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
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
Emaline Jackson August 27, 1894 at Dr Childs Plantation Natural Causes
Mary Bright Hanpt[?] October 6, 1881 at Bright Hanpt[?] Unknown
Sallie Young December 8, 1890 at Mr A. F Broadwaters 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
Joseph Moore Jr. April 19, 1846 at the house of Dr John D. Nicholson Natural Causes
Mary Grace Aldrich infant child August 11, 1856 at Graniteville Homicide
Eldrige Padgett February 9, 1859 at Eidson Padgetts Accident
infant child infant child November 17, 1891 at Mr M Toneys place Unknown
John J. Cobb July 23, 1843 at William Elkins Mill Pond Suicide
infant Boy infant Boy October 29, 1894 at [?] Coleman Natural Causes
Ed Glover July 8, 1882 at Poore House Accident
infant child infant child January 18, 1892 at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger Accident
Tom Waldrum colored man (Free) January 20, 1857 in the woods near Mr Avory Franklins Accident
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Robert J. Butler September 15, 1864 at Hamburg Homicide
Mid[?] Griffin February 2, 1895 at the Govelace[?] Place Natural Causes
Jim McKie October 26, 1898 near John starks Homicide
W. T. Mathis November 11, 1897 at the Yeldell place Natural Causes
Aggy Latily[?] negro woman slave June 21, 1848 at the plantation of N L Griffin Unknown
Elijah Flour[?] youth July 24, 1849 at the hous of Mrs Salley Spradley Accident
Albert Jones April 29, 1885 at Pickens Reynolds house Homicide
Rebeca Eidson May 29, 1861 at the Residence of William Eidson Natural Causes
white man white man October 21, 1849 in the woods near Holsonbakers[?] old fields Natural Causes
Dilsey Seigler September 20, 1869 at Miles Mills Natural Causes
Julia Banks September 4, 1891 at Mr Banks Plantation Natural Causes
W. W. Miller Sr. white man July 10, 1891 at J M. Mays place Accident
John H Webb January 22, 1882 at James Webb Residence Accident
Ora Weaver February 21, 1891 at the plantation of D B. H Holfarth[illegible - ink blot] Accident
William Perry January 7, 1894 in the county and state aforesaid Accident
John Webb March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
B. J. Mims January 20, 1885 at the Residence of Capt B J Mims Natural Causes
Edmond Price April 30, 1892 at Kennys Graveyard Unknown
Stepney negro man September 29, 1848 at the Swamp Platation of Wiley Glover, decd on Savannah River Suicide
Tom negro slave December 18, 1858 at Chlo Watsons Homicide
Henry Jennings September 14, 1891 at the residense of diceased Natural Causes
Sarah Lucas October 30, 1890 at Mr. M L Holson Accident
William Harlin February 19, 1856 at a new place sitting by Mr James Swearingem(Jr) on the Akien Road Accident
Simon C. Wood[?] December 26, 1857 at Wm Calelaziers[?] Natural Causes
J. E. Black May 8, 1861 at the Residence of J. E. Black Other
Luther Sullivan October 26, 1898 near John Stuarts Homicide
Caroline Free negro August 26, 1858 four miles from Hamburg Unknown
George Ross June 29, 1898 at Adoms[?] place Homicide
Joseph Powel August 18, 1879 at [??] Accident
Solomon negro man June 24, 1844 near the Mill of George A. McKee on Stevens Creek Accident
Lovina negroe girl, a slave September 4, 1860 at Doct H M Folks[Faulk?] Suicide
Lidia Watson January 26, 1894 at J E Macks Accident
Doublin male slave, boy April 5, 1857 at the Residence of Mrs Delila Philips Natural Causes
Jesse Limbecker June 18, 1869 at Hamburg Accident

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