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 Typesort ascending Death Method
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
Andrew slave September 3, 1850 at A.P. Butlers plantation Homicide rail
James Thomas colored July 20, 1869 at Liberty Hill County Homicide
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins 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
Harry slave May 20, 1863 at Jesse Gomellions Homicide knife
Wallace E. Bland July 4, 1880 at Edgefield C. House Homicide
Luther Sullivan October 26, 1898 near John Stuarts Homicide
Harry slave December 25, 1858 at Col Arthur Sinkins[?] Homicide knife
Albert Jones April 29, 1885 at Pickens Reynolds house Homicide
Henry male slave July 15, 1858 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide hickory stick
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Elijah Reynolds April 11, 1878 at Johnstons Homicide pistol
John Webb March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
John E. Elsmore November 28, 1869 at the house of John E. Elsmore Homicide pistol
Louisa Laudon October 11, 1869 at Dorns Steam Mills near Rocky Creek Homicide knife
Carey Ashley October 11, 1879 at J W Wises[?] plantation Homicide pistol
William Cloud July 8, 1851 at the Spaun[?] Hotel Homicide pistol
J. M. Long October 10, 1891 at J. M. Longs Homicide
Robert Neid free man of Colour August 26, 1847 at Vaudun[?] Factory Homicide dirk knife
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Lizzy three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide axe
Lewis negro man, boy March 14, 1861 at Charles Hammonds Brickyard Homicide pistol
Thomas Styson June 22, 1856 at R. M. Fullers Homicide hoe
Eldred Glover March 2, 1852 at the house of John Doby Homicide pistol
Teague Tillman October 2, 1899 at the plantation of Thos. H. Ramsford Homicide pistol
Joseph Riddle April 10, 1856 at Hamburg Homicide
J. H. Christian July 21, 1856 in the village of Edgefield in Room No 11, in B. J. Ryans Hotel Homicide pistol
James Ramsey December 12, 1869 at the residence of Andrew Ramsay Sr Homicide pistol
Thomas Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide pistol
Lewis Moore November 30, 1891 at the plantation of Robert Smith Homicide pocket knife
Henry Padget freedman November 14, 1866 at Wm Padgets premises on Clouds Creek Homicide
Andy Padgett July 5, 1891 near Ridge Spring Homicide knife
Aaron slave December 5, 1852 at A. Bushnells Shop Homicide chisel
Ned Dozier September 27, 1893 at MJ Holsteins Homicide
John David Twiggs September 15, 1864 in Hamburg Homicide
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Charles Cobb March 13, 1893 at or near Johnston Homicide umbrella
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Susan Medlock April 7, 1894 at Johnston Homicide
Ann Kimball September 4, 1895 at China grove church Homicide
Charles M. Creswell August 5, 1869 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Lee Ryan September 27, 1877 at the plantation of Abram F Broadwater Homicide iron instrument
Prince slave January 15, 1865 at John Seiglers Homicide knife

Get in touch

  • Department of History
    220 LeConte Hall, Baldwin Street
    University of Georgia
    Athens, GA 30602-1602
  • 706-542-2053
  • admin@ehistory.org

eHistory was founded at the University of Georgia in 2011 by historians Claudio Saunt and Stephen Berry

Learn More about eHistory

Supporters

+ American Council of Learned Societies
+ DigiLab, Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, University of Georgia