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
Gus West October 11, 1883 at Jack Holms Unknown
R. Mackgrath January 5, 1852 at the house of John Dobey Other
James Leppard February 13, 1893 at F. M. Leppards Natural Causes
W. W. Miller Sr. white man July 10, 1891 at J M. Mays place Accident
J. D. Wells December 14, 1890 at Edgefield C.H. Natural Causes
infant child infant child April 14, 1895 at Charley Moors Homicide
Warren Kirkland November 16, 1858 at Benjamin Bartons Homicide
Henry Parks September 14, 1895 at Parksville Homicide
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Silvy Nix January 1, 1891 Natural Causes
William Harlin February 19, 1856 at a new place sitting by Mr James Swearingem(Jr) on the Akien Road Accident
George Washington Crowder October 19, 1866 at Grannetville Accident
Blanchy Wilson November 30, 1893 on the plantation of Robert Hastings Accident
Charles negro boy November 14, 1842 On Mr Thos Oliver's Plantation, at or near Said Oliver's residence Accident
George Ross June 29, 1898 at Adoms[?] place Homicide
Jack negro boy May 14, 1852 at the house of H. W. Posey Accident
H. P. Church December 27, 1842 in the house of C. H. Goodman in the Vilage of Edgefield Other
Henry negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at New Savannah in beach Island Accident
Pete slave October 31, 1864 at Liberty hill Unknown
Peter White March 11, 1898 at Jacob White upon the Plantation Silvester Chipley Homicide
Polly Vines April 20, 1892 at the house of Ben. Holt Natural Causes
Joe Elam February 16, 1882 at Nicholson premises Natural Causes
John Brown December 20, 1844 at the house of John Brown Natural Causes
William Padgett February 22, 1894 at W.D. Readys plantation Homicide
Tandy Holmes September 21, 1894 at or on Dr. W.C. Prescotts Plantation Homicide
Robert Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
Minda negro girl August 17, 1851 at Mr Geo Robinsons Unknown
Henry Ethredge June 2, 1899 at the plantation of P.B. Mayson Accident
Charles negro boy March 7, 1857 at Archy Clark residence Accident
Allen Bauknight freedman June 11, 1866 at William Bauknights Accident
J. B. Whittle November 28, 1894 at Mrs Whittles Natural Causes
Susan Churchwell October 6, 1884 at Allen Simkins House Unknown
Seware[?] Stuart November 4, 1893 at J.[?] E. Griffiths Accident
Isham Glover August 9, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
Jim Coleman freidman November 15, 1866 at the Mackey Place on horse Creek Accident
male baby male baby May 24, 1891 at the Saluda River Homicide
Adam negro man Slave, boy August 3, 1850 at Vaucluse Factory Accident
Louisa Wooden October 13, 1893 at Mose Woden Accident
Violet negro woman (slave) March 25, 1844 at John Dinkinses Suicide
Joe Weston January 31, 1895 in Edgefield County Homicide
Solomon Ellenberg February 18, 1859 near the Residence of G.M. Ouzts[?] Suicide
Bluford Abney November 14, 1894 at M.A. Colemans plantation Natural Causes
Ernest Bean April 6, 1884 at the Mill of B[?] Hill Accident
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
Lula Smith child June 22, 1894 at James A Satcher's Plantation Homicide
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
John Henry King October 29, 1865 in Hamburg Homicide
Peter Negro man December 30, 1859 at the Plantation of Mr Wm Bunch Accident

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