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 151 - 200 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
J. E. Black May 8, 1861 at the Residence of J. E. Black Other
Lona May Hamilton child October 18, 1893 at or near Longmires PO[?] Natural Causes
Tom negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at H. L. Maysons in Beach island Accident
Joseph Powel August 18, 1879 at [??] Accident
Sallie Busch August 21, 1892 at Lewis Beans plantation Natural Causes
Elijah Flour[?] youth July 24, 1849 at the hous of Mrs Salley Spradley Accident
Mahlon Jones December 25, 1891 at Landrams Farm Homicide
Gertrude infant child December 1, 1891 at Edgfield Court house Accident
Jesse Limbecker June 18, 1869 at Hamburg Accident
Al White October 12, 1898 at Mundy[?] Place Homicide
James Edward Settle boy March 9, 1884 on Henry Hill Plantation Accident
Prince negro man October 27, 1844 at Mrs Elizabeth Timmermans Suicide
David West boy January 30, 1862 at Graniteville Accident
Eddie Watson Infant April 25, 1892 at Bob Stevens Natural Causes
Ryal Negro Slave July 28, 1851 at Mr Thos McKies Batteau landing on Big Stephen's Creek Accident
Sallie Holmes December 20, 1893 at D. P. Bodies[?] Accident
Enoch Douglass August 11, 1879 near Wesly Barrs on the rail road Accident
Isaac Jones July 1, 1881 at Ridge Spring Natural Causes
Elijah Sullivan April 24, 1898 at Cow-buel[?] place Accident
Rachiel Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Garett Doby October 11, 1880 at William Rufus Natural Causes
Jim Coleman freidman November 15, 1866 at the Mackey Place on horse Creek Accident
Caroline Coleman July 25, 1893 at Brisel[?] Blacks Residence Natural Causes
James Thomas colored July 20, 1869 at Liberty Hill County Homicide
Alick Croker boy September 29, 1878 at Mrs. Marshes premises Accident
infant child infant child July 24, 1892 at Promised Land School house Unknown
Presley Wise July 11, 1891 at D W. Padgetts plantation Homicide
infant child infant child October 6, 1891 at her Residence Unknown
Duke negro man March 25, 1855 near Dennis Carpenters Accident
Ben Shubrick col December 24, 1869 at Negro heade Lane Natural Causes
Flora Harrison November 4, 1890 at Liberty Hill Homicide
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
Richard J. Barton December 28, 1866 at Mrs Lucinda Bartons Accident
Joseph Ruffington January 9, 1893 at Thos O Attaways Accident
Bartly negro man January 16, 1846 in the woods near the plantation of Dr Wm M Bent Unknown
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
Tom negro boy February 5, 1853 at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased Natural Causes
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Everett Hook July 18, 1891 at the saw Mill of M J Hook Accident
James L. Hill January 10, 1867 at James L Hills Accident
John Shumport[?] November 7, 1851 at John Shumports[?] Accident
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
Amanda Glover August 30, 1892 at Mr Pofse[?] Lotts Plantation Natural Causes
William Anderson April 14, 1864 at the plantation of T.[?] S Boles Natural Causes
Fed Martin convict September 1, 1895 at Poor House and CH Unknown
John McKinny September 26, 1894 at W P. Lipfords[?] Homicide

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