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 151 - 200 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
John David Twiggs September 15, 1864 in Hamburg Homicide
J. D. Wells December 14, 1890 at Edgefield C.H. Natural Causes
James Reynolds December 20, 1860 at the residence of James Reynolds Homicide
Charles negro boy November 14, 1842 On Mr Thos Oliver's Plantation, at or near Said Oliver's residence Accident
Luther Sullivan October 26, 1898 near John Stuarts Homicide
Henry negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at New Savannah in beach Island Accident
Albert Jones April 29, 1885 at Pickens Reynolds house Homicide
B. C. Bryan March 16, 1884 at B C Bryan Residence Natural Causes
James Mitchell February 18, 1879 at L D Laudrums Natural Causes
Silvy Nix January 1, 1891 Natural Causes
William Harlin February 19, 1856 at a new place sitting by Mr James Swearingem(Jr) on the Akien Road Accident
John Brown December 20, 1844 at the house of John Brown Natural Causes
James Perry December 27, 1894 at Mt Enon Church Accident
Louisa Wooden October 13, 1893 at Mose Woden Accident
Blassingame Wise April 27, 1848 at or near the Negro quarter of Mrs Wiley Glover, on Savannah River Suicide
Violet negro woman (slave) March 25, 1844 at John Dinkinses Suicide
infant child infant child December 14, 1877 at Dr. K N Hudsons plantation Homicide
Charles negro boy March 7, 1857 at Archy Clark residence Accident
Fannie Patton November 18, 1898 at Francis Williams house Accident
Solomon Ellenberg February 18, 1859 near the Residence of G.M. Ouzts[?] Suicide
Lucius Walker October 5, 1869 at James Doziers plantation Accident
Reubin Weaver December 28, 1895 at Elijah Boatwrights Plantation Natural Causes
Willis Asbell December 7, 1877 at Ridge Spring Homicide
Tandy Holmes September 21, 1894 at or on Dr. W.C. Prescotts Plantation Homicide
Jim Coleman freidman November 15, 1866 at the Mackey Place on horse Creek Accident
Robert Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
Kizziah[?] slave, servant March 11, 1860 at the residence of Mr M Lanham Natural Causes
Adam negro man Slave, boy August 3, 1850 at Vaucluse Factory Accident
Allen Bauknight freedman June 11, 1866 at William Bauknights Accident
Unknown April 11, 1860 at or near W.J. Walkers Unknown
Seware[?] Stuart November 4, 1893 at J.[?] E. Griffiths Accident
Lidia Watson January 26, 1894 at J E Macks Accident
Allen Holmes March 4, 1882 at Oscar Seigler Residence Homicide
Howard Gale June 13, 1879 at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill Accident
Isham Glover August 9, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
Charly Washington boy November 22, 1891 at the house of George Washington near Bauknights ferry Accident
Henry Turner September 24, 1878 at Johnstons Homicide
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
Infant Boy Child Colored Infant Boy Child Colored February 15, 1883 at the residence of Charles Coleman Unknown
Pompy Robinson November 1, 1898 at Norris Place Natural Causes
Curry slave March 17, 1856 at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation Accident
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
William Prince July 9, 1851 at the house of John W Garrett Accident
James L. Hill January 10, 1867 at James L Hills Accident
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes

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