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 Type Death Methodsort descending
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Ernest Bean April 6, 1884 at the Mill of B[?] Hill Accident
Emanuel slave March 12, 1856 at Matthew McGraw's plantation Accident
Lula Smith child June 22, 1894 at James A Satcher's Plantation Homicide
Joseph Shaw July 26, 1858 at the residence of John H Shaw near Edgefield C.H. Accident
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
John Henry King October 29, 1865 in Hamburg Homicide
Robert W. Kincade December 27, 1845 at the house of Baley[?] Corley Natural Causes
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
Infant Boy Child Infant Boy Child June 18, 1883 at Marsh Grobe Yard Accident
Joel W. Warren November 9, 1894 at Joseph Mirren[?] House Natural Causes
Milton Barter[?] youth August 24, 1849 at Capt. Andrew J Hammonds Mills Accident
Ansabelle Brown October 21, 1866 near the Tambor[?] Soba[?] Rail Road Unknown
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook Accident
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
John McKinny September 26, 1894 at W P. Lipfords[?] Homicide
John Matthews October 13, 1829 at the house of William Adams Other
Mary Grace Aldrich infant child August 11, 1856 at Graniteville Homicide
John Whitlock boy September 8, 1869 at Grainteville Accident
Berry Butler October 9, 1892 at J. H Lagroons[?] plantation Accident
Willie G. Harris March 25, 1897 at Edgefield CH Homicide
J. M. Long October 10, 1891 at J. M. Longs Homicide
Mary Bright Hanpt[?] October 6, 1881 at Bright Hanpt[?] Unknown
Tom Waldrum colored man (Free) January 20, 1857 in the woods near Mr Avory Franklins Accident
Eva Blocker February 11, 1893 at J. P. Wrights Plantation Accident
A. G. Howard February 28, 1860 at Grannet Ville Depot Accident
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
Jim McKie October 26, 1898 near John starks Homicide
William M. Tredaway March 27, 1851 at the house of William M Tredaway at Beach Island Homicide
Eldrige Padgett February 9, 1859 at Eidson Padgetts Accident
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Ed Glover July 8, 1882 at Poore House Accident
Frank Milton child January 26, 1894 at Sanders Loricks Natural Causes
Elleck free boy December 13, 1866 at Johnathan Gregorys Accident
Dinah Woman Slave May 22, 1849 at Allen Griffith Natural Causes
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
Tom Slave, old negro man January 12, 1853 near the residence of Harry Scott Accident
Abram negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at Henry L Maysons Accident
infant child infant child January 10, 1892 at Trenton Accident
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide
Blanchy Wilson November 30, 1893 on the plantation of Robert Hastings Accident
Hartwell Roper June 17, 1869 at the residence of Rev. J.P. Mealing Natural Causes
Thomas child of Thomas M Chandler September 11, 1850 at Thos M. Chandler's house, and at the old Pottery Accident
Peter White March 11, 1898 at Jacob White upon the Plantation Silvester Chipley Homicide
Silvy Nix January 1, 1891 Natural Causes
John H Webb January 22, 1882 at James Webb Residence Accident
William Harlin February 19, 1856 at a new place sitting by Mr James Swearingem(Jr) on the Akien Road Accident

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