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 Typesort ascending Death Method
J. D. Ouzts December 7, 1891 at Edgefield Homicide pistol
Levi H. McDaniel March 9, 1859 at or near the 17 mile Post on the Scotts Ferry Road Homicide
infant child infant child December 14, 1877 at Dr. K N Hudsons plantation Homicide
Namro negro man August 11, 1844 at the house of Rob King Esqr Homicide club or stick
Isaac Boseley July 5, 1880 at Ridge Spring Homicide pistol
Baze negro slave March 31, 1863 at the D. J. Howls Homicide chop axe
William Thurmond February 14, 1856 at Edgefield Court House, Planters[?] Hotel Homicide chair
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
Willis Asbell December 7, 1877 at Ridge Spring Homicide
James Thomas colored July 20, 1869 at Liberty Hill County Homicide
Hardy Boulware January 2, 1862 at Hardy Boulwares Homicide
Allen Holmes March 4, 1882 at Oscar Seigler Residence Homicide
Julia Banks September 4, 1891 at Mr Banks Plantation Natural Causes
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
Henry Jennings September 14, 1891 at the residense of diceased Natural Causes
Harriet negro woman July 20, 1859 at the residence of JB Rease Natural Causes
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
Lona May Hamilton child October 18, 1893 at or near Longmires PO[?] Natural Causes
Victor male slave April 24, 1859 at A. L. Dearing Plantation Natural Causes
Ben Shubrick col December 24, 1869 at Negro heade Lane Natural Causes
Isaac Jones July 1, 1881 at Ridge Spring Natural Causes
Reubin Weaver December 28, 1895 at Elijah Boatwrights Plantation Natural Causes
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Mary Gillam January 1, 1891 at Mrs Francis Wrights Plantation Natural Causes
Robert W. Kincade December 27, 1845 at the house of Baley[?] Corley Natural Causes
Sallie Busch August 21, 1892 at Lewis Beans plantation Natural Causes
John G. Riddle July 3, 1860 at the residence of Mr Richard Burton Natural Causes
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Pompy Robinson November 1, 1898 at Norris Place Natural Causes
Matt Loyd February 24, 1891 at Mr. Carmal cemetary near the Old Wills Natural Causes
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
infant, child infant, child November 29, 1894 at the plantation of J. P. Roton Natural Causes
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
Garett Doby October 11, 1880 at William Rufus Natural Causes
Edmond Smallwood October 19, 1892 at E. C. Ridgells Plantation Natural Causes
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
Alexander P. Kennard February 16, 1847 in the District Natural Causes
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
infant male child infant male child January 3, 1894 in Edgefield County Natural Causes
Milledge Stuard October 8, 1881 at Mount [??] Yard Natural Causes
Eddie Watson Infant April 25, 1892 at Bob Stevens Natural Causes
Caroline Coleman July 25, 1893 at Brisel[?] Blacks Residence Natural Causes
Edward slave, boy October 22, 1857 at the residence of Wm Miller Natural Causes
James Leppard February 13, 1893 at F. M. Leppards Natural Causes
J. D. Wells December 14, 1890 at Edgefield C.H. Natural Causes
Silvy Nix January 1, 1891 Natural Causes
Joe Elam February 16, 1882 at Nicholson premises Natural Causes
Cooper slave March 17, 1852 at the plantation of L.H. Mundy decd Natural Causes

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