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 151 - 200 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Violet negro woman (slave) March 25, 1844 at John Dinkinses Suicide
Adam negro man Slave, boy August 3, 1850 at Vaucluse Factory Accident
Edinborough Ryan December 30, 1882 at Mrs D. L Bussy Plantation Accident
Isaac Jones July 1, 1881 at Ridge Spring Natural Causes
Alick Croker boy September 29, 1878 at Mrs. Marshes premises Accident
Joshua negro man slave June 26, 1860 at Harmon Gallman Unknown
Solomon Ellenberg February 18, 1859 near the Residence of G.M. Ouzts[?] Suicide
Levi S. Mathews July 13, 1892 at G. C. Wheerles[?] Residence Natural Causes
Robert Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
John Brown December 20, 1844 at the house of John Brown Natural Causes
William Padgett February 22, 1894 at W.D. Readys plantation Homicide
James Edward Settle boy March 9, 1884 on Henry Hill Plantation Accident
Edward slave, boy October 22, 1857 at the residence of Wm Miller Natural Causes
Richard Mims August 1, 1899 at the plantation of Mrs. H. Carter Accident
Minda negro girl August 17, 1851 at Mr Geo Robinsons Unknown
Seware[?] Stuart November 4, 1893 at J.[?] E. Griffiths Accident
Charles negro boy March 7, 1857 at Archy Clark residence Accident
J. F. Styron April 21, 1891 at residence of J. F. Styron[?] Accident
Enoch Douglass August 11, 1879 near Wesly Barrs on the rail road Accident
Isham Glover August 9, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
Rachiel Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Ansabelle Brown October 21, 1866 near the Tambor[?] Soba[?] Rail Road Unknown
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
Curry slave March 17, 1856 at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation Accident
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident
J. J. Jennings November 16, 1860 at J J Jennings Suicide
Ana May Blocker child December 2, 1894 at Ben Boatwrights farm Natural Causes
John Shumport[?] November 7, 1851 at John Shumports[?] Accident
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
Lula Smith child June 22, 1894 at James A Satcher's Plantation Homicide
Fed Martin convict September 1, 1895 at Poor House and CH Unknown
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
Henry Padget freedman November 14, 1866 at Wm Padgets premises on Clouds Creek Homicide
John Henry King October 29, 1865 in Hamburg Homicide
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
Isham Glover August 10, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
George Robinson January 12, 1892 at the plantation of E. B. Davis Natural Causes
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Milton Barter[?] youth August 24, 1849 at Capt. Andrew J Hammonds Mills Accident
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Jno. C Swearingin April 24, 1895 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Mid[?] Griffin February 2, 1895 at the Govelace[?] Place Natural Causes
Tom Slave, old negro man January 12, 1853 near the residence of Harry Scott Accident
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
W. T. Mathis November 11, 1897 at the Yeldell place Natural Causes

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