Edgefield County, SC
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," 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
Name | Deceased Description | Date | Inquest Location | Death Type | Death Method |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jim | negro boy | July 23, 1855 | at Wade Holsteens | Homicide | knife |
infant child | infant child | April 14, 1895 | at Charley Moors | Homicide | |
Samuel Posey | October 21, 1860 | at P. B. McDaniels | Homicide | pistol | |
Harry | slave | December 25, 1858 | at Col Arthur Sinkins[?] | Homicide | knife |
John Henry King | October 29, 1865 | in Hamburg | Homicide | ||
Joseph Riddle | April 10, 1856 | at Hamburg | Homicide | ||
J. H. Christian | July 21, 1856 | in the village of Edgefield in Room No 11, in B. J. Ryans Hotel | Homicide | pistol | |
Jesse Weatherford | September 4, 1849 | at the plantation of Mrs R Blaylock | Homicide | shotgun | |
Allen Smith | Freedman | January 19, 1867 | at S.B. Chappells Residence | Homicide | pistol |
Joe Weston | January 31, 1895 | in Edgefield County | Homicide | ||
J. M. Long | October 10, 1891 | at J. M. Longs | Homicide | ||
Daniel | slave, boy | May 27, 1862 | at John H. Fair | Homicide | shotgun |
male baby | male baby | May 24, 1891 | at the Saluda River | Homicide | |
Richmond | slave | March 3, 1857 | at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House | Homicide | |
Wilson Griffin | freedman | February 13, 1867 | at Luke Rodgers | Homicide | |
William M. Tredaway | March 27, 1851 | at the house of William M Tredaway at Beach Island | Homicide | ||
Thomas Styson | June 22, 1856 | at R. M. Fullers | Homicide | hoe | |
Stephen Stalmaker | August 30, 1850 | at J.M.C. Freeland's | Homicide | plank | |
infant | infant | March 24, 1892 | at Pinksville | Homicide | |
Henry Mobley | December 11, 1899 | at Johnston | Homicide | pistol | |
Matilda H. Posey | February 26, 1849 | at the house of Martin Posey | Homicide | stick | |
Andy Padgett | July 5, 1891 | near Ridge Spring | Homicide | knife | |
Ned Dozier | September 27, 1893 | at MJ Holsteins | Homicide | ||
James Reynolds | December 20, 1860 | at the residence of James Reynolds | Homicide | ||
Johnson Peterson | March 9, 1892 | at Deny[?] S.C. | Homicide | pistol | |
William | negro man, boy, slave | February 13, 1849 | at R. F. Barretts | Homicide | knife |
James Booth | August 23, 1878 | at E. C. House | Homicide | ||
Willis Asbell | December 7, 1877 | at Ridge Spring | Homicide | ||
Hammond Frasier | November 6, 1897 | at Trenton S.C. | Homicide | pistol | |
Allen Holmes | March 4, 1882 | at Oscar Seigler Residence | Homicide | ||
Willie Toney | March 26, 1899 | at Edgefield Court House | Homicide | ||
Whit Terry | October 19, 1894 | J.K. Corleys Place | Homicide | ||
Isham Glover | August 9, 1892 | at Edgefield C.H. | Homicide | ||
Levi H. McDaniel | March 9, 1859 | at or near the 17 mile Post on the Scotts Ferry Road | Homicide | ||
infant child | infant child | December 14, 1877 | at Dr. K N Hudsons plantation | Homicide | |
Prince | negro boy | December 23, 1849 | at Thos G. Lamars Mills on little horse creek | Homicide | knife |
William Samuel | April 26, 1891 | at Scima[?] Hill Church | Homicide | ||
John Crawford | June 25, 1853 | at the house of John Crawford | Suicide | pocket knife | |
Darling Willis | March 4, 1859 | at Wade Holeston warter | Suicide | pistol | |
Basil M. Boone | November 4, 1855 | at the residence of Daniel Boone | Suicide | rifle | |
William L. Russell | September 6, 1849 | in the Hotel of H Jordon | Suicide | razor | |
John J. Cobb | July 23, 1843 | at William Elkins Mill Pond | Suicide | ||
Ann | negro woman | December 8, 1848 | at the house of Benja F Landrum | Suicide | rope |
Stepney | negro man | September 29, 1848 | at the Swamp Platation of Wiley Glover, decd on Savannah River | Suicide | |
Larkin Swearengen | April 1, 1852 | at the hous of Larkin Swearengen | Suicide | razor | |
Ellick | negro man | April 26, 1851 | at the house of W. F Prescott | Suicide | rope |
J. Hancock | June 13, 1859 | at J. Hancocks | Suicide | shotgun | |
Wesley Weaver[?] | June 15, 1858 | at Mrs Lydia Nevus[?] | Suicide | shotgun | |
Joel Roper Sr. | August 30, 1845 | at the house of Joel Roper Sr | Suicide | rope | |
Michael Long | October 11, 1877 | near the Residence of E.N. Youngblood | Suicide | knife |