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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Griff Zimmerman | October 9, 1899 | at Johnston Township | Homicide | pistol | |
Griffin Mays | November 20, 1897 | at W. H. Pordew | Unknown | pistol | |
Gus Blocker | August 18, 1892 | at the plantion of July Blocker | Homicide | ||
Gus West | October 11, 1883 | at Jack Holms | Unknown | ||
H. P. Church | December 27, 1842 | in the house of C. H. Goodman in the Vilage of Edgefield | Other | ||
Hammond Frasier | November 6, 1897 | at Trenton S.C. | Homicide | pistol | |
Hampton Reynolds | July 30, 1892 | at J.W. Reynolds Plantation | Accident | ||
Hampton Weaver | colored | July 17, 1869 | at the house of and on the farm of James T Outz | Accident | shotgun |
Hardy Boulware | January 2, 1862 | at Hardy Boulwares | Homicide | ||
Harriet | negro woman | July 20, 1859 | at the residence of JB Rease | Natural Causes | |
Harry | slave | May 20, 1863 | at Jesse Gomellions | Homicide | knife |
Harry | negro boy | September 9, 1858 | at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks | Accident | |
Harry | slave | December 25, 1858 | at Col Arthur Sinkins[?] | Homicide | knife |
Harry Anderson | December 16, 1882 | at Clinton Ward | Homicide | pistol | |
Hartwell Roper | June 17, 1869 | at the residence of Rev. J.P. Mealing | Natural Causes | ||
Henry | negro man | June 3, 1849 | at the house of Mrs Mary Harrison | Accident | |
Henry | male slave | July 15, 1858 | at Edgefield C.H. | Homicide | hickory stick |
Henry | slave, boy | May 1, 1857 | at Arthur Glovers House, Horns Creek | Accident | |
Henry | negro man Slave | August 21, 1850 | at New Savannah in beach Island | Accident | |
Henry Burt | June 21, 1895 | at Henry Burts | Homicide | knife | |
Henry Ethredge | June 2, 1899 | at the plantation of P.B. Mayson | Accident | ||
Henry Goodman | May 4, 1851 | at or near to William H Adams on little horse Creek | Accident | ||
Henry Jennings | September 14, 1891 | at the residense of diceased | Natural Causes | ||
Henry Jones | September 21, 1855 | Accident | |||
Henry Langley | April 2, 1848 | at Wm Vances | Accident | wagon | |
Henry Mobley | December 11, 1899 | at Johnston | Homicide | pistol | |
Henry Padget | freedman | November 14, 1866 | at Wm Padgets premises on Clouds Creek | Homicide | |
Henry Parks | September 14, 1895 | at Parksville | Homicide | ||
Henry Peterson | June 13, 1893 | at Ridge Spring | Accident | train | |
Henry Turner | September 24, 1878 | at Johnstons | Homicide | ||
Howard Gale | June 13, 1879 | at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill | Accident | ||
Hugh Duffey Sr. | August 26, 1855 | at Bethany Church | Accident | horse | |
Hugh Wetherford | June 25, 1895 | at Edgefield CH | Accident | train | |
Hurnon[?] | April 4, 1862 | at Doct H R Cooks Plantation on Savanah River | Unknown | ||
Infant | Infant | December 18, 1894 | at the Rinheart Grave yard | Unknown | |
infant | infant | December 15, 1892 | at Mr. Pleasant Grave Yard | Accident | |
infant | infant | January 22, 1894 | at Oak Gilchrist House | Natural Causes | |
infant | infant | January 10, 1898 | at Johnston | Homicide | |
infant | infant | January 24, 1893 | at Clintonwards | Accident | |
infant | infant | March 24, 1892 | at Pinksville | Homicide | |
infant | infant | May 5, 1893 | at F. L. Foys | Natural Causes | |
infant Boy | infant Boy | October 29, 1894 | at [?] Coleman | Natural Causes | |
Infant Boy Child | Infant Boy Child | June 18, 1883 | at Marsh Grobe Yard | Accident | |
Infant Boy Child Colored | Infant Boy Child Colored | February 15, 1883 | at the residence of Charles Coleman | Unknown | |
infant child | infant child | November 17, 1891 | at Mr M Toneys place | Unknown | |
infant child | infant child | January 18, 1892 | at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger | Accident | |
infant child | infant child | November 23, 1891 | at the plantation of Willis Owdom[?] | Accident | |
infant child | infant child | June 14, 1891 | at Kenny Grave Yard | Accident | |
infant child | infant child | December 9, 1891 | at a colored cemetary | Accident | |
infant child | infant child | September 15, 1861 | at the residence of Mrs Margret Willis | Accident |