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
Pink Williams October 6, 1898 at or near Mr E.F. Pickles residence Homicide
Will Collens October 20, 1894 at Gaines SC Homicide
Caroline Free negro August 26, 1858 four miles from Hamburg Unknown
Charles negro boy November 14, 1842 On Mr Thos Oliver's Plantation, at or near Said Oliver's residence Accident
Henry Parks September 14, 1895 at Parksville Homicide
Jack negro boy May 14, 1852 at the house of H. W. Posey Accident
Henry negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at New Savannah in beach Island Accident
Callen O'Neall November 11, 1855 at Luke Havirds[?] Accident
Blanchy Wilson November 30, 1893 on the plantation of Robert Hastings Accident
Hartwell Roper June 17, 1869 at the residence of Rev. J.P. Mealing Natural Causes
R. Mackgrath January 5, 1852 at the house of John Dobey Other
infant infant January 10, 1898 at Johnston Homicide
Jacob Horn February 25, 1866 at the hous of Jacob Horns Homicide
Peter White March 11, 1898 at Jacob White upon the Plantation Silvester Chipley Homicide
John H. Anderson March 21, 1891 at Tom Anderson place Homicide
Wade Medlock July 12, 1894 at Benjamin Boatwrights Plantation Unknown
Lizzie Darian child November 21, 1894 at Waldo Richardsons Accident
Warren Kirkland November 16, 1858 at Benjamin Bartons Homicide
Polly Vines April 20, 1892 at the house of Ben. Holt Natural Causes
Richard Stevens February 21, 1898 at Johnston S.C. Natural Causes
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Toby negro man July 10, 1844 near Bauskett Bridge on Stevens Creek Accident
Infant Infant December 18, 1894 at the Rinheart Grave yard Unknown
Henry Ethredge June 2, 1899 at the plantation of P.B. Mayson Accident
Hurnon[?] April 4, 1862 at Doct H R Cooks Plantation on Savanah River Unknown
Kisiah Frazier December 17, 1893 at the plantation of T S Rainsforde Natural Causes
Sam Slave June 14, 1858 at Henry Spiers[?] Accident
Adam negro man Slave, boy August 3, 1850 at Vaucluse Factory Accident
J. B. Whittle November 28, 1894 at Mrs Whittles Natural Causes
Julia Hightower child November 9, 1890 at Mr Sam Marshes Place Accident
Patrick Burns[?] November 4, 1858 at the residence of Richard Campbell Natural Causes
male baby male baby May 24, 1891 at the Saluda River Homicide
Joe Elam February 16, 1882 at Nicholson premises Natural Causes
John Brown December 20, 1844 at the house of John Brown Natural Causes
Albert Watson June 15, 1892 at the plantation of W.B. Maffett Natural Causes
Sam slave, boy October 10, 1857 at the Carolina Hotel, Edgefield C.H. Unknown
Joe Weston January 31, 1895 in Edgefield County Homicide
Cland Elam child March 17, 1892 at A. J. Norris Place Accident
infant infant May 5, 1893 at F. L. Foys Natural Causes
Mary Harrison September 10, 1894 at Dornville Accident
Charles negro boy March 7, 1857 at Archy Clark residence Accident
Bluford Abney November 14, 1894 at M.A. Colemans plantation Natural Causes
Susan Churchwell October 6, 1884 at Allen Simkins House Unknown
Infant Boy Child Infant Boy Child June 18, 1883 at Marsh Grobe Yard Accident
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Richard Lundy December 7, 1891 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Joel W. Warren November 9, 1894 at Joseph Mirren[?] House Natural Causes
infant, (male) infant, (male) April 29, 1857 at Potterville Homicide
William H Maharey May 25, 1863 at Haslin Factory on the Procelian Manufacturing Company Accident
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes

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