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 301 - 350 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Typesort descending Death Method
Lizzie Greeg July 4, 1884 at Capt Taliar[?] Hearin[?] Natural Causes
Bluford Abney November 14, 1894 at M.A. Colemans plantation Natural Causes
J. B. Whittle November 28, 1894 at Mrs Whittles Natural Causes
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Hartwell Roper June 17, 1869 at the residence of Rev. J.P. Mealing Natural Causes
B. C. Bryan March 16, 1884 at B C Bryan Residence Natural Causes
Richard Stevens February 21, 1898 at Johnston S.C. Natural Causes
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
infant infant May 5, 1893 at F. L. Foys Natural Causes
Lidda Hampton November 24, 1893 at A Derrecks Natural Causes
Kizziah[?] slave, servant March 11, 1860 at the residence of Mr M Lanham Natural Causes
Albert Watson June 15, 1892 at the plantation of W.B. Maffett Natural Causes
Charley Ryan May 9, 1892 at T. H. Ramsford Plantion Homicide
Henry Turner September 24, 1878 at Johnstons Homicide
Richard Lundy December 7, 1891 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Bill King August 9, 1881 at H C Kings Residence Homicide hoe
Andrew Trapp December 4, 1869 near Trapps Mills Homicide knife
Thomas Glover August 2, 1893 at Bill Werk[?] Residence Homicide
Sindy Brighthop August 21, 1898 on S.W. Gardners place Homicide
Apling negro man April 5, 1849 in the woods in said district near the Lexington line on a branch of McGier Creek Homicide
infant, (male) infant, (male) April 29, 1857 at Potterville Homicide
Robert Parks September 27, 1894 at Parkville Homicide lick
Robert J. Butler September 15, 1864 at Hamburg Homicide
Henry Burt June 21, 1895 at Henry Burts Homicide knife
Randal negro man May 9, 1844 at Grancis Bettis's plantation on Horns Creek Homicide cow skin
Luther Harris May 26, 1899 at the plantation of George F Towns Homicide
Edmund Brown December 24, 1853 at the house of Wm Merchantile[?] Homicide
Harry Anderson December 16, 1882 at Clinton Ward Homicide pistol
Eugene McCarty May 11, 1861 at Edgefield Court house Homicide pistol
Joe slave, boy September 13, 1860 at the residence of D. M. Glover Homicide
Mary Randall October 19, 1857 at the Residence of John Randall Homicide razor
Henry Padget freedman November 14, 1866 at Wm Padgets premises on Clouds Creek Homicide
Michael Long April 17, 1849 at the house of Michael Long Homicide shotgun
Julia Mundy June 17, 1881 at Jas H Banknight Homicide
Jno. C Swearingin April 24, 1895 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
Eunice Hogan October 26, 1851 at the house of John Briskey Homicide
Gus Blocker August 18, 1892 at the plantion of July Blocker Homicide
Moses Blalock May 19, 1882 on the Plantation of W G McDavid Homicide
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
Cesar Negro, negro boy July 7, 1843 at the house of Elijah Watson Homicide
James Bledsoe May 15, 1893 at Dr D.P. Lalsrones[?] Residence Homicide pistol
Prince slave January 15, 1865 at John Seiglers Homicide knife
Andrew slave September 3, 1850 at A.P. Butlers plantation Homicide rail
James Thomas colored July 20, 1869 at Liberty Hill County Homicide
John Agner December 26, 1883 at Mr. John Agner's Homicide knife
Benjamin F. Jones March 24, 1845 at W B Griffins Homicide shotgun
Namro negro man August 11, 1844 at the house of Rob King Esqr Homicide club or stick
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
John M. Tillman May 6, 1860 at Mr J.A Tillmans Steam Mill Homicide

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