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 301 - 350 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Gus West October 11, 1883 at Jack Holms Unknown
Robert slave, boy April 8, 1847 at Edward Hampton's Suicide
Cooper slave March 17, 1852 at the plantation of L.H. Mundy decd Natural Causes
Willie G. Harris March 25, 1897 at Edgefield CH Homicide
W. T. Mathis November 11, 1897 at the Yeldell place Natural Causes
Whit Terry October 19, 1894 J.K. Corleys Place Homicide
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
infant infant December 15, 1892 at Mr. Pleasant Grave Yard Accident
John J. Cobb July 23, 1843 at William Elkins Mill Pond Suicide
Elmira Jackson May 18, 1884 at George Holingsworths House Accident
Lewis slave May 21, 1861 at S. H. Roggers Suicide
Dudley Roundtree August 10, 1856 at the dwelling house of the late Dudley Roundtree Natural Causes
Abram slave October 8, 1860 at the Residence of H. B. Raborns Natural Causes
Sallie Young December 8, 1890 at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation Accident
Esther Jeter April 17, 1893 at Huiets x Roads Accident
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
Robert J. Butler September 15, 1864 at Hamburg Homicide
Rose negro woman Slave March 14, 1846 at Michael Longs Homicide
Aggy Latily[?] negro woman slave June 21, 1848 at the plantation of N L Griffin Unknown
Elijah Flour[?] youth July 24, 1849 at the hous of Mrs Salley Spradley Accident
Jack negro boy May 14, 1852 at the house of H. W. Posey Accident
Edmond Price April 30, 1892 at Kennys Graveyard Unknown
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
Sarah Lucas October 30, 1890 at Mr. M L Holson Accident
Dilsey Seigler September 20, 1869 at Miles Mills Natural Causes
R. Mackgrath January 5, 1852 at the house of John Dobey Other
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
Solomon negro man June 24, 1844 near the Mill of George A. McKee on Stevens Creek Accident
Lizzie Darian child November 21, 1894 at Waldo Richardsons Accident
Polly Vines April 20, 1892 at the house of Ben. Holt Natural Causes
William Perry January 7, 1894 in the county and state aforesaid Accident
Warren Kirkland November 16, 1858 at Benjamin Bartons Homicide
Rebeca Eidson May 29, 1861 at the Residence of William Eidson Natural Causes
Stepney negro man September 29, 1848 at the Swamp Platation of Wiley Glover, decd on Savannah River Suicide
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Joel Etheridge November 29, 1893 at Joel Etheridge Residence Unknown
infant child infant child April 14, 1895 at Charley Moors Homicide
Ora Weaver February 21, 1891 at the plantation of D B. H Holfarth[illegible - ink blot] Accident
Will Collens October 20, 1894 at Gaines SC Homicide
Henry Parks September 14, 1895 at Parksville Homicide
J. E. Black May 8, 1861 at the Residence of J. E. Black Other
Charles negro boy November 14, 1842 On Mr Thos Oliver's Plantation, at or near Said Oliver's residence Accident
Lucious Perry November 8, 1891 at the plantation of Ben Boatwright Homicide
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
Willis Cumings child October 10, 1890 at C. M. Lanhams Accident
Jesse Limbecker June 18, 1869 at Hamburg Accident

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