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 51 - 100 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Joe infant negro August 26, 1860 at John Huiets Accident
Henry negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at New Savannah in beach Island Accident
Blanchy Wilson November 30, 1893 on the plantation of Robert Hastings Accident
Dilsey Seigler September 20, 1869 at Miles Mills Natural Causes
R. Mackgrath January 5, 1852 at the house of John Dobey Other
infant male child infant male child January 3, 1894 in Edgefield County Natural Causes
Peter White March 11, 1898 at Jacob White upon the Plantation Silvester Chipley Homicide
infant infant January 10, 1898 at Johnston Homicide
William Perry January 7, 1894 in the county and state aforesaid Accident
Polly Vines April 20, 1892 at the house of Ben. Holt Natural Causes
John H. Anderson March 21, 1891 at Tom Anderson place Homicide
Warren Kirkland November 16, 1858 at Benjamin Bartons Homicide
Harry negro boy September 9, 1858 at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks Accident
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Stepney negro man September 29, 1848 at the Swamp Platation of Wiley Glover, decd on Savannah River Suicide
Jim slave June 10, 1859 at M, L, Bonham Esqr residence on the Pine House road Natural Causes
Nancy Weaver December 20, 1893 at Edgefield Court House Accident
infant child infant child April 14, 1895 at Charley Moors Homicide
J. E. Black May 8, 1861 at the Residence of J. E. Black Other
Henry Parks September 14, 1895 at Parksville Homicide
Pink Williams October 6, 1898 at or near Mr E.F. Pickles residence Homicide
Adam negro man Slave, boy August 3, 1850 at Vaucluse Factory Accident
Ras slave December 6, 1850 at D Dennys Mill Suicide
Charles slave, boy September 25, 1861 at Elijah Watson Homicide
male baby male baby May 24, 1891 at the Saluda River Homicide
Julia Hightower child November 9, 1890 at Mr Sam Marshes Place Accident
Joe Elam February 16, 1882 at Nicholson premises Natural Causes
Jesse Limbecker June 18, 1869 at Hamburg Accident
John Brown December 20, 1844 at the house of John Brown Natural Causes
Joe Weston January 31, 1895 in Edgefield County Homicide
Albert Watson June 15, 1892 at the plantation of W.B. Maffett Natural Causes
Sallie Holmes December 20, 1893 at D. P. Bodies[?] Accident
Bluford Abney November 14, 1894 at M.A. Colemans plantation Natural Causes
Cland Elam child March 17, 1892 at A. J. Norris Place Accident
Charles negro boy March 7, 1857 at Archy Clark residence Accident
Joseph Riddle April 10, 1856 at Hamburg Homicide
Susan Churchwell October 6, 1884 at Allen Simkins House Unknown
George Hatcher freedman June 19, 1867 at B. W. Hatchers Mill on Shaws creek Natural Causes
Henry Ethredge June 2, 1899 at the plantation of P.B. Mayson Accident
Toby negro man July 10, 1844 near Bauskett Bridge on Stevens Creek Accident
James Thomas colored July 20, 1869 at Liberty Hill County Homicide
J. B. Whittle November 28, 1894 at Mrs Whittles Natural Causes
infant infant March 24, 1892 at Pinksville Homicide
infant, (male) infant, (male) April 29, 1857 at Potterville Homicide
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
Unknown August 30, 1866 at Fosity[?] Creek ford Unknown
Henry Jones September 21, 1855 Accident
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
Nelson Smith freedman, boy October 4, 1866 at Andrew Warts Homicide
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident

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