Accident
Accidents were the leading cause of death in the CSI:D sample, and drowning was the leading cause of death among mortal accidents. There are myriad reasons why. Broad swaths of the American public did not know how to swim. Primary modes of transportation, especially early in the century, involved river routes. Mill ponds were prevalent. Children played outside—generally a good thing but occasionally a sad one. Perhaps the saddest of these incidents involved a mass May Day drowning at Boykin Mill Pond in 1860. Twenty-eight teenagers set off on a raft that hit a snag and more than twenty-five drowned, including all five children from one family. Sadder still may be the case of Noah Wesley Dawkins. In mid-June 1888, Dawkins and his friends, all African Americans, set off for a local watering hole where they ran into three white boys, one of whom offered Dawkins fifty cents if he would walk into a particular area in the creek, assuring him it wasn’t deep. It was deep, and Dawkins drowned. It is tempting to classify this as a homicide, but it is clear from testimony that the white children thought they were playing a cruel trick, not a deadly one.
Alcohol was such a critical indirect cause in so many of the accidental drownings, shootings, fires, and falls in CSI:D that it really ought to be regarded the deadliest force in nineteenth century South Carolina. In addition to these indirect roles, alcohol was the direct cause of accidental death in more than sixty cases. It was probably also a direct cause in many of the ‘exposure’ cases—bodies that were discovered outside and were thought to have died from exposure to the elements.
Nineteenth century law enforcement had no recourse to blood-alcohol tests. Even today, determining precise BACs postmortem, and working back from those to levels of inebriation at time of death, is fraught with difficulty. This meant that nineteenth-century coroners had to rely exclusively on witness testimony and the known habits of the deceased to determine alcohol’s role in producing death. Standing around a dead man, jurors found themselves passing judgment on just how drunk he had been the night before. According to witnesses, John Goodlett “seemed to be drunk.” John Agner was “sorry he was drunk.” Abe Waganan was “very funny & lively”—very drunk as [was] his custom.” Is ‘very drunk’ drop-dead drunk? It is hard to know. On the night of January 15, 1816, Angus McQueen drank more than half a gallon of spirits. “The dec’d was very much intoxicated,” noted one witness, “and fell down four times during which time he vomited upon the carpet.” Because McQueen kept getting up and falling down, the jurors determined that the falls (and the winter cold) contributed to his demise, though it is equally possible that McQueen died of alcohol poisoning. Juries were more likely to fix upon ‘intemperance’ as a clear cause of death if the deceased was a notorious addict. In December 1842, H. P. Church was discovered by his land-lady sprawled half on and half off of his bed. A “habitual drunkard” who had been continuously drinking for two weeks, she did not even bother to try and shake him awake. The inquest did not hesitate in finding that Church had died of intoxication.
The third leading cause of accidental deaths were ‘vehicular’ accidents, a catch-all category that includes drunken falls from a train and sober buckings from a horse. Further complicating this picture is the fact that many of the drownings probably belong in this category. There is little difference between falling unwitnessed off of a train and off of a boat, except that in one case you land on tracks and are quickly found where in the other you wash downstream, far from the site of the accident.
Bartholomew Darby was thrown from the saddle and hit his head on a stump, his wagon then “running over his head ... & breaking his neck & deeply cutting him under the right ear.” Steve Yeldell fell out of his cart and broke his neck.
All such accidents pale in comparison to the staggering mortality brought to South Carolina by train. Richard Springs was “run over by a train.” Fannie Ford was “run over by a train.”A slave named Sam was “Run over by [a] train.” Almost as soon as trains arrived in these counties, there were sots to fall off of them, laborers to be crushed by them, and depressives to jump in front of them. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a technological innovation responsible for a sharper uptick in the per capita death rate. It is also clear that coroners and inquest juries were unprepared for the level of bodily violence meted out by train. The body of a slave named Berry was “very much mashed and limbs and bones severed.” William Abbott’s body was “mangled, bruised, cut and crushed.” Even so coroners and their juries were often at pains to absolve the railroad itself of any wrong-doing. Hosea Jackson “came to his death by his own carelessness and from no carelessness whatever on the part of the engineer.” The crushing of William Roberts was likewise “not caused by any dereliction of duty on the part of the rail-road employees.” With train accidents we see for the first time the question of corporate responsibility, and potential corporate liability, creeping into the inquest process.
