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 201 - 250 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Typesort descending Death Method
Jack negro boy May 14, 1852 at the house of H. W. Posey Accident
Wallace Halloway June 25, 1895 at Edgefield Court house Accident train
Sam negro man October 19, 1856 on the track of the South Carolina Rail Road between the Paper Mill and Marsh's Accident train
Richard J. Barton December 28, 1866 at Mrs Lucinda Bartons Accident
Mike negro man September 13, 1844 at Dr John D. Nicholsons Mill Accident
Hampton Weaver colored July 17, 1869 at the house of and on the farm of James T Outz Accident shotgun
John Shumport[?] November 7, 1851 at John Shumports[?] Accident
Richard negro boy Slave September 9, 1850 at Thomas Garretts Accident machinery
Isah Zimmerman December 26, 1881 at the Residence of W F Ste[?]eies Accident pistol
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
Mary Blocker December 6, 1894 at R H Parks Accident strychnine
Charles negro man February 27, 1850 at Scotts Shoals on Savannah River Accident
George Washington Crowder October 19, 1866 at Grannetville Accident
George Bowers May 26, 1891 at Kenards bend Accident mule
Unknown October 10, 1869 at Graniteville Accident train
Gertrude infant child December 1, 1891 at Edgfield Court house Accident
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
Ryal Negro Slave July 28, 1851 at Mr Thos McKies Batteau landing on Big Stephen's Creek Accident
John Scott May 10, 1851 at Vaucluse[?] Factory Accident horse
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
R. Mackgrath January 5, 1852 at the house of John Dobey Other
John Matthews October 13, 1829 at the house of William Adams Other
H. P. Church December 27, 1842 in the house of C. H. Goodman in the Vilage of Edgefield Other
A. G. Leek February 23, 1859 at A. G. Leeks Residence Other
J. E. Black May 8, 1861 at the Residence of J. E. Black Other
Martin B. Elam January 28, 1851 at Mrs Mary Elams Other
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
Jim slave June 10, 1859 at M, L, Bonham Esqr residence on the Pine House road Natural Causes
infant male child infant male child January 3, 1894 in Edgefield County Natural Causes
Polly Vines April 20, 1892 at the house of Ben. Holt Natural Causes
Thomas Prince July 31, 1848 at the Joal of Said District Natural Causes
George Hatcher freedman June 19, 1867 at B. W. Hatchers Mill on Shaws creek Natural Causes
John Brown December 20, 1844 at the house of John Brown Natural Causes
Bluford Abney November 14, 1894 at M.A. Colemans plantation Natural Causes
J. B. Whittle November 28, 1894 at Mrs Whittles Natural Causes
Infred Padgett July 12, 1848 at the Joal of Edgefield Natural Causes
B. J. Mims January 20, 1885 at the Residence of Capt B J Mims Natural Causes
J. D. Wells December 14, 1890 at Edgefield C.H. Natural Causes
Hartwell Roper June 17, 1869 at the residence of Rev. J.P. Mealing Natural Causes
Silvy Nix January 1, 1891 Natural Causes
Richard Stevens February 21, 1898 at Johnston S.C. Natural Causes
Cooper slave March 17, 1852 at the plantation of L.H. Mundy decd Natural Causes
infant infant May 5, 1893 at F. L. Foys Natural Causes
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
white man white man October 21, 1849 in the woods near Holsonbakers[?] old fields Natural Causes
James Mitchell February 18, 1879 at L D Laudrums Natural Causes
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes
George Robinson January 12, 1892 at the plantation of E. B. Davis Natural Causes
Jack Taylor April 11, 1892 at the house of Hal[?] Miles Natural Causes

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