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
Infant Infant December 18, 1894 at the Rinheart Grave yard Unknown
Presley Wise July 11, 1891 at D W. Padgetts plantation Homicide
J. J. Jennings November 16, 1860 at J J Jennings Suicide
Milledge Stuard October 8, 1881 at Mount [??] Yard Natural Causes
William Bailey July 19, 1846 at the House of Samuel C Scott Homicide
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook Accident
Lula Smith child June 22, 1894 at James A Satcher's Plantation Homicide
Chaney negro woman December 11, 1855 at the dwelling house of Mrs Randall in the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
Sarah Scurry September 28, 1844 at the House of Sarah Scurry Suicide
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
John Henry King October 29, 1865 in Hamburg Homicide
Samuel Harrison February 18, 1881 at [inelligible - faded] Accident
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Emanuel slave March 12, 1856 at Matthew McGraw's plantation Accident
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
A. G. Leek February 23, 1859 at A. G. Leeks Residence Other
Milton Barter[?] youth August 24, 1849 at Capt. Andrew J Hammonds Mills Accident
Wallace E. Bland July 4, 1880 at Edgefield C. House Homicide
Benjamin Cockroft March 18, 1847 in the woods near the house of Beryman[?] Bledsoe Accident
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Ansabelle Brown October 21, 1866 near the Tambor[?] Soba[?] Rail Road Unknown
Alexander P. Kennard February 16, 1847 in the District Natural Causes
Henry Padget freedman November 14, 1866 at Wm Padgets premises on Clouds Creek Homicide
Joel W. Warren November 9, 1894 at Joseph Mirren[?] House Natural Causes
Frank Milton child January 26, 1894 at Sanders Loricks Natural Causes
John McKinny September 26, 1894 at W P. Lipfords[?] Homicide
Martin B. Elam January 28, 1851 at Mrs Mary Elams Other
John Whitlock boy September 8, 1869 at Grainteville Accident
Gus West October 11, 1883 at Jack Holms Unknown
Thomas Prince July 31, 1848 at the Joal of Said District Natural Causes
infant child infant child January 10, 1892 at Trenton Accident
Willie G. Harris March 25, 1897 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Eva Blocker February 11, 1893 at J. P. Wrights Plantation Accident
Mary Grace Aldrich infant child August 11, 1856 at Graniteville Homicide
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
Levi H. McDaniel March 9, 1859 at or near the 17 mile Post on the Scotts Ferry Road Homicide
Berry Butler October 9, 1892 at J. H Lagroons[?] plantation Accident
William M. Tredaway March 27, 1851 at the house of William M Tredaway at Beach Island Homicide
Elmira Jackson May 18, 1884 at George Holingsworths House Accident
J. M. Long October 10, 1891 at J. M. Longs Homicide
John M. Tillman May 6, 1860 at Mr J.A Tillmans Steam Mill Homicide
Tom Waldrum colored man (Free) January 20, 1857 in the woods near Mr Avory Franklins Accident
John slave September 27, 1863 at the residence of Johnson A Bland Accident
Elleck free boy December 13, 1866 at Johnathan Gregorys Accident
Jim McKie October 26, 1898 near John starks Homicide
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
Tom Slave, old negro man January 12, 1853 near the residence of Harry Scott Accident
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Edward slave, boy October 22, 1858 at the residence of Wm Miller Natural Causes

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