Edgefield County, SC
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," 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
Name | Deceased Description | Date | Inquest Location | Death Type |
Death Method![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lee Ryan | September 27, 1877 | at the plantation of Abram F Broadwater | Homicide | iron instrument | |
Prince | slave | January 15, 1865 | at John Seiglers | Homicide | knife |
Louisa Laudon | October 11, 1869 | at Dorns Steam Mills near Rocky Creek | Homicide | knife | |
John Agner | December 26, 1883 | at Mr. John Agner's | Homicide | knife | |
John Butler | October 23, 1850 | at the House of Mr Seth Butler | Homicide | knife | |
Andy Padgett | July 5, 1891 | near Ridge Spring | Homicide | knife | |
Samuel M. Dowel | July 25, 1844 | at James Murrels | Suicide | knife | |
Michael Long | October 11, 1877 | near the Residence of E.N. Youngblood | Suicide | knife | |
John Laudrum | October 11, 1869 | at Dons Steam Mills near Rocky Creek | Homicide | knife | |
Isaah Golden | August 27, 1860 | at Silverton Beach iland | Homicide | knife | |
Sam Howard | Freedman | August 6, 1866 | at L. L. Halls | Homicide | knife |
Prophet Burt | freedman | December 29, 1866 | at E.N. Troys | Homicide | knife |
Jim | negro boy | July 23, 1855 | at Wade Holsteens | Homicide | knife |
Harry | slave | December 25, 1858 | at Col Arthur Sinkins[?] | Homicide | knife |
Green | negro boy | July 23, 1850 | at the house of John Cheatham | Homicide | knife |
Prince | negro boy | December 23, 1849 | at Thos G. Lamars Mills on little horse creek | Homicide | knife |
William | negro man, boy, slave | February 13, 1849 | at R. F. Barretts | Homicide | knife |
Isaac Matthias Jones | October 14, 1858 | at the house of Lewis Jones (Sr) at Edgefield C.H. | Homicide | knife | |
Andrew Trapp | December 4, 1869 | near Trapps Mills | Homicide | knife | |
Harry | slave | May 20, 1863 | at Jesse Gomellions | Homicide | knife |
Henry Burt | June 21, 1895 | at Henry Burts | Homicide | knife | |
Britton McClendon | November 11, 1850 | near the residence of Henry C. Turner | Homicide | large hunting knife | |
Robert Parks | September 27, 1894 | at Parkville | Homicide | lick | |
Ransom Hollaway | May 14, 1862 | at Ransom Holaways | Accident | lightning | |
Lucy Roper | June 29, 1899 | on the pantation of S.W. Miller | Accident | lightning | |
Richard | negro boy Slave | September 9, 1850 | at Thomas Garretts | Accident | machinery |
George Bowers | May 26, 1891 | at Kenards bend | Accident | mule | |
Willie Glover | July 26, 1892 | at Lark Glovers Plantation | Accident | mule | |
James Bledsoe | May 15, 1893 | at Dr D.P. Lalsrones[?] Residence | Homicide | pistol | |
Griffin Mays | November 20, 1897 | at W. H. Pordew | Unknown | pistol | |
Stanmore B. Chappell | January 19, 1867 | at S.B. Chappells Residence | Homicide | pistol | |
Teague Tillman | October 2, 1899 | at the plantation of Thos. H. Ramsford | Homicide | pistol | |
Lewis | negro man, boy | March 14, 1861 | at Charles Hammonds Brickyard | Homicide | pistol |
Griff Zimmerman | October 9, 1899 | at Johnston Township | Homicide | pistol | |
James Ramsey | December 12, 1869 | at the residence of Andrew Ramsay Sr | Homicide | pistol | |
J. D. Ouzts | December 7, 1891 | at Edgefield | Homicide | pistol | |
James S. Aiton | June 19, 1893 | at J.S. Aiton deceased | Suicide | pistol | |
Thomas O'Donald | September 13, 1869 | at Dr. John E. Padgetts | Homicide | pistol | |
Elijah Reynolds | April 11, 1878 | at Johnstons | Homicide | pistol | |
Frank Holson | freedman | January 9, 1867 | at Lee Holson | Homicide | pistol |
Charles S. Harrison | November 25, 1878 | at E.C. House | Accident | pistol | |
Keal Johnson | colourd man | October 20, 1866 | at J.M. Proctors Residence | Homicide | pistol |
Carey Ashley | October 11, 1879 | at J W Wises[?] plantation | Homicide | pistol | |
Eugene McCarty | May 11, 1861 | at Edgefield Court house | Homicide | pistol | |
Arthur Morris | June 20, 1898 | at M. W Clarks | Homicide | pistol | |
Eldred Glover | March 2, 1852 | at the house of John Doby | Homicide | pistol | |
Thomas Booth | August 23, 1878 | at E. C. House | Homicide | pistol | |
Lizzie Carson | January 29, 1892 | at John J Carson Coleman Township | Suicide | pistol | |
Isah Zimmerman | December 26, 1881 | at the Residence of W F Ste[?]eies | Accident | pistol | |
Samuel Posey | October 21, 1860 | at P. B. McDaniels | Homicide | pistol |