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 1 - 50 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Ernest Bean April 6, 1884 at the Mill of B[?] Hill Accident
Ben Shubrick col December 24, 1869 at Negro heade Lane Natural Causes
Joseph Shaw July 26, 1858 at the residence of John H Shaw near Edgefield C.H. Accident
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
Isham Glover August 10, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
Robert W. Kincade December 27, 1845 at the house of Baley[?] Corley Natural Causes
George Robinson January 12, 1892 at the plantation of E. B. Davis Natural Causes
Clem slave, boy October 3, 1858 at Tabitha Abney's Accident
Infant Boy Child Infant Boy Child June 18, 1883 at Marsh Grobe Yard Accident
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
Ned Dozier September 27, 1893 at MJ Holsteins Homicide
James L. Hill January 10, 1867 at James L Hills Accident
infant infant March 24, 1892 at Pinksville Homicide
Curry slave March 17, 1856 at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation Accident
Unknown August 30, 1866 at Fosity[?] Creek ford Unknown
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
John Young June 27, 1891 at the residence of John Young Accident
Eunice Hogan October 26, 1851 at the house of John Briskey Homicide
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes
Sallie Young December 8, 1890 at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation Accident
Cooper slave March 17, 1852 at the plantation of L.H. Mundy decd Natural Causes
Mary Bright Hanpt[?] October 6, 1881 at Bright Hanpt[?] Unknown
Nancy Slave June 19, 1847 at the house of Mrs G. Rily's Suicide
Whit Terry October 19, 1894 J.K. Corleys Place Homicide
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident
Joseph Moore Jr. April 19, 1846 at the house of Dr John D. Nicholson Natural Causes
infant child infant child November 17, 1891 at Mr M Toneys place Unknown
Eldrige Padgett February 9, 1859 at Eidson Padgetts Accident
William Samuel April 26, 1891 at Scima[?] Hill Church Homicide
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
infant child infant child January 18, 1892 at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger Accident
Dudley Roundtree August 10, 1856 at the dwelling house of the late Dudley Roundtree Natural Causes
Ed Glover July 8, 1882 at Poore House Accident
John Hester May 13, 1846 at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy Accident
Esther Jeter April 17, 1893 at Huiets x Roads Accident
Willie Toney March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
W. T. Mathis November 11, 1897 at the Yeldell place Natural Causes
Edward Johnston December 26, 1892 at William Bushes Unknown
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
John Matthews October 13, 1829 at the house of William Adams Other
Lesthia Ridlehouse[Ridlehover?] January 5, 1892 at the Residence of Mrs Edny Mary Accident
Ora Weaver February 21, 1891 at the plantation of D B. H Holfarth[illegible - ink blot] Accident
Jacob Horn February 25, 1866 at the hous of Jacob Horns Homicide
John H Webb January 22, 1882 at James Webb Residence Accident
Lewis negro man March 20, 1846 at & in the Revd Mr. Brooks Plantation Accident
Lizzie Darian child November 21, 1894 at Waldo Richardsons Accident
Edmond Price April 30, 1892 at Kennys Graveyard Unknown
B. J. Mims January 20, 1885 at the Residence of Capt B J Mims Natural Causes
Jack Taylor April 11, 1892 at the house of Hal[?] Miles Natural Causes

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