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 Type Death Methodsort descending
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
Anderson B. Branham January 6, 1892 at the plantation of M. C. Parker Unknown
Milledge Stuard October 8, 1881 at Mount [??] Yard Natural Causes
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
Robert slave, boy April 8, 1847 at Edward Hampton's Suicide
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
Mid[?] Griffin February 2, 1895 at the Govelace[?] Place Natural Causes
Joseph Moore Jr. April 19, 1846 at the house of Dr John D. Nicholson Natural Causes
negro man negro man April 10, 1850 near Kilcreases Ferry Accident
Elmira Jackson May 18, 1884 at George Holingsworths House Accident
infant infant January 22, 1894 at Oak Gilchrist House Natural Causes
Lewis slave May 21, 1861 at S. H. Roggers Suicide
infant child infant child June 14, 1891 at Kenny Grave Yard Accident
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
Emaline Jackson August 27, 1894 at Dr Childs Plantation Natural Causes
Rose negro woman Slave March 14, 1846 at Michael Longs Homicide
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
John E. Paul June 14, 1892 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Rose three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Martha Lanham January 29, 1892 at Wilts[?] Curryes place Natural Causes
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
Gus West October 11, 1883 at Jack Holms Unknown
infant Boy infant Boy October 29, 1894 at [?] Coleman Natural Causes
R. Mackgrath January 5, 1852 at the house of John Dobey Other
Nancy Weaver December 20, 1893 at Edgefield Court House Accident
James Leppard February 13, 1893 at F. M. Leppards Natural Causes
Luther Sullivan October 26, 1898 near John Stuarts Homicide
Warren Kirkland November 16, 1858 at Benjamin Bartons Homicide
Pink Williams October 6, 1898 at or near Mr E.F. Pickles residence Homicide
William C. Goff May 7, 1865 at Bethany Church Accident
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Albert Jones April 29, 1885 at Pickens Reynolds house Homicide
George Washington Crowder October 19, 1866 at Grannetville Accident
Julia Banks September 4, 1891 at Mr Banks Plantation Natural Causes
Caroline Free negro August 26, 1858 four miles from Hamburg Unknown
Charles negro boy November 14, 1842 On Mr Thos Oliver's Plantation, at or near Said Oliver's residence Accident
infant male child infant male child January 3, 1894 in Edgefield County Natural Causes
Jack negro boy May 14, 1852 at the house of H. W. Posey Accident
infant infant January 10, 1898 at Johnston Homicide
Henry negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at New Savannah in beach Island Accident
Pete slave October 31, 1864 at Liberty hill Unknown
John Webb March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
John H. Anderson March 21, 1891 at Tom Anderson place Homicide
Harry negro boy September 9, 1858 at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks Accident
Henry Jennings September 14, 1891 at the residense of diceased Natural Causes

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