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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mingo Mosley | January 13, 1883 | at Samuel[?] Corley's | Accident | ||
Jane Glover | January 12, 1883 | at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation | Unknown | ||
Edinborough Ryan | December 30, 1882 | at Mrs D. L Bussy Plantation | Accident | ||
Harry Anderson | December 16, 1882 | at Clinton Ward | Homicide | pistol | |
Isaac Oliphant | November 9, 1882 | at Ritch Thomson | Accident | ||
Ed Glover | July 8, 1882 | at Poore House | Accident | ||
Moses Blalock | May 19, 1882 | on the Plantation of W G McDavid | Homicide | ||
Jim Brown | Child | April 19, 1882 | on Jasper Talbert Premises | Unknown | |
Lindy Jones | March 15, 1882 | at George Holingsworth House | Accident | ||
Allen Holmes | March 4, 1882 | at Oscar Seigler Residence | Homicide | ||
Jesse Moragna[?] | March 3, 1882 | at Luke Moragines[?] House | Accident | ||
Joe Elam | February 16, 1882 | at Nicholson premises | Natural Causes | ||
John H Webb | January 22, 1882 | at James Webb Residence | Accident | ||
Isah Zimmerman | December 26, 1881 | at the Residence of W F Ste[?]eies | Accident | pistol | |
Charley Geeter | October 27, 1881 | at Violets Geeter's house | Accident | ||
Milledge Stuard | October 8, 1881 | at Mount [??] Yard | Natural Causes | ||
Mary Bright Hanpt[?] | October 6, 1881 | at Bright Hanpt[?] | Unknown | ||
Bill King | August 9, 1881 | at H C Kings Residence | Homicide | hoe | |
Isaac Jones | July 1, 1881 | at Ridge Spring | Natural Causes | ||
George Mitchel | June 21, 1881 | at J. R Corleys | Accident | ||
Rachiel Mitchel | June 21, 1881 | at J. R Corleys | Accident | ||
Julia Mundy | June 17, 1881 | at Jas H Banknight | Homicide | ||
Elick Youngblood | child | March 21, 1881 | at S[?] R Warren | Homicide | |
Samuel Harrison | February 18, 1881 | at [inelligible - faded] | Accident | ||
Garett Doby | October 11, 1880 | at William Rufus | Natural Causes | ||
Isaac Boseley | July 5, 1880 | at Ridge Spring | Homicide | pistol | |
Wallace E. Bland | July 4, 1880 | at Edgefield C. House | Homicide | ||
Carey Ashley | October 11, 1879 | at J W Wises[?] plantation | Homicide | pistol | |
Lizzy Rardon | September 28, 1879 | at Clansey Holloways plantation | Accident | ||
Margaret Simpkins | September 21, 1879 | on Jas C Brooks Plantation | Homicide | shotgun | |
Lilla Olophant | female infant | August 18, 1879 | at Simpton[?] Pinns[?] | Accident | |
Joseph Powel | August 18, 1879 | at [??] | Accident | ||
Enoch Douglass | August 11, 1879 | near Wesly Barrs on the rail road | Accident | ||
Adam Barker | August 10, 1879 | at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd | Suicide | ||
Edward Horton | August 7, 1879 | near Wesley Barrs[?] | Accident | sunstroke | |
Howard Gale | June 13, 1879 | at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill | Accident | ||
Lila Washington | February 20, 1879 | at Wesley Barns Mill | Accident | ||
James Mitchell | February 18, 1879 | at L D Laudrums | Natural Causes | ||
Ezekiel Thomas | February 4, 1879 | near Johnstons | Accident | train | |
Charles S. Harrison | November 25, 1878 | at E.C. House | Accident | pistol | |
Alick Croker | boy | September 29, 1878 | at Mrs. Marshes premises | Accident | |
Henry Turner | September 24, 1878 | at Johnstons | Homicide | ||
James Booth | August 23, 1878 | at E. C. House | Homicide | ||
Thomas Booth | August 23, 1878 | at E. C. House | Homicide | pistol | |
W. Brooker Toney | August 12, 1878 | at E. C. House | Homicide | pistol | |
infant child | infant child | August 5, 1878 | at the residence of H J Wright | Homicide | |
Elijah Reynolds | April 11, 1878 | at Johnstons | Homicide | pistol | |
Yancy Hardy | December 31, 1877 | at Dr. GJ[?] Butlers Plantation | Homicide | pistol | |
infant child | infant child | December 14, 1877 | at Dr. K N Hudsons plantation | Homicide | |
Willis Asbell | December 7, 1877 | at Ridge Spring | Homicide |