Edgefield County Death Index Search

Edgefield County is in the western Piedmont region of South Carolina. The county seat is the town of Edgefield. Death records for the county begin on January 1, 1915, when South Carolina started its statewide registration system. Edgefield County also holds one of the most significant historical death record collections in the state, with coroner inquisition books dating back to 1844. This page explains how to search the Edgefield County death index and access both modern and historical death records.

Edgefield County Coroner and Death Records

The Edgefield County Coroner is David Burnett, the elected chief medical-legal officer for the county. The coroner's office is located at P.O. Box 389, Edgefield, SC 29824-0389. The phone number is (803) 637-6536. The coroner is elected to a four-year term and operates independently within the county government structure. The office has jurisdiction over all deaths occurring within the county, including those in the municipalities of Edgefield, Johnston, and Trenton, as well as unincorporated areas.

Edgefield County covers 489.60 square miles in the west-central part of South Carolina and has a population of approximately 25,657. The county operates under a Council/Administrator form of government. The county uses an elected coroner system, as do all 46 South Carolina counties. Under SC Code Title 44, Chapter 63, county health departments serve as local vital records registrars and forward death certificates to the state. The coroner investigates all deaths that occur outside hospitals and nursing homes, as well as suspicious, sudden, and violent deaths throughout the county.

The Edgefield County Courthouse is at 129 Courthouse Square, Edgefield, SC 29824, telephone 803-637-4080. The Probate Judge is Gregory Anderson, at P.O. Box 45, Edgefield, SC 29824-0045, telephone (803) 637-4076. The Clerk of Court is Charles Reel, at 129 Courthouse Square, Edgefield, SC 29824-1351, telephone (803) 637-4080. These offices work with the coroner when deaths require probate or court proceedings.

Edgefield County Historical Inquisition Books

Edgefield County holds one of the most complete historical coroner record collections in South Carolina. The Edgefield County Inquisition Books from 1844 to 1902 contain detailed records of coroner investigations during that period. These books were microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah in 1957 and are available through the Family History Library. The inquest records include the circumstances of each death, witness testimony, and the coroner's determination of cause and manner of death.

The CSI: Dixie project has collected 1,583 coroner reports from six South Carolina counties for the years 1800 to 1900, and Edgefield County records are part of that collection. This digital resource provides online access to historical coroner inquests, making these valuable records available to researchers anywhere. According to the CSI: Dixie research, of the 315 people recorded as having died in Edgefield County between June 1, 1849 and May 1, 1850, coroners investigated exactly 11 cases, or roughly three percent. That figure gives researchers a useful sense of how rare a coroner investigation was in that era, meaning the vast majority of deaths were recorded through other means such as church records and probate files.

Edgefield County was created in 1785 from within Ninety-Six District. The county has no known history of courthouse disasters or record loss, meaning a relatively complete set of records exists from its founding. Researchers looking for pre-1915 deaths in the county benefit from this intact record base. The county courthouse at 129 Courthouse Square in Edgefield is the starting point for accessing those older records.

Note: For pre-1915 death research, the SCGenWeb page for Edgefield County directs researchers to the County Clerk for death certificates before 1915 and to the Department of Health Vital Records for deaths after 1915.

Edgefield County Death Records for Genealogy

Modern death certificates contain valuable information for genealogists. A South Carolina death certificate includes the name and last known address of the deceased, the date, place, and cause of death, marital status and spouse's name, parents' names including the mother's maiden name, burial place, funeral director name, and the informant who gave the information. The informant is usually a spouse or child, and that person may not know all details precisely, so researchers should verify information against other sources.

The SC DPH Death Indexes 1915-1967 are free online and include all Edgefield County deaths registered with the state from 1915 through 1967. These indexes list name, death date, and certificate number. After finding an entry in the index, you can order the full certificate from the state office in Columbia. For deaths after 1967, you must contact the SC Department of Public Health directly.

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History at scdah.sc.gov maintains early Edgefield County records including wills, estate files, and land records that often contain death information. The Archives also holds copies of Edgefield County newspapers, which are useful sources for obituaries and death notices. The Archives is at 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC 29223, and is open to researchers during regular business hours.

The South Carolina Coroners Code at SC Code Title 17, Chapter 5 defines how coroners must investigate deaths, conduct inquests, and report findings. The law has governed coroner work in the county since the 19th century in some form, and the historical records in Edgefield reflect that long tradition of formal death investigation.

Requesting Edgefield County Death Certificates

Certified copies of Edgefield County death certificates from 1915 forward are issued by the South Carolina Department of Public Health. You can order online at gocertificates.com, by phone through VitalChek at 1-877-284-1008, by mail, or in person. Mail requests go to SC Department of Public Health, Vital Records Section, P.O. Box 2046, West Columbia, SC 29171. In-person service is at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

The standard search fee is $12. Each additional copy costs $3. A valid government-issued photo ID is required. Deaths within the last 50 years are restricted to immediate family members and legal representatives. After 50 years, death certificates become open public records. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds microfilm copies of death certificates from 1915 through 1975 at a lower cost than certified copies from the state vital records office. That option is useful for genealogists who do not need a certified copy of the record.

Edgefield County Records Services

Edgefield County does not include any of the state's major listed cities. All death records for residents of Edgefield, Johnston, and Trenton, as well as rural areas of the county, go through the county coroner and the state vital records system. The Edgefield County Probate Court at P.O. Box 45, Edgefield, SC 29824-0045, handles estate matters after deaths occur in the county. The Clerk of Court maintains civil and criminal court records that may contain death-related information from probate and estate proceedings.

Nearby Counties

Edgefield County borders several South Carolina counties. Death records are kept by the county where the death occurred. Check nearby counties if you are unsure where a death took place.

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