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
Lewis negro man March 20, 1846 at & in the Revd Mr. Brooks Plantation Accident
Thomas child of Thomas M Chandler September 11, 1850 at Thos M. Chandler's house, and at the old Pottery Accident
Albert Watson June 15, 1892 at the plantation of W.B. Maffett Natural Causes
Bluford Abney November 14, 1894 at M.A. Colemans plantation Natural Causes
Enoch Douglass August 11, 1879 near Wesly Barrs on the rail road Accident
Cland Elam child March 17, 1892 at A. J. Norris Place Accident
Lucius Walker October 5, 1869 at James Doziers plantation Accident
David West boy January 30, 1862 at Graniteville Accident
Rachiel Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Henry Ethredge June 2, 1899 at the plantation of P.B. Mayson Accident
Toby negro man July 10, 1844 near Bauskett Bridge on Stevens Creek Accident
J. B. Whittle November 28, 1894 at Mrs Whittles Natural Causes
Joseph Riddle April 10, 1856 at Hamburg Homicide
Alick Croker boy September 29, 1878 at Mrs. Marshes premises Accident
Unknown April 11, 1860 at or near W.J. Walkers Unknown
male baby male baby May 24, 1891 at the Saluda River Homicide
Sam Slave June 14, 1858 at Henry Spiers[?] Accident
Howard Gale June 13, 1879 at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill Accident
Julia Hightower child November 9, 1890 at Mr Sam Marshes Place Accident
Ras slave December 6, 1850 at D Dennys Mill Suicide
James Edward Settle boy March 9, 1884 on Henry Hill Plantation Accident
Joe Weston January 31, 1895 in Edgefield County Homicide
Blassingame Wise April 27, 1848 at or near the Negro quarter of Mrs Wiley Glover, on Savannah River Suicide
Charley Ryan May 9, 1892 at T. H. Ramsford Plantion Homicide
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
infant child infant child December 9, 1891 at a colored cemetary Accident
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
Richard J. Barton December 28, 1866 at Mrs Lucinda Bartons Accident
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
Wade Barronton October 8, 1860 at Wade Barrontons Residence Natural Causes
William Prince July 9, 1851 at the house of John W Garrett Accident
Bartly negro man January 16, 1846 in the woods near the plantation of Dr Wm M Bent Unknown
Richard Lundy December 7, 1891 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
infant infant March 24, 1892 at Pinksville Homicide
Clem slave, boy October 3, 1858 at Tabitha Abney's Accident
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
infant, (male) infant, (male) April 29, 1857 at Potterville Homicide
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
Ned Dozier September 27, 1893 at MJ Holsteins Homicide
Henry Jones September 21, 1855 Accident
John Young June 27, 1891 at the residence of John Young Accident
Bob negro September 23, 1864 in the District Natural Causes
Riller three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
James Frazier Babie October 24, 1890 at D. B Hollingworth Accident
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
Unknown August 30, 1866 at Fosity[?] Creek ford Unknown
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
Robert slave, boy April 8, 1847 at Edward Hampton's Suicide
William Samuel April 26, 1891 at Scima[?] Hill Church Homicide

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