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 101 - 150 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Typesort ascending Death Method
Luther Harris May 26, 1899 at the plantation of George F Towns Homicide
John E. Elsmore November 28, 1869 at the house of John E. Elsmore Homicide pistol
Carey Ashley October 11, 1879 at J W Wises[?] plantation Homicide pistol
Nelson Smith freedman, boy October 4, 1866 at Andrew Warts Homicide
Aaron slave December 5, 1852 at A. Bushnells Shop Homicide chisel
Susan Medlock April 7, 1894 at Johnston Homicide
Ann Kimball September 4, 1895 at China grove church Homicide
Charles M. Creswell August 5, 1869 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
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
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
Gus Blocker August 18, 1892 at the plantion of July Blocker Homicide
Lee Ryan September 27, 1877 at the plantation of Abram F Broadwater Homicide iron instrument
John David Twiggs September 15, 1864 in Hamburg Homicide
Frank Holson freedman January 9, 1867 at Lee Holson Homicide pistol
Charles Cobb March 13, 1893 at or near Johnston Homicide umbrella
Thomas Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide pistol
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
Sam Howard Freedman August 6, 1866 at L. L. Halls Homicide knife
Arthur Morris June 20, 1898 at M. W Clarks Homicide pistol
Andrew slave September 3, 1850 at A.P. Butlers plantation Homicide rail
Rose three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Aaron slave December 3, 1851 at the house of Larkin Swearinghim Homicide cow hide
Stanmore B. Chappell January 19, 1867 at S.B. Chappells Residence Homicide pistol
Dave Gillam August 25, 1892 at the house of Cal Smiths Homicide
Yancy Hardy December 31, 1877 at Dr. GJ[?] Butlers Plantation Homicide pistol
Thomas O'Donald September 13, 1869 at Dr. John E. Padgetts Homicide pistol
Rose negro woman Slave March 14, 1846 at Michael Longs Homicide
W. Brooker Toney August 12, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide pistol
Samuel Posey October 21, 1860 at P. B. McDaniels Homicide pistol
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Alice Adkinson October 18, 1898 at Republican Church Homicide
Green negro boy July 23, 1850 at the house of John Cheatham Homicide knife
Mahlon Jones December 25, 1891 at Landrams Farm Homicide
Warren Kirkland November 16, 1858 at Benjamin Bartons Homicide
Harry slave December 25, 1858 at Col Arthur Sinkins[?] Homicide knife
Prophet Burt freedman December 29, 1866 at E.N. Troys Homicide knife
Bridgett Etheridge June 26, 1893 at John Etheridges Residence Homicide hoe
Margaret Simpkins September 21, 1879 on Jas C Brooks Plantation Homicide shotgun
Thomas Styson June 22, 1856 at R. M. Fullers Homicide hoe
Daniel slave, boy May 27, 1862 at John H. Fair Homicide shotgun
Al White October 12, 1898 at Mundy[?] Place Homicide
Joseph Riddle April 10, 1856 at Hamburg Homicide
Joshua Hammond Jr. September 6, 1849 at a place belonging to John Bauskett[?] on little horse creek Homicide fence rail
J. H. Christian July 21, 1856 in the village of Edgefield in Room No 11, in B. J. Ryans Hotel Homicide pistol
John Laudrum October 11, 1869 at Dons Steam Mills near Rocky Creek Homicide knife
John Butler October 23, 1850 at the House of Mr Seth Butler Homicide knife
Isaah Golden August 27, 1860 at Silverton Beach iland Homicide knife

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