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 201 - 250 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort ascending
Larrence Valentine December 28, 1893 at Mt[?] Willing Accident
Mary Gillam January 1, 1891 at Mrs Francis Wrights Plantation Natural Causes
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
John M. Tillman May 6, 1860 at Mr J.A Tillmans Steam Mill Homicide
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
infant male child infant male child January 3, 1894 in Edgefield County Natural Causes
Victor male slave April 24, 1859 at A. L. Dearing Plantation Natural Causes
John David Twiggs September 15, 1864 in Hamburg Homicide
Sallie Busch August 21, 1892 at Lewis Beans plantation Natural Causes
Julia Mundy June 17, 1881 at Jas H Banknight Homicide
Apling negro man April 5, 1849 in the woods in said district near the Lexington line on a branch of McGier Creek Homicide
Gus Blocker August 18, 1892 at the plantion of July Blocker Homicide
Cesar Negro, negro boy July 7, 1843 at the house of Elijah Watson Homicide
Harry negro boy September 9, 1858 at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks Accident
Alice Adkinson October 18, 1898 at Republican Church Homicide
Joe infant negro August 26, 1860 at John Huiets Accident
Nancy Weaver December 20, 1893 at Edgefield Court House Accident
James Mitchell February 18, 1879 at L D Laudrums Natural Causes
Mike negro man September 13, 1844 at Dr John D. Nicholsons Mill Accident
John McManas December 4, 1883 at the Jail Accident
Infred Padgett July 12, 1848 at the Joal of Edgefield Natural Causes
Charles negro man February 27, 1850 at Scotts Shoals on Savannah River Accident
William C. Goff May 7, 1865 at Bethany Church Accident
Mahlon Jones December 25, 1891 at Landrams Farm Homicide
Lewis negro man March 20, 1846 at & in the Revd Mr. Brooks Plantation Accident
John G. Riddle July 3, 1860 at the residence of Mr Richard Burton Natural Causes
Milledge Fuller freedman February 18, 1867 at John Ransford plantation Accident
Matt Loyd February 24, 1891 at Mr. Carmal cemetary near the Old Wills Natural Causes
Moses Blalock May 19, 1882 on the Plantation of W G McDavid Homicide
Charles M. Creswell August 5, 1869 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Jim slave June 10, 1859 at M, L, Bonham Esqr residence on the Pine House road Natural Causes
George Hatcher freedman June 19, 1867 at B. W. Hatchers Mill on Shaws creek Natural Causes
Tilman Attaway April 14, 1849 at the corner of the Oharer[?] old field Accident
Eddie Watson Infant April 25, 1892 at Bob Stevens Natural Causes
infant child infant child July 24, 1892 at Promised Land School house Unknown
Lila Washington February 20, 1879 at Wesley Barns Mill Accident
Gertrude infant child December 1, 1891 at Edgfield Court house Accident
Joseph Riddle April 10, 1856 at Hamburg Homicide
Elijah Sullivan April 24, 1898 at Cow-buel[?] place Accident
Unknown April 11, 1860 at or near W.J. Walkers Unknown
Charles slave, boy September 25, 1861 at Elijah Watson Homicide
Charles slave July 31, 1851 at the house of John M. Norris Esqr in Edgefield Accident
Caroline Coleman July 25, 1893 at Brisel[?] Blacks Residence Natural Causes
Howard Gale June 13, 1879 at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill Accident
Prince negro man October 27, 1844 at Mrs Elizabeth Timmermans Suicide
Henry negro man June 3, 1849 at the house of Mrs Mary Harrison Accident
Ryal Negro Slave July 28, 1851 at Mr Thos McKies Batteau landing on Big Stephen's Creek Accident
Ras slave December 6, 1850 at D Dennys Mill Suicide

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