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 1 - 50 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Emanuel slave March 12, 1856 at Matthew McGraw's plantation Accident
Joseph Shaw July 26, 1858 at the residence of John H Shaw near Edgefield C.H. Accident
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
Charley Ryan May 9, 1892 at T. H. Ramsford Plantion Homicide
Robert W. Kincade December 27, 1845 at the house of Baley[?] Corley Natural Causes
infant child infant child December 9, 1891 at a colored cemetary Accident
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
Infant Boy Child Infant Boy Child June 18, 1883 at Marsh Grobe Yard Accident
Joel W. Warren November 9, 1894 at Joseph Mirren[?] House Natural Causes
William Prince July 9, 1851 at the house of John W Garrett Accident
Richard Lundy December 7, 1891 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Jno. C Swearingin April 24, 1895 at Edgefield CH Homicide
infant, (male) infant, (male) April 29, 1857 at Potterville Homicide
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
Henry Padget freedman November 14, 1866 at Wm Padgets premises on Clouds Creek Homicide
Henry Jones September 21, 1855 Accident
Chaney negro woman December 11, 1855 at the dwelling house of Mrs Randall in the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Eunice Hogan October 26, 1851 at the house of John Briskey Homicide
James Frazier Babie October 24, 1890 at D. B Hollingworth Accident
Ana May Blocker child December 2, 1894 at Ben Boatwrights farm Natural Causes
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
Ernest Bean April 6, 1884 at the Mill of B[?] Hill 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
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
Jim McKie October 26, 1898 near John starks Homicide
Eldrige Padgett February 9, 1859 at Eidson Padgetts Accident
infant Boy infant Boy October 29, 1894 at [?] Coleman Natural Causes
Ed Glover July 8, 1882 at Poore House Accident
John M. Tillman May 6, 1860 at Mr J.A Tillmans Steam Mill Homicide
Frank Milton child January 26, 1894 at Sanders Loricks Natural Causes
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
Mary Gillam January 1, 1891 at Mrs Francis Wrights Plantation Natural Causes
Mid[?] Griffin February 2, 1895 at the Govelace[?] Place Natural Causes
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
infant infant January 22, 1894 at Oak Gilchrist House Natural Causes
John Matthews October 13, 1829 at the house of William Adams Other
Edward slave, boy October 22, 1858 at the residence of Wm Miller Natural Causes
Hampton Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
Mary Grace Aldrich infant child August 11, 1856 at Graniteville Homicide
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
Luther Harris May 26, 1899 at the plantation of George F Towns Homicide
Emaline Jackson August 27, 1894 at Dr Childs Plantation Natural Causes
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
Mary Bright Hanpt[?] October 6, 1881 at Bright Hanpt[?] Unknown
John H Webb January 22, 1882 at James Webb Residence Accident
William Harlin February 19, 1856 at a new place sitting by Mr James Swearingem(Jr) on the Akien Road Accident
Mike negro man September 13, 1844 at Dr John D. Nicholsons Mill Accident

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