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 Type Death Methodsort ascending
Rufus Harling September 16, 1897 at Clarks Hill Homicide
Joel W. Warren November 9, 1894 at Joseph Mirren[?] House Natural Causes
Clara Bell colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Sam negro, slave September 18, 1846 at the residence of Mrs Nancy Delaughter Natural Causes
George Mitchel June 21, 1881 at J. R Corleys Accident
William Prince July 9, 1851 at the house of John W Garrett Accident
Rhoda female slave July 4, 1857 at Dorn's[?] Mill Natural Causes
Lousay November 25, 1860 at Doct John E. Padgett Accident
Jane Glover January 12, 1883 at Handy Tanks House on John Wir[?] plantation Unknown
A. R. Steel girl child August 28, 1869 at Graniteville Accident
Chaney negro woman December 11, 1855 at the dwelling house of Mrs Randall in the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
William Lundy August 28, 1846 at house of John Rainsford Accident
Nelson Smith freedman, boy October 4, 1866 at Andrew Warts Homicide
Selena Allen child, boy, baby December 12, 1890 at Mrs Blacks[?] Plantation Accident
infant infant January 24, 1893 at Clintonwards Accident
Tom Waldrum colored man (Free) January 20, 1857 in the woods near Mr Avory Franklins Accident
Mary Slave May 17, 1847 at the Plantation of A. Perrin Homicide
John E. Paul June 14, 1892 at Edgefield CH Homicide
Lizzie Greeg July 4, 1884 at Capt Taliar[?] Hearin[?] Natural Causes
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
Sis Bonham child February 18, 1894 at M.B. Davenports Accident
Jim McKie October 26, 1898 near John starks Homicide
Martha Lanham January 29, 1892 at Wilts[?] Curryes place Natural Causes
Adam Barker August 10, 1879 at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd Suicide
Frank Milton child January 26, 1894 at Sanders Loricks Natural Causes
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Abram slave October 8, 1860 at the Residence of H. B. Raborns Natural Causes
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
Minnie Johnson December 22, 1892 at John Bettis plantation Accident
negro man negro man April 10, 1850 near Kilcreases Ferry Accident
infant child infant child September 15, 1861 at the residence of Mrs Margret Willis Accident
Charley Geeter October 27, 1881 at Violets Geeter's house Accident
John McKinny September 26, 1894 at W P. Lipfords[?] Homicide
Mary Grace Aldrich infant child August 11, 1856 at Graniteville Homicide
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
infant child infant child June 14, 1891 at Kenny Grave Yard Accident
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
Willie G. Harris March 25, 1897 at Edgefield CH Homicide
James Leppard February 13, 1893 at F. M. Leppards Natural Causes
Peter White March 11, 1898 at Jacob White upon the Plantation Silvester Chipley Homicide
William Harlin February 19, 1856 at a new place sitting by Mr James Swearingem(Jr) on the Akien Road Accident
infant infant January 10, 1898 at Johnston Homicide
Isaac Oliphant November 9, 1882 at Ritch Thomson Accident
Polly Vines April 20, 1892 at the house of Ben. Holt Natural Causes
George Ross June 29, 1898 at Adoms[?] place Homicide
John H. Anderson March 21, 1891 at Tom Anderson place Homicide
Tom negro slave December 18, 1858 at Chlo Watsons Homicide
Lizzy Rardon September 28, 1879 at Clansey Holloways plantation Accident
infant child infant child April 14, 1895 at Charley Moors Homicide

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