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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jesse Moragna[?] | March 3, 1882 | at Luke Moragines[?] House | Accident | ||
Bluford Abney | November 14, 1894 | at M.A. Colemans plantation | Natural Causes | ||
Albert Watson | June 15, 1892 | at the plantation of W.B. Maffett | Natural Causes | ||
Mingo Mosley | January 13, 1883 | at Samuel[?] Corley's | Accident | ||
Joseph Riddle | April 10, 1856 | at Hamburg | Homicide | ||
John Brown | December 20, 1844 | at the house of John Brown | Natural Causes | ||
Lucius Walker | October 5, 1869 | at James Doziers plantation | Accident | ||
Cland Elam | child | March 17, 1892 | at A. J. Norris Place | Accident | |
Henry Ethredge | June 2, 1899 | at the plantation of P.B. Mayson | Accident | ||
Lila Washington | February 20, 1879 | at Wesley Barns Mill | Accident | ||
Charles | negro boy | March 7, 1857 | at Archy Clark residence | Accident | |
J. B. Whittle | November 28, 1894 | at Mrs Whittles | Natural Causes | ||
Toby | negro man | July 10, 1844 | near Bauskett Bridge on Stevens Creek | Accident | |
Ras | slave | December 6, 1850 | at D Dennys Mill | Suicide | |
Unknown | April 11, 1860 | at or near W.J. Walkers | Unknown | ||
male baby | male baby | May 24, 1891 | at the Saluda River | Homicide | |
Howard Gale | June 13, 1879 | at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill | Accident | ||
Sam | Slave | June 14, 1858 | at Henry Spiers[?] | Accident | |
Lizzy | three negro children | October 2, 1846 | at the house of Philip Brogden | Homicide | axe |
Augustus W. Burt | March 25, 1847 | at the Plantation of A.W. Burt | Homicide | axe | |
Dave | negro man Slave | March 16, 1849 | at Kilcrease's Ferry | Accident | boat |
Louisa | slaves | March 4, 1860 | at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek | Accident | boat |
Simon | slaves | March 4, 1860 | at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek | Accident | boat |
Ellen | slaves | March 4, 1860 | at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek | Accident | boat |
Liz | slaves | March 4, 1860 | at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek | Accident | boat |
Peter | slaves | March 4, 1860 | at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek | Accident | boat |
Betsey | slaves | March 4, 1860 | at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek | Accident | boat |
John Seigler | February 13, 1856 | at J.H. Christians | Accident | buggy | |
Steve Yeldell | October 28, 1894 | at Edgefield | Accident | cart | |
Balus Harrison | November 14, 1893 | at Edgefield CH | Accident | cart | |
William Thurmond | February 14, 1856 | at Edgefield Court House, Planters[?] Hotel | Homicide | chair | |
Aaron | slave | December 5, 1852 | at A. Bushnells Shop | Homicide | chisel |
Baze | negro slave | March 31, 1863 | at the D. J. Howls | Homicide | chop axe |
Namro | negro man | August 11, 1844 | at the house of Rob King Esqr | Homicide | club or stick |
Aaron | slave | December 3, 1851 | at the house of Larkin Swearinghim | Homicide | cow hide |
Randal | negro man | May 9, 1844 | at Grancis Bettis's plantation on Horns Creek | Homicide | cow skin |
Robert Neid | free man of Colour | August 26, 1847 | at Vaudun[?] Factory | Homicide | dirk knife |
Joshua Hammond Jr. | September 6, 1849 | at a place belonging to John Bauskett[?] on little horse creek | Homicide | fence rail | |
Scipio | slave | April 1, 1862 | at E. J. Youngbloods | Homicide | hatchet |
Henry | male slave | July 15, 1858 | at Edgefield C.H. | Homicide | hickory stick |
Bridgett Etheridge | June 26, 1893 | at John Etheridges Residence | Homicide | hoe | |
Bill King | August 9, 1881 | at H C Kings Residence | Homicide | hoe | |
Thomas Styson | June 22, 1856 | at R. M. Fullers | Homicide | hoe | |
Hugh Duffey Sr. | August 26, 1855 | at Bethany Church | Accident | horse | |
Lewis Glanton | September 8, 1846 | near the church of Antioch | Accident | horse | |
John Scott | May 10, 1851 | at Vaucluse[?] Factory | Accident | horse | |
Joseph Jay | October 4, 1860 | at Joseph Jays | Accident | horse | |
Sherod Holms | October 10, 1884 | at Sherod Holms House | Accident | horse | |
Auson Peeler | July 25, 1868 | near Kalmia[?] Mills | Accident | horse | |
Ben Culbreath | July 24, 1895 | at Jno A Corleys plantation | Accident | horse |