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 251 - 300 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
R. Mackgrath January 5, 1852 at the house of John Dobey Other
Gertrude infant child December 1, 1891 at Edgfield Court house Accident
John Brown December 20, 1844 at the house of John Brown Natural Causes
Joe Weston January 31, 1895 in Edgefield County Homicide
Lucius Walker October 5, 1869 at James Doziers plantation Accident
Bluford Abney November 14, 1894 at M.A. Colemans plantation Natural Causes
Prince negro man October 27, 1844 at Mrs Elizabeth Timmermans Suicide
Charles negro boy March 7, 1857 at Archy Clark residence Accident
Joshua negro man slave June 26, 1860 at Harmon Gallman Unknown
James Edward Settle boy March 9, 1884 on Henry Hill Plantation Accident
Isaac Jones July 1, 1881 at Ridge Spring Natural Causes
Ryal Negro Slave July 28, 1851 at Mr Thos McKies Batteau landing on Big Stephen's Creek Accident
Henry Ethredge June 2, 1899 at the plantation of P.B. Mayson Accident
Unknown April 11, 1860 at or near W.J. Walkers Unknown
J. B. Whittle November 28, 1894 at Mrs Whittles Natural Causes
Enoch Douglass August 11, 1879 near Wesly Barrs on the rail road Accident
Howard Gale June 13, 1879 at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill Accident
Garett Doby October 11, 1880 at William Rufus Natural Causes
Adam negro man Slave, boy August 3, 1850 at Vaucluse Factory Accident
Edward slave, boy October 22, 1857 at the residence of Wm Miller Natural Causes
Rachiel Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
male baby male baby May 24, 1891 at the Saluda River Homicide
Blassingame Wise April 27, 1848 at or near the Negro quarter of Mrs Wiley Glover, on Savannah River Suicide
infant child infant child July 24, 1892 at Promised Land School house Unknown
Alick Croker boy September 29, 1878 at Mrs. Marshes premises Accident
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
William Prince July 9, 1851 at the house of John W Garrett Accident
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
infant infant March 24, 1892 at Pinksville Homicide
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
John Shumport[?] November 7, 1851 at John Shumports[?] Accident
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook Accident
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
Henry Padget freedman November 14, 1866 at Wm Padgets premises on Clouds Creek Homicide
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Fed Martin convict September 1, 1895 at Poor House and CH Unknown
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident
John Young June 27, 1891 at the residence of John Young Accident
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
Charley Geeter October 27, 1881 at Violets Geeter's house Accident

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