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 descending
Eunice Hogan October 26, 1851 at the house of John Briskey Homicide
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
infant infant March 24, 1892 at Pinksville Homicide
infant child infant child December 9, 1891 at a colored cemetary Accident
Ernest Bean April 6, 1884 at the Mill of B[?] Hill Accident
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
Lesthia Ridlehouse[Ridlehover?] January 5, 1892 at the Residence of Mrs Edny Mary Accident
Mary Gillam January 1, 1891 at Mrs Francis Wrights Plantation Natural Causes
Eldrige Padgett February 9, 1859 at Eidson Padgetts Accident
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
Ed Glover July 8, 1882 at Poore House Accident
Hampton Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
William Samuel April 26, 1891 at Scima[?] Hill Church Homicide
Luther Harris May 26, 1899 at the plantation of George F Towns Homicide
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
John Matthews October 13, 1829 at the house of William Adams Other
Willie Toney March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Edward Johnston December 26, 1892 at William Bushes Unknown
Abram slave October 8, 1860 at the Residence of H. B. Raborns Natural Causes
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
Mary Bright Hanpt[?] October 6, 1881 at Bright Hanpt[?] Unknown
Nancy Weaver December 20, 1893 at Edgefield Court House Accident
James Leppard February 13, 1893 at F. M. Leppards Natural Causes
Thomas Glover August 2, 1893 at Bill Werk[?] Residence Homicide
Matt Loyd February 24, 1891 at Mr. Carmal cemetary near the Old Wills Natural Causes
B. J. Mims January 20, 1885 at the Residence of Capt B J Mims Natural Causes
William C. Goff May 7, 1865 at Bethany Church Accident
Sallie Busch August 21, 1892 at Lewis Beans plantation Natural Causes
Thomas Welheu[?] June 19, 1868 at Benjamin Better[?] wheat field on the Columbia & Augusta Rail Road Accident
Jack Taylor April 11, 1892 at the house of Hal[?] Miles Natural Causes
Gus Blocker August 18, 1892 at the plantion of July Blocker Homicide
Joseph Powel August 18, 1879 at [??] Accident
Tom negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at H. L. Maysons in Beach island Accident
George Washington Crowder October 19, 1866 at Grannetville Accident
infant male child infant male child January 3, 1894 in Edgefield County Natural Causes
Lawrence Frazier child January 14, 1895 at D.B. Holingsworths Accident
Mike negro man September 13, 1844 at Dr John D. Nicholsons Mill Accident
Thomas child of Thomas M Chandler September 11, 1850 at Thos M. Chandler's house, and at the old Pottery Accident
Pete slave October 31, 1864 at Liberty hill Unknown
Charles negro man February 27, 1850 at Scotts Shoals on Savannah River Accident
Harry negro boy September 9, 1858 at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks Accident
John H Webb January 22, 1882 at James Webb Residence Accident
Joseph Riddle April 10, 1856 at Hamburg Homicide

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