maffett | Natural Causes |