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 ascending
Mike negro man September 13, 1844 at Dr John D. Nicholsons Mill Accident
Warren Kirkland November 16, 1858 at Benjamin Bartons Homicide
John Webb March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Harry negro boy September 9, 1858 at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks Accident
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Stepney negro man September 29, 1848 at the Swamp Platation of Wiley Glover, decd on Savannah River Suicide
Charles negro man February 27, 1850 at Scotts Shoals on Savannah River Accident
Henry Jennings September 14, 1891 at the residense of diceased Natural Causes
Nancy Weaver December 20, 1893 at Edgefield Court House Accident
J. E. Black May 8, 1861 at the Residence of J. E. Black Other
Matt Loyd February 24, 1891 at Mr. Carmal cemetary near the Old Wills Natural Causes
Charles negro boy November 14, 1842 On Mr Thos Oliver's Plantation, at or near Said Oliver's residence Accident
Adam negro man Slave, boy August 3, 1850 at Vaucluse Factory Accident
Ras slave December 6, 1850 at D Dennys Mill Suicide
Lidia Watson January 26, 1894 at J E Macks Accident
infant child infant child July 24, 1892 at Promised Land School house Unknown
Joe Elam February 16, 1882 at Nicholson premises Natural Causes
Jesse Limbecker June 18, 1869 at Hamburg Accident
Gertrude infant child December 1, 1891 at Edgfield Court house Accident
John Brown December 20, 1844 at the house of John Brown Natural Causes
James Perry December 27, 1894 at Mt Enon Church Accident
Sallie Holmes December 20, 1893 at D. P. Bodies[?] Accident
Prince negro man October 27, 1844 at Mrs Elizabeth Timmermans Suicide
Charles negro boy March 7, 1857 at Archy Clark residence Accident
Fannie Patton November 18, 1898 at Francis Williams house Accident
Joseph Riddle April 10, 1856 at Hamburg Homicide
Susan Churchwell October 6, 1884 at Allen Simkins House Unknown
Ryal Negro Slave July 28, 1851 at Mr Thos McKies Batteau landing on Big Stephen's Creek Accident
Reubin Weaver December 28, 1895 at Elijah Boatwrights Plantation Natural Causes
Jim Coleman freidman November 15, 1866 at the Mackey Place on horse Creek Accident
James Thomas colored July 20, 1869 at Liberty Hill County Homicide
Garett Doby October 11, 1880 at William Rufus Natural Causes
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook Accident
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
Unknown August 30, 1866 at Fosity[?] Creek ford Unknown
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident
Susan Medlock April 7, 1894 at Johnston Homicide
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
Ann Kimball September 4, 1895 at China grove church Homicide
Ernest Bean April 6, 1884 at the Mill of B[?] Hill Accident
Ben Shubrick col December 24, 1869 at Negro heade Lane Natural Causes
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
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
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Pompy Robinson November 1, 1898 at Norris Place Natural Causes
Clem slave, boy October 3, 1858 at Tabitha Abney's Accident
Infant Boy Child Infant Boy Child June 18, 1883 at Marsh Grobe Yard Accident

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