The larger point, however, is a physical one. Moving the body at a faster speed than the body was designed to go is an enormous convenience that has to be paid for. Today vehicular accidents (car, motorcycle, and all-terrain-vehicle) are the fourth-leading cause of death among Americans after heart disease, cancer, and stroke. The nineteenth century was not particularly different, except that families moved by horse, wagon, and train—and died less often of cancer.
The fourth leading cause of accidental death in the CSI:D sample involved the discharge of firearms. Some were simple cases of men who were cleaning or handling weapons that suddenly went off. The vast majority of cases, however, involve an unfortunate bystander. In 1849, Tilman Attaway was mistaken for a turkey by his hunting buddy. In 1808, James Spradley was leaning in to watch two dogs fight over a dead deer. Fourteen-year old George Nettles sought to break up the dogs by bashing one of them with the butt of his gun. Instead the gun discharged into Spradley’s face. As this case attests, guns and children made as disastrous a pairing then as they do now. In 1820 ten-year old Mancel King accidentally shot and killed his brother. In 1899 ten-year old John McManus shot and killed his friend. “I was fooling with the pistol and it went off,” he told the inquest.
Undoubtedly some of these gun-related ‘accidents’ were not accidents at all. A dead man alone in a room might have been cleaning his gun, or he might have harbored hidden miseries. Similarly some of the accidental misfires on bystanders were probably intentional homicides. Unless new evidence emerges at this late date, however, such cases will have to remain categorized as accidents.
The fifth leading cause of death by accident in the CSI:D sample was death by suffocation—another category that speaks more to what a coroner was called to investigate than to what people actually died from. A majority of the ‘smothering’ deaths were probably SIDS victims. In white households such cases would not have been investigated—infant mortality was relatively high in the period and a white family’s ‘dear pledges’ were often ‘recalled to God.’ But in a society where every enslaved child was as potentially valuable as a Lexus, infant death in the quarter was more rigorously investigated. Coupled with deep prejudices against enslaved mothers, inquests typically found that an unnamed “negro Child” was “negligently Smothered” by its mother, or that the enslaved child Lora was “accidentally smothered” in the family bed, or that the enslaved children Henry and Alcy were crushed in the night, having being “overlaid” by their parents. It is possible that such ‘negligence’ did occur among overworked and overtired slaves, and such findings were far preferable to those cases where enslaved parents were charged with infanticide.
The sixth leading cause of death by accident in the CSI:D sample was death by fire. Most homes in the period were made of wood. Most had fireplaces. None had a fire extinguisher. Fire was light and life, but it was also occasionally death. In 1866 a freedman named Sloan was burnt to death in a gin house. In 1890 a child named Julia Hightower wandered too close to the family fireplace. Her younger sister tried to dowse her with water to no avail.
These six types of accidental death—drowning, alcohol abuse, transportation mishaps, gun miscues, suffocations, and fires—account for 75% of the accidental deaths in the CSI:D sample. Other relatively common accidents involved falling trees and limbs, industrial accidents, and poisonings and overdoses. Rounding out the sample were accidents that were more unique. Home alone, Medora Williams had an epileptic seizure and fell into her own fireplace. Traveling with the Bailey & Company circus, George West was gored by his own elephant. (Some might not consider this an ‘accident’ since the elephant had ‘cause’; and acted with ‘intent.’)
