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 151 - 200 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort ascending
Liz slaves March 4, 1860 at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek Accident boat
Peter slaves March 4, 1860 at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek Accident boat
Dave negro man Slave March 16, 1849 at Kilcrease's Ferry Accident boat
Betsey slaves March 4, 1860 at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek Accident boat
Lizzy three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide axe
Augustus W. Burt March 25, 1847 at the Plantation of A.W. Burt Homicide axe
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
William H Maharey May 25, 1863 at Haslin Factory on the Procelian Manufacturing Company Accident
Henry Jones September 21, 1855 Accident
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
Mary female Slave January 13, 1853 at Isaac Bowles[?] Accident
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
James Frazier Babie October 24, 1890 at D. B Hollingworth Accident
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
Charley Ryan May 9, 1892 at T. H. Ramsford Plantion Homicide
Ernest Bean April 6, 1884 at the Mill of B[?] Hill Accident
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
infant child infant child December 9, 1891 at a colored cemetary Accident
John Shumport[?] November 7, 1851 at John Shumports[?] Accident
Fed Martin convict September 1, 1895 at Poor House and CH Unknown
Henry Goodman May 4, 1851 at or near to William H Adams on little horse Creek Accident
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Richard Lundy December 7, 1891 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Infant Boy Child Infant Boy Child June 18, 1883 at Marsh Grobe Yard Accident
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
infant, (male) infant, (male) April 29, 1857 at Potterville Homicide
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Willie G. Harris March 25, 1897 at Edgefield CH Homicide
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
Robert J. Butler September 15, 1864 at Hamburg Homicide
Hampton Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
Aggy Latily[?] negro woman slave June 21, 1848 at the plantation of N L Griffin Unknown
infant child infant child September 15, 1861 at the residence of Mrs Margret Willis Accident
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide
Luther Harris May 26, 1899 at the plantation of George F Towns Homicide
John Matthews October 13, 1829 at the house of William Adams Other
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Mary Bright Hanpt[?] October 6, 1881 at Bright Hanpt[?] Unknown
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
Mary Slave May 17, 1847 at the Plantation of A. Perrin Homicide
infant infant December 15, 1892 at Mr. Pleasant Grave Yard Accident
Eldrige Padgett February 9, 1859 at Eidson Padgetts Accident
John McKinny September 26, 1894 at W P. Lipfords[?] Homicide
John J. Cobb July 23, 1843 at William Elkins Mill Pond Suicide

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