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
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes
William Bailey July 19, 1846 at the House of Samuel C Scott Homicide
Unknown August 30, 1866 at Fosity[?] Creek ford Unknown
Ben Shubrick col December 24, 1869 at Negro heade Lane Natural Causes
Isham Glover August 10, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
Sarah Scurry September 28, 1844 at the House of Sarah Scurry Suicide
George Robinson January 12, 1892 at the plantation of E. B. Davis Natural Causes
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
A. G. Leek February 23, 1859 at A. G. Leeks Residence Other
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
James L. Hill January 10, 1867 at James L Hills Accident
Benjamin Cockroft March 18, 1847 in the woods near the house of Beryman[?] Bledsoe Accident
Curry slave March 17, 1856 at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation Accident
Clem slave, boy October 3, 1858 at Tabitha Abney's Accident
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
Ned Dozier September 27, 1893 at MJ Holsteins Homicide
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
Sallie Young December 8, 1890 at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation Accident
Thomas Prince July 31, 1848 at the Joal of Said District Natural Causes
Willie G. Harris March 25, 1897 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Nancy Slave June 19, 1847 at the house of Mrs G. Rily's Suicide
infant child infant child November 17, 1891 at Mr M Toneys place Unknown
Lizzie Greeg July 4, 1884 at Capt Taliar[?] Hearin[?] Natural Causes
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
Joseph Moore Jr. April 19, 1846 at the house of Dr John D. Nicholson Natural Causes
Levi H. McDaniel March 9, 1859 at or near the 17 mile Post on the Scotts Ferry Road Homicide
infant child infant child January 18, 1892 at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger Accident
Cooper slave March 17, 1852 at the plantation of L.H. Mundy decd Natural Causes
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Adam Barker August 10, 1879 at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd Suicide
Whit Terry October 19, 1894 J.K. Corleys Place Homicide
John slave September 27, 1863 at the residence of Johnson A Bland Accident
John Hester May 13, 1846 at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy Accident
W. T. Mathis November 11, 1897 at the Yeldell place Natural Causes
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
Dudley Roundtree August 10, 1856 at the dwelling house of the late Dudley Roundtree Natural Causes
Charley Geeter October 27, 1881 at Violets Geeter's house Accident
Esther Jeter April 17, 1893 at Huiets x Roads Accident
John McKinny September 26, 1894 at W P. Lipfords[?] Homicide
Martin B. Elam January 28, 1851 at Mrs Mary Elams Other
James Mitchell February 18, 1879 at L D Laudrums Natural Causes
Ora Weaver February 21, 1891 at the plantation of D B. H Holfarth[illegible - ink blot] Accident
Infred Padgett July 12, 1848 at the Joal of Edgefield Natural Causes
Callen O'Neall November 11, 1855 at Luke Havirds[?] Accident
Peter White March 11, 1898 at Jacob White upon the Plantation Silvester Chipley Homicide

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