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 101 - 150 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
Charly Washington boy November 22, 1891 at the house of George Washington near Bauknights ferry Accident
Lula Smith child June 22, 1894 at James A Satcher's Plantation Homicide
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
Robert W. Kincade December 27, 1845 at the house of Baley[?] Corley Natural Causes
John Henry King October 29, 1865 in Hamburg Homicide
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
Peter Negro man December 30, 1859 at the Plantation of Mr Wm Bunch Accident
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Pompy Robinson November 1, 1898 at Norris Place Natural Causes
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Milton Barter[?] youth August 24, 1849 at Capt. Andrew J Hammonds Mills Accident
James L. Hill January 10, 1867 at James L Hills Accident
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
Ansabelle Brown October 21, 1866 near the Tambor[?] Soba[?] Rail Road Unknown
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Eunice Hogan October 26, 1851 at the house of John Briskey Homicide
Larrence Valentine December 28, 1893 at Mt[?] Willing Accident
John Whitlock boy September 8, 1869 at Grainteville Accident
Lidda Hampton November 24, 1893 at A Derrecks Natural Causes
Lizzie Greeg July 4, 1884 at Capt Taliar[?] Hearin[?] Natural Causes
infant child infant child January 10, 1892 at Trenton Accident
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident
Dave Gillam August 25, 1892 at the house of Cal Smiths Homicide
Eva Blocker February 11, 1893 at J. P. Wrights Plantation Accident
Joseph Moore Jr. April 19, 1846 at the house of Dr John D. Nicholson Natural Causes
Adam Barker August 10, 1879 at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd Suicide
William M. Tredaway March 27, 1851 at the house of William M Tredaway at Beach Island Homicide
Berry Butler October 9, 1892 at J. H Lagroons[?] plantation Accident
Hardy Boulware January 2, 1862 at Hardy Boulwares Homicide
William White December 10, 1898 at Savanah River Accident
J. M. Long October 10, 1891 at J. M. Longs Homicide
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
infant, child infant, child November 29, 1894 at the plantation of J. P. Roton Natural Causes
Elleck free boy December 13, 1866 at Johnathan Gregorys Accident
Charley Geeter October 27, 1881 at Violets Geeter's house Accident
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
Tom Slave, old negro man January 12, 1853 near the residence of Harry Scott Accident
Edmond Smallwood October 19, 1892 at E. C. Ridgells Plantation Natural Causes
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Thomas child of Thomas M Chandler September 11, 1850 at Thos M. Chandler's house, and at the old Pottery Accident
Hartwell Roper June 17, 1869 at the residence of Rev. J.P. Mealing Natural Causes
Lona May Hamilton child October 18, 1893 at or near Longmires PO[?] Natural Causes
Isaac Oliphant November 9, 1882 at Ritch Thomson Accident
J. D. Wells December 14, 1890 at Edgefield C.H. Natural Causes
Wade Medlock July 12, 1894 at Benjamin Boatwrights Plantation Unknown
Lizzy Rardon September 28, 1879 at Clansey Holloways plantation Accident
Richard Stevens February 21, 1898 at Johnston S.C. Natural Causes
James Reynolds December 20, 1860 at the residence of James Reynolds Homicide

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