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 451 - 500 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Typesort descending Death Method
Carey Ashley October 11, 1879 at J W Wises[?] plantation Homicide pistol
Ben Lowman September 14, 1894 at W.[?] L. Rawls Mills Homicide pistol
William Cloud July 8, 1851 at the Spaun[?] Hotel Homicide pistol
Augustus W. Burt March 25, 1847 at the Plantation of A.W. Burt Homicide axe
Daniel slave, boy May 27, 1862 at John H. Fair Homicide shotgun
Robert Neid free man of Colour August 26, 1847 at Vaudun[?] Factory Homicide dirk knife
Robert J. Butler September 15, 1864 at Hamburg Homicide
Lizzy three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide axe
Henry Burt June 21, 1895 at Henry Burts Homicide knife
Eldred Glover March 2, 1852 at the house of John Doby Homicide pistol
Tandy Holmes September 21, 1894 at or on Dr. W.C. Prescotts Plantation Homicide
Jesse Weatherford September 4, 1849 at the plantation of Mrs R Blaylock Homicide shotgun
infant infant January 10, 1898 at Johnston Homicide
Thomas Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide pistol
James Bledsoe May 15, 1893 at Dr D.P. Lalsrones[?] Residence Homicide pistol
Aaron slave December 5, 1852 at A. Bushnells Shop Homicide chisel
Griff Zimmerman October 9, 1899 at Johnston Township Homicide pistol
J. D. Ouzts December 7, 1891 at Edgefield Homicide pistol
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Jno. C Swearingin April 24, 1895 at Edgefield CH Homicide
John H. Anderson March 21, 1891 at Tom Anderson place Homicide
Pink Williams October 6, 1898 at or near Mr E.F. Pickles residence Homicide
Lee Ryan September 27, 1877 at the plantation of Abram F Broadwater Homicide iron instrument
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
William Thurmond February 14, 1856 at Edgefield Court House, Planters[?] Hotel Homicide chair
Rose negro woman Slave March 14, 1846 at Michael Longs Homicide
W. Brooker Toney August 12, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide pistol
Hardy Boulware January 2, 1862 at Hardy Boulwares Homicide
James Thomas colored July 20, 1869 at Liberty Hill County Homicide
Rose three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Aaron slave December 3, 1851 at the house of Larkin Swearinghim Homicide cow hide
Isaac Boseley July 5, 1880 at Ridge Spring Homicide pistol
Baze negro slave March 31, 1863 at the D. J. Howls Homicide chop axe
Stanmore B. Chappell January 19, 1867 at S.B. Chappells Residence Homicide pistol
Yancy Hardy December 31, 1877 at Dr. GJ[?] Butlers Plantation Homicide pistol
Namro negro man August 11, 1844 at the house of Rob King Esqr Homicide club or stick
Samuel M. Dowel July 25, 1844 at James Murrels Suicide knife
Joshua Miller December 22, 1851 at Joshua Millers Suicide shotgun
Sarah Jowls[?] November 16, 1858 at Mrs Mary Ann Keys Suicide rope
Nancy Slave June 19, 1847 at the house of Mrs G. Rily's Suicide
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
Prince negro man October 27, 1844 at Mrs Elizabeth Timmermans Suicide
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Blassingame Wise April 27, 1848 at or near the Negro quarter of Mrs Wiley Glover, on Savannah River Suicide
Wesley Weaver[?] June 15, 1858 at Mrs Lydia Nevus[?] Suicide shotgun
Lizzie Carson January 29, 1892 at John J Carson Coleman Township Suicide pistol
Lovina negroe girl, a slave September 4, 1860 at Doct H M Folks[Faulk?] Suicide
Ras slave December 6, 1850 at D Dennys Mill Suicide
Aron slave, boy June 15, 1862 near the White house Suicide vine

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