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
J. J. Jennings November 16, 1860 at J J Jennings Suicide
infant, (male) infant, (male) April 29, 1857 at Potterville Homicide
Ana May Blocker child December 2, 1894 at Ben Boatwrights farm Natural Causes
Henry Jones September 21, 1855 Accident
Daniel slave, boy April 28, 1859 at L. Halls Tisery[?] Suicide
Lula Smith child June 22, 1894 at James A Satcher's Plantation Homicide
Chaney negro woman December 11, 1855 at the dwelling house of Mrs Randall in the Town of Hamburg Natural Causes
Lindy Jones March 15, 1882 at George Holingsworth House Accident
James Frazier Babie October 24, 1890 at D. B Hollingworth Accident
John Henry King October 29, 1865 in Hamburg Homicide
Julia Van June 20, 1892 at the plantation of Mr Joe Thurmond Homicide
infant Boy infant Boy October 29, 1894 at [?] Coleman Natural Causes
Tom Waldrum colored man (Free) January 20, 1857 in the woods near Mr Avory Franklins Accident
Adam Barker August 10, 1879 at the Residence of Adam Barker Decd Suicide
John M. Tillman May 6, 1860 at Mr J.A Tillmans Steam Mill Homicide
Milledge Denny colored child June 23, 1868 at Rev. H.T. Baitleys Homicide
Elleck free boy December 13, 1866 at Johnathan Gregorys Accident
Jim McKie October 26, 1898 near John starks Homicide
Mid[?] Griffin February 2, 1895 at the Govelace[?] Place Natural Causes
Tom Slave, old negro man January 12, 1853 near the residence of Harry Scott Accident
infant infant January 22, 1894 at Oak Gilchrist House Natural Causes
infant child infant child September 15, 1861 at the residence of Mrs Margret Willis Accident
Frank Milton child January 26, 1894 at Sanders Loricks Natural Causes
Charley Geeter October 27, 1881 at Violets Geeter's house Accident
Mary Gillam January 1, 1891 at Mrs Francis Wrights Plantation Natural Causes
Edward slave, boy October 22, 1858 at the residence of Wm Miller Natural Causes
A. P. Shultz January 9, 1850 at or near Solomon Clickleys[?] Unknown
John Whitlock boy September 8, 1869 at Grainteville Accident
Emaline Jackson August 27, 1894 at Dr Childs Plantation Natural Causes
Hampton Reynolds July 30, 1892 at J.W. Reynolds Plantation Accident
Mary Slave May 17, 1847 at the Plantation of A. Perrin Homicide
Eva Blocker February 11, 1893 at J. P. Wrights Plantation Accident
Mary Grace Aldrich infant child August 11, 1856 at Graniteville Homicide
Lizzie Greeg July 4, 1884 at Capt Taliar[?] Hearin[?] Natural Causes
Luther Harris May 26, 1899 at the plantation of George F Towns Homicide
William M. Tredaway March 27, 1851 at the house of William M Tredaway at Beach Island Homicide
Henry Jennings September 14, 1891 at the residense of diceased Natural Causes
Tom negro slave December 18, 1858 at Chlo Watsons Homicide
William Harlin February 19, 1856 at a new place sitting by Mr James Swearingem(Jr) on the Akien Road Accident
Lizzy Rardon September 28, 1879 at Clansey Holloways plantation Accident
Mike negro man September 13, 1844 at Dr John D. Nicholsons Mill Accident
Jim slave June 10, 1859 at M, L, Bonham Esqr residence on the Pine House road Natural Causes
Simon C. Wood[?] December 26, 1857 at Wm Calelaziers[?] Natural Causes
George Ross June 29, 1898 at Adoms[?] place Homicide
James Reynolds December 20, 1860 at the residence of James Reynolds Homicide
Charles negro man February 27, 1850 at Scotts Shoals on Savannah River Accident
Luther Sullivan October 26, 1898 near John Stuarts Homicide
Albert Jones April 29, 1885 at Pickens Reynolds house Homicide
B. C. Bryan March 16, 1884 at B C Bryan Residence Natural Causes
Matt Loyd February 24, 1891 at Mr. Carmal cemetary near the Old Wills Natural Causes

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