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
Peter Negro man December 30, 1859 at the Plantation of Mr Wm Bunch Accident
Wallace E. Bland July 4, 1880 at Edgefield C. House Homicide
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Alexander P. Kennard February 16, 1847 in the District Natural Causes
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
Eunice Hogan October 26, 1851 at the house of John Briskey Homicide
Milledge Stuard October 8, 1881 at Mount [??] Yard Natural Causes
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
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook Accident
Robert W. Kincade December 27, 1845 at the house of Baley[?] Corley Natural Causes
Cap Bryan February 25, 1893 at the plantation of Mrs Doziers Accident
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Samuel Harrison February 18, 1881 at [inelligible - faded] Accident
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
John Hester May 13, 1846 at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy Accident
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
Hardy Boulware January 2, 1862 at Hardy Boulwares Homicide
J. M. Long October 10, 1891 at J. M. Longs Homicide
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
Gus West October 11, 1883 at Jack Holms Unknown
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
John McKinny September 26, 1894 at W P. Lipfords[?] Homicide
Nancy Slave June 19, 1847 at the house of Mrs G. Rily's Suicide
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident
Lidda Hampton November 24, 1893 at A Derrecks Natural Causes
infant child infant child January 10, 1892 at Trenton Accident
Willie G. Harris March 25, 1897 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Tephius[?] Cornwall January 14, 1845 on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Elmira Jackson May 18, 1884 at George Holingsworths House Accident
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
Berry Butler October 9, 1892 at J. H Lagroons[?] plantation Accident
John David Twiggs September 15, 1864 in Hamburg Homicide
Thomas Welheu[?] June 19, 1868 at Benjamin Better[?] wheat field on the Columbia & Augusta Rail Road Accident
Silvy Nix January 1, 1891 Natural Causes
infant child infant child April 14, 1895 at Charley Moors Homicide
Tom negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at H. L. Maysons in Beach island Accident
Jack negro boy May 14, 1852 at the house of H. W. Posey Accident
Henry Parks September 14, 1895 at Parksville Homicide
Henry slave, boy May 1, 1857 at Arthur Glovers House, Horns Creek Accident
H. P. Church December 27, 1842 in the house of C. H. Goodman in the Vilage of Edgefield Other
James Mitchell February 18, 1879 at L D Laudrums Natural Causes
Thomas child of Thomas M Chandler September 11, 1850 at Thos M. Chandler's house, and at the old Pottery Accident

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