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 101 - 150 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Emanuel slave March 12, 1856 at Matthew McGraw's plantation Accident
Infant Boy Child Colored Infant Boy Child Colored February 15, 1883 at the residence of Charles Coleman Unknown
infant child infant child November 23, 1891 at the plantation of Willis Owdom[?] Accident
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Anderson B. Branham January 6, 1892 at the plantation of M. C. Parker Unknown
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
Joel W. Warren November 9, 1894 at Joseph Mirren[?] House Natural Causes
Harriet negro woman July 20, 1859 at the residence of JB Rease Natural Causes
Sam negro, slave September 18, 1846 at the residence of Mrs Nancy Delaughter Natural Causes
Jno. C Swearingin April 24, 1895 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
Rhoda female slave July 4, 1857 at Dorn's[?] Mill Natural Causes
Jim Brown Child April 19, 1882 on Jasper Talbert Premises Unknown
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
Chaney negro woman December 11, 1855 at the dwelling house of Mrs Randall in the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Selena Allen child, boy, baby December 12, 1890 at Mrs Blacks[?] Plantation Accident
infant child infant child June 14, 1891 at Kenny Grave Yard Accident
Emaline Jackson August 27, 1894 at Dr Childs Plantation Natural Causes
Mary Slave May 17, 1847 at the Plantation of A. Perrin Homicide
Nancy Slave June 19, 1847 at the house of Mrs G. Rily's Suicide
Tom Waldrum colored man (Free) January 20, 1857 in the woods near Mr Avory Franklins Accident
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
John E. Paul June 14, 1892 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Jim McKie October 26, 1898 near John starks Homicide
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Martha Lanham January 29, 1892 at Wilts[?] Curryes place Natural Causes
infant Boy infant Boy October 29, 1894 at [?] Coleman Natural Causes
Lilla Olophant female infant August 18, 1879 at Simpton[?] Pinns[?] Accident
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
John Hester May 13, 1846 at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy Accident
Frank Milton child January 26, 1894 at Sanders Loricks Natural Causes
Joe slave, boy September 13, 1860 at the residence of D. M. Glover Homicide
Mid[?] Griffin February 2, 1895 at the Govelace[?] Place Natural Causes
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide
infant child infant child September 15, 1861 at the residence of Mrs Margret Willis Accident
negro man negro man April 10, 1850 near Kilcreases Ferry Accident
infant infant January 22, 1894 at Oak Gilchrist House Natural Causes
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
Mary Grace Aldrich infant child August 11, 1856 at Graniteville Homicide
Dick male slave July 13, 1859 at Ted Scurrys residence Accident
Julia Banks September 4, 1891 at Mr Banks Plantation Natural Causes
John G. Riddle July 3, 1860 at the residence of Mr Richard Burton Natural Causes
Lewis negro man March 20, 1846 at & in the Revd Mr. Brooks Plantation Accident
William Harlin February 19, 1856 at a new place sitting by Mr James Swearingem(Jr) on the Akien Road Accident
Moses Blalock May 19, 1882 on the Plantation of W G McDavid Homicide
infant infant January 10, 1898 at Johnston Homicide

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