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 201 - 250 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
William Prince July 9, 1851 at the house of John W Garrett Accident
Richard Lundy December 7, 1891 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Alexander P. Kennard February 16, 1847 in the District Natural Causes
infant infant March 24, 1892 at Pinksville Homicide
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
infant, (male) infant, (male) April 29, 1857 at Potterville Homicide
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
Henry Jones September 21, 1855 Accident
Eunice Hogan October 26, 1851 at the house of John Briskey Homicide
Nelson Smith freedman, boy October 4, 1866 at Andrew Warts Homicide
Milledge Stuard October 8, 1881 at Mount [??] Yard Natural Causes
John Young June 27, 1891 at the residence of John Young Accident
Peter Negro man December 30, 1859 at the Plantation of Mr Wm Bunch Accident
James Frazier Babie October 24, 1890 at D. B Hollingworth Accident
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
Joseph Shaw July 26, 1858 at the residence of John H Shaw near Edgefield C.H. Accident
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
Charley Ryan May 9, 1892 at T. H. Ramsford Plantion Homicide
Robert W. Kincade December 27, 1845 at the house of Baley[?] Corley Natural Causes
Samuel Harrison February 18, 1881 at [inelligible - faded] Accident
infant child infant child December 9, 1891 at a colored cemetary Accident
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
Abram slave October 8, 1860 at the Residence of H. B. Raborns Natural Causes
Willie Toney March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
Lidda Hampton November 24, 1893 at A Derrecks Natural Causes
Mary Gillam January 1, 1891 at Mrs Francis Wrights Plantation Natural Causes
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
Edward Johnston December 26, 1892 at William Bushes Unknown
Hampton Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
Gus West October 11, 1883 at Jack Holms Unknown
Lesthia Ridlehouse[Ridlehover?] January 5, 1892 at the Residence of Mrs Edny Mary Accident
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
Hardy Boulware January 2, 1862 at Hardy Boulwares Homicide
Luther Harris May 26, 1899 at the plantation of George F Towns Homicide
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
Elmira Jackson May 18, 1884 at George Holingsworths House Accident
William Samuel April 26, 1891 at Scima[?] Hill Church Homicide
Sindy Brighthop August 21, 1898 on S.W. Gardners place Homicide
Charles negro man February 27, 1850 at Scotts Shoals on Savannah River Accident
Thomas Welheu[?] June 19, 1868 at Benjamin Better[?] wheat field on the Columbia & Augusta Rail Road Accident
Lawrence Frazier child January 14, 1895 at D.B. Holingsworths Accident
George Washington Crowder October 19, 1866 at Grannetville Accident
Lona May Hamilton child October 18, 1893 at or near Longmires PO[?] Natural Causes
Matt Loyd February 24, 1891 at Mr. Carmal cemetary near the Old Wills Natural Causes
Tom negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at H. L. Maysons in Beach island Accident
Jack negro boy May 14, 1852 at the house of H. W. Posey Accident
Pete slave October 31, 1864 at Liberty hill Unknown

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