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 451 - 500 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Typesort descending Death Method
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
Daniel slave, boy May 27, 1862 at John H. Fair Homicide shotgun
Robert Neid free man of Colour August 26, 1847 at Vaudun[?] Factory Homicide dirk knife
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
Lewis negro man, boy March 14, 1861 at Charles Hammonds Brickyard Homicide pistol
Teague Tillman October 2, 1899 at the plantation of Thos. H. Ramsford Homicide pistol
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Jesse Weatherford September 4, 1849 at the plantation of Mrs R Blaylock Homicide shotgun
Thomas Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide pistol
James Ramsey December 12, 1869 at the residence of Andrew Ramsay Sr Homicide pistol
Lewis Moore November 30, 1891 at the plantation of Robert Smith Homicide pocket knife
Aaron slave December 5, 1852 at A. Bushnells Shop Homicide chisel
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
John David Twiggs September 15, 1864 in Hamburg Homicide
Charles Cobb March 13, 1893 at or near Johnston Homicide umbrella
Andy Padgett July 5, 1891 near Ridge Spring Homicide knife
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Susan Medlock April 7, 1894 at Johnston Homicide
Ned Dozier September 27, 1893 at MJ Holsteins Homicide
Ann Kimball September 4, 1895 at China grove church Homicide
Lee Ryan September 27, 1877 at the plantation of Abram F Broadwater Homicide iron instrument
Charles M. Creswell August 5, 1869 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Rose negro woman Slave March 14, 1846 at Michael Longs Homicide
W. Brooker Toney August 12, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide pistol
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
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
Arthur Morris June 20, 1898 at M. W Clarks Homicide pistol
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
Lizzie Carson January 29, 1892 at John J Carson Coleman Township Suicide pistol
Basil M. Boone November 4, 1855 at the residence of Daniel Boone Suicide rifle
M. Emmitt Bryant June 25, 1891 at the Residence of Mrs Caterim[?] Bryants Suicide rope
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
Jacob Long Jr. December 19, 1848 at Jacob Longs Suicide razor
Wesley Weaver[?] June 15, 1858 at Mrs Lydia Nevus[?] Suicide shotgun
J. J. Jennings November 16, 1860 at J J Jennings Suicide
Lovina negroe girl, a slave September 4, 1860 at Doct H M Folks[Faulk?] Suicide
Aron slave, boy June 15, 1862 near the White house Suicide vine
Adam Barker August 10, 1879 at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd Suicide
John Randall October 19, 1857 at the dwelling house of John Randall Suicide razor
Sarah Scurry September 28, 1844 at the House of Sarah Scurry Suicide
James Miller March 29, 1847 at the house of James Miller Suicide rope

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