NEXT: Natural Causes
Accident Inquests
Name | Deceased Description | Date | Inquest Location | Death Method | Inquest Finding |
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Jackson Byars | December 13, 1877 | at Boiling Springs, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Jackson Byars came to his death beside the Mills Gap Road nine miles from Spartanburg C.H. in the County and State aforesaid ... from appoplexy or effusion of blood upon the brain |
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Fanny | July 22, 1856 | at "Gressetts Landing or Store Landing" on the Waccamaw River, Horry County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the said slave Fanny the porperty . . . of the said R. G. W. Grissett did on Sunday the 20.th Inst came to her death by Misfortune or accidental drowning |
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slave | slave | December 4, 1852 | at the plantation known as Stockton's, Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that he came to his death by his appearance from privation and exposure |
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Daniel | October 8, 1834 | at Maj. John Blacks, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths that from evidence that the said Negro came to his Death by Mischance by plunging into the River at or near the head of Maj. John Black's Millhouse in said District through fear dogs which were threatened by calling & encouraging of a Negro man, Doc, the property of Reginald Duncan by order of John Odell, supposing him to be a runaway. |
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Mary Robertson | at the Gailiard grave yard, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that deceased came to her death from internal hemorrhage, caused by having a premature birth produced by some cause unknown to the jury |
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Mingo Mosley | January 13, 1883 | at Samuel[?] Corley's, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the aforesaid Mindo Mosley came to his death by accidental burning |
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Francis Sanders | April 27, 1848 | at Sakin's[?] Mill, Fairfield County, SC |
we the Jurors do find and [?] that the said Francis Sanders; came to his death by drowning in the Broad River on the 26th[?] April 1848. |
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Henry | slave | June 7, 1834 | at the House of John McBeth, Union County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that the S. Henry . . .died by the visitation of God by getting drowned accidentaly in Tyger River |
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Patrick Williams | August 23, 1842 | at the house of patrick Williams decsd, Union County, SC |
do say that . . .Patrick Willaims came to his death by the fall of a certain oak tree which we found lying upon his Mangled body |
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Tom W. Walters | January 21, 1917 | at Pageland, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the said Tom W. Walters came to his death by an accidental fall from theloft of Mungo Bros. Feed stables |
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John Weston | December 31, 1890 | on the plantaion of Robt Bailey, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said John Weston came to his death "From the Effects of a gun shot wound accidentally discharged in his own hands, on the 29th day of Decr inst." |
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John Stafford | December 16, 1831 | Spartanburg County, SC |
do say upon their oaths he came to his death by accidentally drowning in a state of intoxication |
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Charles Flowers | June 13, 1906 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
I find that the deceased came to his death by accidental drowning |
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Lucilla S. Gresham | Chester Co., at Shelton Depot, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, That L.S. Gresham in manner and form afresaid, came to her death by accident drown in broad river at Fish Dam Ferry on the 4th day of February 1895 |
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infant slave | infant slave | September 28, 1853 | at the house of James R. Jeter, Union County, SC |
came to its death by misfortune or accident |
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Female Child of Press & Lindy Beasley | Female Child of Press & Lindy Beasley | August 30, 1890 | on the plantation of Capt Alex Henry's, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said female child came to its death from "suffocation" |
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Henry | slave, boy | May 1, 1857 | at Arthur Glovers House, Horns Creek, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say. . .from drinking an [?] quantity of water when heated. . .came to his death by misfortune |
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George Washington Crowder | October 19, 1866 | at Grannetville, Edgefield County, SC |
by there oaths do say that the said George Washington Crowder came to his death became entangled in the bands[?] carried the factory at Grannetville in the state aforesaid and was drawn up by a board of the of the shaff[?]. . . by Misfortan or accident |
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Dolly Young | child | March 12, 1879 | at Greenville, Greenville County, SC |
upont their oaths do say that the said Dolly Young . . . came to her death by accident or smuthering or by misclued[?] |
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Unknown | at the House of Frank Stephanie, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the deceasd came to his death from Accidental Smothering in bed at its Fathers house[.] |
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Gus Sexton | August 11, 1894 | at Tildy Austin's, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Gus Sexton came to his death by a gun shot wound inflicted by his own hand. |
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William McKagen | May 5, 1860 | at Boykin's Mill, Kershaw County, SC | |||
Willie Parker | December 21, 1892 | at S. Parkers, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that Willie Parker came to his death by being struck on his head by a falling Tree Accidinetly |
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Miles Robuck | December 16, 1856 | at the house of S.S. Roebuck, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased came to his death by having his head crushed between the head block and one of the arms of the Cog wheel of a Cotton Gin, that the said Miles Roebuck came to his death in manner and form aforesaid, by misfortune or accident. |
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Arthur Ben | at Jenkinsville, Fairfield County, SC |
upon oaths do say that George Bone the said Artur Ben, by misfortune and contrary to his will, in maner and form aforesaid, did kill and Slay Artur Ben by the accidental discharge of a gun. |
