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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Will Smith | December 9, 1882 | at Reidville, Reidville, S.C., Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say by pistol shot accidentally & falling from the mantel piece ... that the said Will Smith ... came to his death by accident |
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Mordicae Bloice | May 14, 1818 | at the flat [?] of Edylis[?], Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say . . . that the deceased Mordica Bloice came to his death by accidental drowning |
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James Sullivan | July 23, 1874 | at the Residence Cesear Sulivan, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the afforesaid James Sullivan in manner and form aforesaid with Lewis Beckes Toler Sulivan and John Mitchel then and there Did Drown |
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John Dedman | March 15, 1806 | at Mr Jno Kings, Laurens County, SC |
Do say upon their Oaths that the s. Dedman, (arguably to the Testimony of Jas. Parker E.S. Roland and A. Bishop, persons present when he died) was killed by fall from a Horse at Home of Chas. Simmons in the District aforesaid |
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Lucius LeGrand | May 5, 1860 | at Boykin's Mill, Kershaw County, SC | |||
J. F. Styron | April 21, 1891 | at residence of J. F. Styron[?], Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said J. F. Styron dropped dead in his field from being over heat while engaged in burning logs and in such heat drinking big drought of cold water and as the Physician tells us from heart failure |
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John A. Motz | October 18, 1886 | at the Brewer Gold Mine, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that John A. Motz came to his death by a falling rock from the east side of the quarry at the Brewer Gold mine where he at that time was turning a drill, 10 minutes till 2 O'clock P.M. the falling rock strick his head, and pushed it against another rock, which crushed his brains out. |
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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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Ryefield | boy | October 24, 1846 | near the Island Ford on Broad River, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That they suppose the body before them to be that of the younger Ryefield drowned at Smiths Ford some days back, and that the deceased came to his death by accidental drowning |
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Henry | negro man | June 3, 1849 | at the house of Mrs Mary Harrison, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Henry came to his death by injuries received in falling in & against the bank of a branch or deep gully while running from a patroll |
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Abram | negro man Slave | August 21, 1850 | at Henry L Maysons, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the negro man Abram came to his death from being accidentally drowned in the savanah river |
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Seware[?] Stuart | November 4, 1893 | at J.[?] E. Griffiths, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Seware Stuart Came to his death by the accidental discharge of a 38 caliber Pistol, in the hands of William Griffith, holding by the brick[?] and seware Stuart carelessly playing with it, and said Pistol fired. . .it was intirely accidental |
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Female Infant of Milly Campbell | Female Infant of Milly Campbell | October 17, 1867 | at Laurens C.H., Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say - that it came to its death by accidental Suffocation. |
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Mitilda Gilbert | September 26, 1876 | at Isaac Gilbert's, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that she came to her death . . . being found lying at length in said spring being there drowned by misfortune or accident |
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M. N. Chapman | February 20, 1840 | at or near Mt. Zion, Spartanburg County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that he was drowned by accidentally falling into the waters of Wilson's Creek while in the act of fishing |
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Peter | Negro man | December 30, 1859 | at the Plantation of Mr Wm Bunch, Edgefield County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that Peter. . .came to his death by the accidental falling of the top of a tree he appears himself to have cut down |
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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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Georgiana Fowler | July 28, 1885 | at Laurens Court House, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the aforesaid Georgiana Fowler came to her death by a dislocation of the cervical vertebra from a fall in a fainting fit |
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George Ratcliff | May 1, 1874 | at C. A. Mores, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the Said George Ratcliff Maggie Ratcliff & Luis Ratcliff came to there deaths by being accidently Burnt |
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Henry Gibson | November 4, 1834 | at Abner Benson dweling, Union County, SC |
do say upon their oaths thay thot the said Henry Gibson . . .died by the visitation of god by getting drownd in the Spring of Abner Bensons |
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Hetty McRa | December 26, 1869 | at L.B. Stephen's plantation, Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Hetty McRa came to her death ... from a wound in the left side inflicted by a [?] fired from a gun in the hands of Moses Stephens |
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Gertrude | infant child | December 1, 1891 | at Edgfield Court house, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say. . .that the infant received burns which caused death |
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Maston Fuller | September 21, 1916 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: By a pistol wound accidentially discharge by his own hands |
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Loney | November 20, 1848 | at Harrisons Ferry, Fairfield County, SC |
do find the following- verdict that Loney the Slave of John Harrison came to his death by accidental drowning in Wattoree River, and further we find no marks of violence oon his Body or person |
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female Infant Slave | female Infant Slave | December 25, 1846 | at the plantation of J. C. Ison, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that . . .the child was . . .smothered in bed by its mother throuch[?] or by accident without having any intention to do so |
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John Hester | May 13, 1846 | at Hamburg in the shop of J.J. Kenedy, Edgefield County, SC |
Upon their Oaths do say, He died in the said shop . . .while working at the bench in a fit . . .came to his death by misfortune or visitation of God |
