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 451 - 500 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Typesort ascending Death Method
Callen O'Neall November 11, 1855 at Luke Havirds[?] Accident
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
Lizzie Darian child November 21, 1894 at Waldo Richardsons Accident
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
Milledge Fuller freedman February 18, 1867 at John Ransford plantation Accident
William Prince July 9, 1851 at the house of John W Garrett Accident
Curry slave March 17, 1856 at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation Accident
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
Dick male slave July 13, 1859 at Ted Scurrys residence Accident
Ezekiel Thomas February 4, 1879 near Johnstons Accident train
Elijah Sullivan April 24, 1898 at Cow-buel[?] place Accident
Tilman Attaway April 14, 1849 at the corner of the Oharer[?] old field Accident
Lilla Olophant female infant August 18, 1879 at Simpton[?] Pinns[?] Accident
Sallie Young December 8, 1890 at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation Accident
Sam Slave June 14, 1858 at Henry Spiers[?] Accident
Charles slave July 31, 1851 at the house of John M. Norris Esqr in Edgefield Accident
John Radford April 12, 1860 at the residence of John Radford Accident wagon
Mary Harrison September 10, 1894 at Dornville Accident
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
infant child infant child January 18, 1892 at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger Accident
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
George Bowers May 26, 1891 at Kenards bend Accident mule
Emanuel slave March 12, 1856 at Matthew McGraw's plantation Accident
Wallace Halloway June 25, 1895 at Edgefield Court house Accident train
Joseph Shaw July 26, 1858 at the residence of John H Shaw near Edgefield C.H. Accident
Hampton Weaver colored July 17, 1869 at the house of and on the farm of James T Outz Accident shotgun
Solomon negro man June 24, 1844 near the Mill of George A. McKee on Stevens Creek Accident
Ora Weaver February 21, 1891 at the plantation of D B. H Holfarth[illegible - ink blot] Accident
John McManas December 4, 1883 at the Jail Accident
Sarah Lucas October 30, 1890 at Mr. M L Holson Accident
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
George Washington Crowder October 19, 1866 at Grannetville Accident
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
Tom Waldrum colored man (Free) January 20, 1857 in the woods near Mr Avory Franklins Accident
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident
Jesse Moragna[?] March 3, 1882 at Luke Moragines[?] House Accident
Lila Washington February 20, 1879 at Wesley Barns Mill Accident
Unknown October 10, 1869 at Graniteville Accident train
Willis Cumings child October 10, 1890 at C. M. Lanhams Accident
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
Mingo Mosley January 13, 1883 at Samuel[?] Corley's Accident
Fannie Ford March 5, 1893 at Trenton S.C. Accident train
John Scott May 10, 1851 at Vaucluse[?] Factory Accident horse
Anderson B. Branham January 6, 1892 at the plantation of M. C. Parker Unknown
Ansabelle Brown October 21, 1866 near the Tambor[?] Soba[?] Rail Road Unknown
Joshua negro man slave June 26, 1860 at Harmon Gallman Unknown
Gus West October 11, 1883 at Jack Holms Unknown
Wade Medlock July 12, 1894 at Benjamin Boatwrights Plantation Unknown

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