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Sarah Lucas | October 30, 1890 | at Mr. M L Holson, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that She came to her death by being Burned to death by fire from accident |
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William Applewhite | January 22, 1838 | at Camden, Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Wm. Applewhite came to his death by falling in the fire |
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Rachal McKinstry | December 2, 1873 | at the plantation of Thomas Sloan, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that she came to her death bye accidental burning |
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Joseph A. McJunkin | March 15, 1858 | at Wm Hawkins House, Union County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that they believe the Decd came to his death from what testimony they can get from a [?] Fits[?] & in that condition had fallen in to the river where he Decsd was Fishing & drowned |
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Ryal | Negro Slave | July 28, 1851 | at Mr Thos McKies Batteau landing on Big Stephen's Creek, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that they boy Ryal went in the creek of his own accord and [?] to swim drowned |
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Hannah White | December 25, 1870 | near William Pitts' dwelling house, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, That Hannah White in manner and form aforesaid came to her death, by being accidently burnt |
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William Godfrey | October 19, 1873 | near Leaterwood's Mills, Spartanburg County, SC |
open [sic] their oaths do say that [deceased] did fall into a gully and being unable to get out did then and there die |
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D. Stepp | June 9, 1883 | at Greenville, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that . . .the said D. W. Stepp came to his death by being drowned accidentally in the Mill Pond at Hutchinson's Tan Yard |
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Thomas Davis | March 30, 1884 | at John Davis, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Thomas Davis came to his death by misfortune or accident |
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Rachel McBurney | October 21, 1833 | in the house of Major James Barkley, Fairfield County, SC |
do say upon their oaths, that according to the evidence adduced, they believe that on the morning of the 20th this instant, or some time in the night of the 19th, a small house adjoining the dwelling of the said Major James Barkley, occupied by said Rachel McBurney as a Bed Room, caught fire, how, not known, was consumed with the contents, and her, the said Rachel. |
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App Chapman | July 31, 1883 | at the residence of J. D.[?] Chastern[?], Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said App Chapman came to his death by misfortune. |
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Edward Young | December 26, 1833 | at the house of Mrs. Mathews on the waters of Wateree Creek, Fairfield County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that accord=ing to the evidence adduced to them, they believe, that the evening of the 25th December instant Riding at a smart rate, in company with Robert Harper. The said Edward Young by his horse suddently taking a contrary side of a tree from what he expected, or intended. thereby was thrown or dashed against the same which we believe caused the death of the said Edward. |
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George Darby | April 20, 1823 | at Lores-ford on broad River, Union County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that . . .the said George Dary came to his death by drowning while in a state of intoxication & making an effort to cross broad River at Lore's ford to some of the Islands |
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Daisy Polk | May 20, 1889 | at Chesterfield CH, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon thire oaths do Say That the said Daisy Polk came to her death by the accidental burning of the house |
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William Johnson | January 20, 1871 | at William Johnson's residence in Camden, Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said William Johnson came to his death ... from a sudden attack of illness occasioned by his having eaten oysters which were probably tainted |
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Sam Malloy | May 30, 1899 | at Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield County, SC |
From the evidence I got from the party's there the deceased was accidentaly drowned |
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Chas. Youngue | at the plantation of Dr.[?] B. Estes, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that-Charles Youngue died from the effect of being drowned |
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Hampton Reynolds | July 30, 1892 | at J.W. Reynolds Plantation, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say Hampton Reynolds Came to his death from burns received by Explostion from Engine |
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Zechariah Tottey | December 4, 1806 | at the Mill River, Union County, SC |
do say on their oaths that the said Totty Came to his Death we Belive By toxication[?] in [?] and [?] By haggs[?] in a [?] |
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Adam | negro man Slave, boy | August 3, 1850 | at Vaucluse Factory, Edgefield County, SC |
Upon their Oaths do say, he came to his death by his own voluntary act in attempting to cross the mill pond when became drowned |
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John Shockley | July 27, 1865 | at John Shockley's, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said disseast came to his death by misfortune or accident |
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Elizabeth Tillatson | January 17, 1878 | at Frances Turner's, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said P. Elizabeth Tillatson came to her death at the house of Frances Turner ... from fire, occurring in the house where she lived |
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Sally E. Hanna | October 19, 1875 | at Chesterfield C. H., Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the said Sallie E Hanna came to her death by being smothered, accidently during the night of the 18th Inst |
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Hollan | April 29, 1856 | at Conwayboro, Horry County, SC |
Upon their Oaths do say, tha the said Girl Hollan came to her Death by accidental Drowning |
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George Hammond | June 24, 1871 | at Provosts Mill Pond, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the said . . .by accidental drowning |