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Isaac Miller | at Thomas W. Rables[?], Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say the deceased came to his death by a tree falling on him accidently. |
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Polly | December 25, 1866 | at Darlings Lake, Horry County, SC |
upon their oaths do Say that She came to her death by accident or mischance |
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Sarah McCulley | wife of Barney McCulley | September 1, 1841 | at the house of Barney McCulley, Anderson County, SC |
do say that she the sd deceased died of violence on the night of 31 Augt 1841 in her own house & by her own husband Barney McCulley |
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Munroe Rabb | January 10, 1880 | at Spartanburg C.H., Spartanburg County, SC | |||
infant | January 28, 1863 | at Cannon's Old Grave yard, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that said deceased child came to its or her death by carelessness or mismanagement or misfortune at the house of Jefferson Saterfield |
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Edward Huntly | December 31, 1907 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
[No official declaration] |
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Thomas Anderson | March 24, 1835 | at Laurens Court House, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Thomas Anderson being highly intoxicated, walked into a deep pool of water inadvertently and was drowned. |
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Robert Gresham | Chester Co., at Shelton Depot, Fairfield County, SC |
upon there oath do say that the said Robert Gresham was drowned at Fish Dam Ferry in Chester County on the [1]4 day of February A.D 1895 |
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Janie Watts | October 11, 1891 | at R O Hairston, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Janie Watts Died in Laurens County on the 11th day of Oct. 1891 by being burnt to death in a house that was burnt by accident when the Mother was away. |
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David Garison | February 23, 1823 | [?] the house of David Garison, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that they suppose the said David Garison get chilled to death from the inclemency of the weather and exposure. |
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Unknown | June 6, 1829 | at the plantation of John Holinshead on Broad River, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say (viz) from the evidence of Mrs. Hugheys and John beal, with other circumstances that the negro boy belonged to a speculator who had brobibly traded for him in the district of Newberry and carried him into this district some distance when the boy took his master's horse and returned to Hugheys ferry...she [Mrs. Hughey] heard a considerable splash in the watter...John beal made oath that he was walking on the bank of the river near a mile below the said, ferry on the fifth..he states that he seen a negro [?] on a rock he procured a canoe the same evening and had him brought to the bank the negro was dead and from every cricumstances he believed the negro had been drowned and appeared he had been in the river one or two days |
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Nettie Mae Bennett | November 9, 1937 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Nettie Mae Bennett received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by shot gun in the hands in the hands of Derk Gardin (accidental) |
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Frank Young | June 28, 1874 | at Broom's Mill, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say: That Frank Young (colored) while bathing in Broom's Mill Pond in said County before noon on the 27th day of Juned 1874, did then and there come to his death by accidental drowning; |
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William Hampton | July 3, 1877 | at T. J. [?], Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Wm A Hampton came to his death by the accidental discharge of his gun in his own hands |
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Lusindy Gainey | November 15, 1893 | at Spring Hill, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon there oath do say that Lusindy Gainey deceast Come to his deth By Being in Sane and getting lost in the Swamp and getting wet in the cold and come to death |
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Kitty Young | near Rock City, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the said Kity Young came to her death from a pistol shot wound, the pistol being fired by her little brother Johnnie Young, and that the shooting was purely accidental. |
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Jane Forgy | March 10, 1896 | on the plantation of Mattie McPherson, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that she the said Jane Forgy came to her death from the Effects of a gun shot wound from the hands of Tom Forgy by Accident on the 9th day of March inst. |
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Absalom McAbee | January 6, 1883 | at Almarine Willis, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say he came to his death by mischange by being partially paralised and falling into water and strangled or drowned being a man of 80 years or more and very feeble |
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William Bradley | December 29, 1841 | at Elizabeth Eubank's, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that. . . drink & ardent spirits to an excess so as to intoxicate him so much as to render him incapible of helping himself to where he could have the benefit of fire, and only reached the edge of the field where in his residence was ... and there fell down and perished with Coald. |
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Elizabeth Belk | April 20, 1828 | near the Door house, Kershaw County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that in traveling to a neighboring house she fell down and being old & infirm was unable to rise & so perished |
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Dobydick Golding | May 12, 1875 | at Office Trial Justice Bird, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That the Deceased Dobydick Golding came to his death in the County & State aforesaid on Saturday May 8th AD 1875 by a Gun Shot wound with a Shot Gun in the hands of one Duck Miller alias Fuller and so the Jurors aforesaid upon their oaths aforesaid. Do say that the aforesaid Doby Dick Golding came to his death by mischance by accidental discharge of a double barrel shot gun very carelessly handled by one Duck Miller alias Fuller. |
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Sarah Robison | June 30, 1806 | at Abraham Maddens Mill, Laurens County, SC |
Do say on there oaths that fore said Sarah Robison came to her Death by Misfortune. |
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William LeGrand | May 5, 1860 | at Boykin's Mill, Kershaw County, SC | |||
Elsie Williams | June 28, 1886 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say: That the said Elsie Williams did on this place on the 29th day of June 1886-accidentally receive in her abdomen a pistol shot which caused her death on the 1st day of July 1886 |