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 251 - 300 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Richard Stevens February 21, 1898 at Johnston S.C. Natural Causes
infant infant January 10, 1898 at Johnston Homicide
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Henry Jennings September 14, 1891 at the residense of diceased Natural Causes
John H. Anderson March 21, 1891 at Tom Anderson place Homicide
William Harlin February 19, 1856 at a new place sitting by Mr James Swearingem(Jr) on the Akien Road Accident
Thomas Welheu[?] June 19, 1868 at Benjamin Better[?] wheat field on the Columbia & Augusta Rail Road Accident
George Ross June 29, 1898 at Adoms[?] place Homicide
Caroline Free negro August 26, 1858 four miles from Hamburg Unknown
Luther Sullivan October 26, 1898 near John Stuarts Homicide
Toby negro man July 10, 1844 near Bauskett Bridge on Stevens Creek Accident
Lidia Watson January 26, 1894 at J E Macks Accident
Joe Elam February 16, 1882 at Nicholson premises Natural Causes
Tandy Holmes September 21, 1894 at or on Dr. W.C. Prescotts Plantation Homicide
James Perry December 27, 1894 at Mt Enon Church Accident
Julia Hightower child November 9, 1890 at Mr Sam Marshes Place Accident
infant infant May 5, 1893 at F. L. Foys Natural Causes
David West boy January 30, 1862 at Graniteville Accident
Allen Bauknight freedman June 11, 1866 at William Bauknights Accident
Fannie Patton November 18, 1898 at Francis Williams house Accident
Albert Watson June 15, 1892 at the plantation of W.B. Maffett Natural Causes
Susan Churchwell October 6, 1884 at Allen Simkins House Unknown
Reubin Weaver December 28, 1895 at Elijah Boatwrights Plantation Natural Causes
Cland Elam child March 17, 1892 at A. J. Norris Place Accident
Hurnon[?] April 4, 1862 at Doct H R Cooks Plantation on Savanah River Unknown
Louisa Wooden October 13, 1893 at Mose Woden Accident
Sam Slave June 14, 1858 at Henry Spiers[?] Accident
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Mary female Slave January 13, 1853 at Isaac Bowles[?] Accident
Richard Lundy December 7, 1891 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Susan Medlock April 7, 1894 at Johnston Homicide
infant, (male) infant, (male) April 29, 1857 at Potterville Homicide
Ann Kimball September 4, 1895 at China grove church Homicide
Henry Jones September 21, 1855 Accident
Ernest Bean April 6, 1884 at the Mill of B[?] Hill Accident
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
James Frazier Babie October 24, 1890 at D. B Hollingworth Accident
Richard J. Barton December 28, 1866 at Mrs Lucinda Bartons Accident
Peter Negro man December 30, 1859 at the Plantation of Mr Wm Bunch Accident
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Pompy Robinson November 1, 1898 at Norris Place Natural Causes
Henry Goodman May 4, 1851 at or near to William H Adams on little horse Creek Accident
Charley Ryan May 9, 1892 at T. H. Ramsford Plantion Homicide
Infant Boy Child Infant Boy Child June 18, 1883 at Marsh Grobe Yard Accident
Bartly negro man January 16, 1846 in the woods near the plantation of Dr Wm M Bent Unknown
infant child infant child December 9, 1891 at a colored cemetary Accident
William H Maharey May 25, 1863 at Haslin Factory on the Procelian Manufacturing Company Accident
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide

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