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 301 - 350 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Kenneth Martor[?] January 15, 1852 at Thomas Samar's[?] Mills on horse creek Accident
George W. Medlock January 1, 1848 at the house of Daniel Abby Natural Causes
Joseph Moore Jr. April 19, 1846 at the house of Dr John D. Nicholson Natural Causes
Eldrige Padgett February 9, 1859 at Eidson Padgetts Accident
Martha Lanham January 29, 1892 at Wilts[?] Curryes place Natural Causes
Lizza colered woman October 7, 1866 at the house of Thomas S. Miller Natural Causes
William White December 10, 1898 at Savanah River Accident
Ed Glover July 8, 1882 at Poore House Accident
E. M. Whatley August 31, 1893 at E M Whatley's Suicide
infant, child infant, child November 29, 1894 at the plantation of J. P. Roton Natural Causes
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
negro man negro man April 10, 1850 near Kilcreases Ferry Accident
Edmond Smallwood October 19, 1892 at E. C. Ridgells Plantation Natural Causes
infant child infant child September 15, 1861 at the residence of Mrs Margret Willis Accident
John Matthews October 13, 1829 at the house of William Adams Other
Larrence Valentine December 28, 1893 at Mt[?] Willing Accident
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
infant child infant child June 14, 1891 at Kenny Grave Yard Accident
Wesley male slave, child October 5, 1857 at the residence of Sophia A Tilman Homicide
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
Mary Bright Hanpt[?] October 6, 1881 at Bright Hanpt[?] Unknown
infant child infant child September 9, 1891 at Wards Natural Causes
Dave Gillam August 25, 1892 at the house of Cal Smiths Homicide
Mary Slave May 17, 1847 at the Plantation of A. Perrin Homicide
John E. Paul June 14, 1892 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
B. J. Mims January 20, 1885 at the Residence of Capt B J Mims Natural Causes
John H. Anderson March 21, 1891 at Tom Anderson place Homicide
Harry negro boy September 9, 1858 at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks Accident
Alice Adkinson October 18, 1898 at Republican Church Homicide
Tom negro slave December 18, 1858 at Chlo Watsons Homicide
Nancy Weaver December 20, 1893 at Edgefield Court House Accident
Simon C. Wood[?] December 26, 1857 at Wm Calelaziers[?] Natural Causes
George Washington Crowder October 19, 1866 at Grannetville Accident
Caroline Free negro August 26, 1858 four miles from Hamburg Unknown
Joseph Powel August 18, 1879 at [??] Accident
Pink Williams October 6, 1898 at or near Mr E.F. Pickles residence Homicide
William C. Goff May 7, 1865 at Bethany Church Accident
Mahlon Jones December 25, 1891 at Landrams Farm Homicide
Pete slave October 31, 1864 at Liberty hill Unknown
white man white man October 21, 1849 in the woods near Holsonbakers[?] old fields Natural Causes
James Leppard February 13, 1893 at F. M. Leppards Natural Causes
John H Webb January 22, 1882 at James Webb Residence Accident
infant male child infant male child January 3, 1894 in Edgefield County Natural Causes
infant infant January 10, 1898 at Johnston Homicide
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
Joseph Riddle April 10, 1856 at Hamburg Homicide

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