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 351 - 400 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Typesort descending Death Method
Andrew slave September 3, 1850 at A.P. Butlers plantation Homicide rail
Prince negro boy December 23, 1849 at Thos G. Lamars Mills on little horse creek Homicide knife
William Samuel April 26, 1891 at Scima[?] Hill Church Homicide
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
William negro man, boy, slave February 13, 1849 at R. F. Barretts Homicide knife
Hammond Frasier November 6, 1897 at Trenton S.C. Homicide pistol
Lewis Bartie July 26, 1864 at Mount Zion Church Homicide shotgun
Tom negro slave December 18, 1858 at Chlo Watsons Homicide
infant child infant child August 5, 1878 at the residence of H J Wright Homicide
Jim negro boy July 23, 1855 at Wade Holsteens Homicide knife
Andrew Trapp December 4, 1869 near Trapps Mills Homicide knife
Joseph W. Glover September 2, 1844 at Charles Comptys[?] Hotel Homicide
Thomas Glover August 2, 1893 at Bill Werk[?] Residence Homicide
Robert Parks September 27, 1894 at Parkville Homicide lick
Harry slave December 25, 1858 at Col Arthur Sinkins[?] Homicide knife
Scipio slave April 1, 1862 at E. J. Youngbloods Homicide hatchet
Allen Smith Freedman January 19, 1867 at S.B. Chappells Residence Homicide pistol
Thomas Styson June 22, 1856 at R. M. Fullers Homicide hoe
Robert J. Butler September 15, 1864 at Hamburg Homicide
Henry Burt June 21, 1895 at Henry Burts Homicide knife
Joseph Riddle April 10, 1856 at Hamburg Homicide
J. H. Christian July 21, 1856 in the village of Edgefield in Room No 11, in B. J. Ryans Hotel Homicide pistol
Wilson Griffin freedman February 13, 1867 at Luke Rodgers Homicide
J. M. Long October 10, 1891 at J. M. Longs Homicide
Richmond slave March 3, 1857 at V[?] Elbert Blands residence at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Jno. C Swearingin April 24, 1895 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Matilda H. Posey February 26, 1849 at the house of Martin Posey Homicide stick
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
James Reynolds December 20, 1860 at the residence of James Reynolds Homicide
Andy Padgett July 5, 1891 near Ridge Spring Homicide knife
James Bledsoe May 15, 1893 at Dr D.P. Lalsrones[?] Residence Homicide pistol
Ned Dozier September 27, 1893 at MJ Holsteins Homicide
Harry slave May 20, 1863 at Jesse Gomellions Homicide knife
Willis Asbell December 7, 1877 at Ridge Spring Homicide
James Thomas colored July 20, 1869 at Liberty Hill County Homicide
George Watkins October 10, 1866 at George Watkins Homicide
Allen Holmes March 4, 1882 at Oscar Seigler Residence Homicide
Levi H. McDaniel March 9, 1859 at or near the 17 mile Post on the Scotts Ferry Road Homicide
infant child infant child December 14, 1877 at Dr. K N Hudsons plantation Homicide
Namro negro man August 11, 1844 at the house of Rob King Esqr Homicide club or stick
Whit Terry October 19, 1894 J.K. Corleys Place Homicide
Isham Glover August 9, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
John Webb March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Bill King August 9, 1881 at H C Kings Residence Homicide hoe
Jacob Horn February 25, 1866 at the hous of Jacob Horns Homicide
Isham Glover August 10, 1892 at Edgefield C.H. Homicide
Luther Sullivan October 26, 1898 near John Stuarts Homicide
Peter negro man June 16, 1838 at a Mr. Azariah[?] Abneys Homicide stick
Apling negro man April 5, 1849 in the woods in said district near the Lexington line on a branch of McGier Creek Homicide

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