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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ana May Blocker | child | December 2, 1894 | at Ben Boatwrights farm | Natural Causes | |
Nelson Smith | freedman, boy | October 4, 1866 | at Andrew Warts | Homicide | |
Infant Boy Child | Infant Boy Child | June 18, 1883 | at Marsh Grobe Yard | Accident | |
William H Maharey | May 25, 1863 | at Haslin Factory on the Procelian Manufacturing Company | Accident | ||
Fed Martin | convict | September 1, 1895 | at Poor House and CH | Unknown | |
Richard J. Barton | December 28, 1866 | at Mrs Lucinda Bartons | Accident | ||
Learma Butler | November 7, 1890 | at W.H. Folks plantation | Natural Causes | ||
Duke | negro man | March 25, 1855 | near Dennis Carpenters | Accident | |
Mary | female Slave | January 13, 1853 | at Isaac Bowles[?] | Accident | |
Bartly | negro man | January 16, 1846 | in the woods near the plantation of Dr Wm M Bent | Unknown | |
Flora Harrison | November 4, 1890 | at Liberty Hill | Homicide | ||
Julia Van | June 20, 1892 | at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond | Homicide | ||
Isham Glover | August 10, 1892 | at Edgefield C.H. | Homicide | ||
George Robinson | January 12, 1892 | at the plantation of E. B. Davis | Natural Causes | ||
Jno. C Swearingin | April 24, 1895 | at Edgefield CH | Homicide | ||
Riller | three negro children | October 2, 1846 | at the house of Philip Brogden | Homicide | |
Ernest Bean | April 6, 1884 | at the Mill of B[?] Hill | Accident | ||
Henry Goodman | May 4, 1851 | at or near to William H Adams on little horse Creek | Accident | ||
Curry | slave | March 17, 1856 | at Mrs Elizabeth Middletons Plantation | Accident | |
John Shumport[?] | November 7, 1851 | at John Shumports[?] | Accident | ||
Emaline Jackson | August 27, 1894 | at Dr Childs Plantation | Natural Causes | ||
Ed Glover | July 8, 1882 | at Poore House | Accident | ||
Robert J. Butler | September 15, 1864 | at Hamburg | Homicide | ||
Sallie Young | December 8, 1890 | at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation | Accident | ||
Wesley | male slave, child | October 5, 1857 | at the residence of Sophia A Tilman | Homicide | |
Aggy Latily[?] | negro woman slave | June 21, 1848 | at the plantation of N L Griffin | Unknown | |
Lewis | slave | May 21, 1861 | at S. H. Roggers | Suicide | |
infant child | infant child | September 9, 1891 | at Wards | Natural Causes | |
infant Boy | infant Boy | October 29, 1894 | at [?] Coleman | Natural Causes | |
John Matthews | October 13, 1829 | at the house of William Adams | Other | ||
infant child | infant child | November 17, 1891 | at Mr M Toneys place | Unknown | |
Rose | negro woman Slave | March 14, 1846 | at Michael Longs | Homicide | |
infant child | infant child | January 18, 1892 | at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger | Accident | |
Lizza | colered woman | October 7, 1866 | at the house of Thomas S. Miller | Natural Causes | |
Mid[?] Griffin | February 2, 1895 | at the Govelace[?] Place | Natural Causes | ||
Rose | three negro children | October 2, 1846 | at the house of Philip Brogden | Homicide | |
Abram | slave | October 8, 1860 | at the Residence of H. B. Raborns | Natural Causes | |
Mary Bright Hanpt[?] | October 6, 1881 | at Bright Hanpt[?] | Unknown | ||
infant | infant | December 15, 1892 | at Mr. Pleasant Grave Yard | Accident | |
E. M. Whatley | August 31, 1893 | at E M Whatley's | Suicide | ||
infant | infant | January 22, 1894 | at Oak Gilchrist House | Natural Causes | |
W. T. Mathis | November 11, 1897 | at the Yeldell place | Natural Causes | ||
John J. Cobb | July 23, 1843 | at William Elkins Mill Pond | Suicide | ||
Robert | slave, boy | April 8, 1847 | at Edward Hampton's | Suicide | |
Eldrige Padgett | February 9, 1859 | at Eidson Padgetts | Accident | ||
Rebeca Eidson | May 29, 1861 | at the Residence of William Eidson | Natural Causes | ||
William C. Goff | May 7, 1865 | at Bethany Church | Accident | ||
Julia Banks | September 4, 1891 | at Mr Banks Plantation | Natural Causes | ||
J. E. Black | May 8, 1861 | at the Residence of J. E. Black | Other | ||
Warren Kirkland | November 16, 1858 | at Benjamin Bartons | Homicide |