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 Typesort descending Death Method
Howard Gale June 13, 1879 at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill Accident
infant infant December 15, 1892 at Mr. Pleasant Grave Yard Accident
Richard Mims August 1, 1899 at the plantation of Mrs. H. Carter Accident
Berry Butler October 9, 1892 at J. H Lagroons[?] plantation Accident
Charley Geeter October 27, 1881 at Violets Geeter's house Accident
George Low col June 6, 1869 at Sand Bar Ferry Accident stems of yellow jasmine
J. F. Styron April 21, 1891 at residence of J. F. Styron[?] Accident
infant child infant child January 10, 1892 at Trenton Accident
Elijah Flour[?] youth July 24, 1849 at the hous of Mrs Salley Spradley Accident
Peter slaves March 4, 1860 at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek Accident boat
Charles S. Harrison November 25, 1878 at E.C. House Accident pistol
William Perry January 7, 1894 in the county and state aforesaid Accident
Dave negro man Slave March 16, 1849 at Kilcrease's Ferry Accident boat
Lizzy Rardon September 28, 1879 at Clansey Holloways plantation Accident
Ransom Hollaway May 14, 1862 at Ransom Holaways Accident lightning
Willie Glover July 26, 1892 at Lark Glovers Plantation Accident mule
Clem slave, boy October 3, 1858 at Tabitha Abney's Accident
Isaac Oliphant November 9, 1882 at Ritch Thomson Accident
Benjamin Cockroft March 18, 1847 in the woods near the house of Beryman[?] Bledsoe Accident
Betsey slaves March 4, 1860 at the mill Pond of W. Glover on mill Creek Accident boat
Esther Jeter April 17, 1893 at Huiets x Roads Accident
Sallie Holmes December 20, 1893 at D. P. Bodies[?] Accident
James Blocker May 6, 1897 Accident train
John slave September 27, 1863 at the residence of Johnson A Bland Accident
Seware[?] Stuart November 4, 1893 at J.[?] E. Griffiths Accident
Jesse Limbecker June 18, 1869 at Hamburg Accident
Hugh Duffey Sr. August 26, 1855 at Bethany Church Accident horse
Robert Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
Lizzie Darian child November 21, 1894 at Waldo Richardsons Accident
Balus Harrison November 14, 1893 at Edgefield CH Accident cart
Curry slave March 17, 1856 at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation Accident
George Delaughter April 30, 1861 at the Hamburg Passenger Depot Accident train
Joe infant negro August 26, 1860 at John Huiets Accident
Milledge Fuller freedman February 18, 1867 at John Ransford plantation Accident
Callen O'Neall November 11, 1855 at Luke Havirds[?] Accident
Mary Harrison September 10, 1894 at Dornville Accident
Lidia Watson January 26, 1894 at J E Macks Accident
infant child infant child January 18, 1892 at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger Accident
Dick male slave July 13, 1859 at Ted Scurrys residence Accident
Ezekiel Thomas February 4, 1879 near Johnstons Accident train
Fannie Patton November 18, 1898 at Francis Williams house Accident
Tilman Attaway April 14, 1849 at the corner of the Oharer[?] old field Accident
Lilla Olophant female infant August 18, 1879 at Simpton[?] Pinns[?] Accident
Ben Culbreath July 24, 1895 at Jno A Corleys plantation Accident horse
Charles slave July 31, 1851 at the house of John M. Norris Esqr in Edgefield Accident
John Radford April 12, 1860 at the residence of John Radford Accident wagon
James Perry December 27, 1894 at Mt Enon Church Accident
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
John Hester May 13, 1846 at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy Accident
Sallie Young December 8, 1890 at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation Accident

Get in touch

  • Department of History
    220 LeConte Hall, Baldwin Street
    University of Georgia
    Athens, GA 30602-1602
  • 706-542-2053
  • admin@ehistory.org

eHistory was founded at the University of Georgia in 2011 by historians Claudio Saunt and Stephen Berry

Learn More about eHistory

Supporters

+ American Council of Learned Societies
+ DigiLab, Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, University of Georgia