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 ascending
William Samuel April 26, 1891 at Scima[?] Hill Church Homicide
William M. Tredaway March 27, 1851 at the house of William M Tredaway at Beach Island Homicide
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
Mary Slave May 17, 1847 at the Plantation of A. Perrin Homicide
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Julia Mundy June 17, 1881 at Jas H Banknight Homicide
Lawrence Frazier child January 14, 1895 at D.B. Holingsworths Accident
Cesar Negro, negro boy July 7, 1843 at the house of Elijah Watson Homicide
William C. Goff May 7, 1865 at Bethany Church Accident
Tom negro slave December 18, 1858 at Chlo Watsons Homicide
J. D. Wells December 14, 1890 at Edgefield C.H. Natural Causes
Simon C. Wood[?] December 26, 1857 at Wm Calelaziers[?] Natural Causes
John McManas December 4, 1883 at the Jail Accident
Thomas Glover August 2, 1893 at Bill Werk[?] Residence Homicide
Hartwell Roper June 17, 1869 at the residence of Rev. J.P. Mealing Natural Causes
infant male child infant male child January 3, 1894 in Edgefield County Natural Causes
Silvy Nix January 1, 1891 Natural Causes
John G. Riddle July 3, 1860 at the residence of Mr Richard Burton Natural Causes
Wade Medlock July 12, 1894 at Benjamin Boatwrights Plantation Unknown
white man white man October 21, 1849 in the woods near Holsonbakers[?] old fields Natural Causes
Moses Blalock May 19, 1882 on the Plantation of W G McDavid Homicide
Jack Taylor April 11, 1892 at the house of Hal[?] Miles Natural Causes
Richard Stevens February 21, 1898 at Johnston S.C. Natural Causes
Harry negro boy September 9, 1858 at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks Accident
H. P. Church December 27, 1842 in the house of C. H. Goodman in the Vilage of Edgefield Other
Nancy Weaver December 20, 1893 at Edgefield Court House Accident
Charity Johnson March 11, 1847 at the Residence of Charity Johnson, late deceased Natural Causes
Solomon Ellenberg February 18, 1859 near the Residence of G.M. Ouzts[?] Suicide
Lila Washington February 20, 1879 at Wesley Barns Mill Accident
Hurnon[?] April 4, 1862 at Doct H R Cooks Plantation on Savanah River Unknown
Edinborough Ryan December 30, 1882 at Mrs D. L Bussy Plantation Accident
Ras slave December 6, 1850 at D Dennys Mill Suicide
Robert Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
Wilson Griffin freedman February 13, 1867 at Luke Rodgers Homicide
Jim Coleman freidman November 15, 1866 at the Mackey Place on horse Creek Accident
Levi S. Mathews July 13, 1892 at G. C. Wheerles[?] Residence Natural Causes
Seware[?] Stuart November 4, 1893 at J.[?] E. Griffiths Accident
Lovina negroe girl, a slave September 4, 1860 at Doct H M Folks[Faulk?] Suicide
Isham Glover August 9, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
Jesse Moragna[?] March 3, 1882 at Luke Moragines[?] House Accident
Richard Mims August 1, 1899 at the plantation of Mrs. H. Carter Accident
infant infant May 5, 1893 at F. L. Foys Natural Causes
Mingo Mosley January 13, 1883 at Samuel[?] Corley's Accident
J. F. Styron April 21, 1891 at residence of J. F. Styron[?] Accident
Joseph Riddle April 10, 1856 at Hamburg Homicide
Violet negro woman (slave) March 25, 1844 at John Dinkinses Suicide
Ned Dozier September 27, 1893 at MJ Holsteins Homicide
Sarah Scurry September 28, 1844 at the House of Sarah Scurry Suicide
Curry slave March 17, 1856 at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation Accident

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