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
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
Ana May Blocker child December 2, 1894 at Ben Boatwrights farm Natural Causes
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
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
Robert W. Kincade December 27, 1845 at the house of Baley[?] Corley Natural Causes
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Samuel Harrison February 18, 1881 at [inelligible - faded] Accident
Elmira Jackson May 18, 1884 at George Holingsworths House Accident
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
infant Boy infant Boy October 29, 1894 at [?] Coleman Natural Causes
John M. Tillman May 6, 1860 at Mr J.A Tillmans Steam Mill Homicide
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
Mid[?] Griffin February 2, 1895 at the Govelace[?] Place Natural Causes
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
infant child infant child January 10, 1892 at Trenton Accident
infant infant January 22, 1894 at Oak Gilchrist House Natural Causes
Edward slave, boy October 22, 1858 at the residence of Wm Miller Natural Causes
Berry Butler October 9, 1892 at J. H Lagroons[?] plantation Accident
Gus West October 11, 1883 at Jack Holms Unknown
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
Emaline Jackson August 27, 1894 at Dr Childs Plantation Natural Causes
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
J. M. Long October 10, 1891 at J. M. Longs Homicide
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
H. P. Church December 27, 1842 in the house of C. H. Goodman in the Vilage of Edgefield Other
Elick Youngblood child March 21, 1881 at S[?] R Warren Homicide
Harry negro boy September 9, 1858 at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks Accident
Henry Jennings September 14, 1891 at the residense of diceased Natural Causes
Jim slave June 10, 1859 at M, L, Bonham Esqr residence on the Pine House road Natural Causes
Nancy Weaver December 20, 1893 at Edgefield Court House Accident
Thomas Welheu[?] June 19, 1868 at Benjamin Better[?] wheat field on the Columbia & Augusta Rail Road Accident
George Washington Crowder October 19, 1866 at Grannetville Accident
Luther Sullivan October 26, 1898 near John Stuarts Homicide
Tom negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at H. L. Maysons in Beach island Accident
J. D. Wells December 14, 1890 at Edgefield C.H. Natural Causes
Jack negro boy May 14, 1852 at the house of H. W. Posey Accident
William C. Goff May 7, 1865 at Bethany Church Accident
Albert Jones April 29, 1885 at Pickens Reynolds house Homicide
Joe infant negro August 26, 1860 at John Huiets Accident
Pete slave October 31, 1864 at Liberty hill Unknown
Thomas child of Thomas M Chandler September 11, 1850 at Thos M. Chandler's house, and at the old Pottery Accident

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