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.
![](/sites/default/files/library/csid_figure_accidents_0.jpg)
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alfred Gage | May 21, 1890 | at Milton, Laurens County, SC |
by their oaths do say that the said Alfred Gage came to his death "By Accidental Drowning in little river at the Mills at Milton. |
||
Harry | negro boy | September 9, 1858 | at the residence of the Rev. J. L. Brooks, Edgefield County, SC |
say upon their oaths, that. . .the said boy name Harry. . .while in the business of driving the mules to work the machinery of the Cotton gin by some careless action of his own he was caught by wheel or wheels of the machinery and crushed to death |
|
Ashford D. Clary | March 17, 1822 | near David Graham's, Laurens County, SC |
do say upon their oaths, that he being Intoxicated on Sunday the tenth day of this Instant (March) and had attempted to cross the branch aforesaid, and crossing had fallen into the same and was Drowned in the water of said Branch |
||
Fany | female slave | June 11, 1855 | at Mrs Jane Clowneys, Union County, SC |
upon there Oaths do say that they Believe she Dsed Came to her death . . .by some cause to the Jury unknown think she might have died sadingly from some Lingering diseasas she was very often Complaing . . .or might have Falen in the Beauch & was unable to get out & Drowned as she was found in the Beach |
|
James Frazier | Babie | October 24, 1890 | at D. B Hollingworth, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the aforesaid James Frazier did die from Suffocation |
|
Eliza | February 15, 1837 | at the house of Mr. John Cockrell, Fairfield County, SC |
do say upon their oaths, that according to the evidence adduced to them they believe, that upon the morning of the 15th instant, the said Eliza came to her death, by a tree falling on her; Breaking her scull, also her thigh and perhaps other injuries we know- nothing of. |
||
Lena Hutchinson | October 20, 1873 | Anderson County, SC |
do say according to their knowledge and belief according to the evidence that she came to her death by accident by being burned to death |
||
William Sandy Little | June 18, 1890 | at the Belk Place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do Say that the Said W.S. Little came to his death by accient from falling in the well & being drowned |
||
Justin Turner | April 9, 1868 | Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Jusin Turner. . .came to his death by mischance being exposed during a cold night without doors and from evidence quite intoxicated |
||
Franklin Turner | son | December 26, 1850 | at John Turners, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say . . .that the aforesaid Franklin Turner . . .came to his death by misfortune or accident |
|
John Groce | June 12, 1876 | at John Groce's, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that he John P. Groce came to his death . . . by accidental drowning in the mill pond of W J Bates while bathing in company with P D Bates, Morgan Flynn and Benjame Cannon[?] |
||
Anna Queen Fuller | five year old child | November 18, 1893 | at Flatwoods, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased was burnt. And Anna Queen Fuller in manner and form aforesaid came to her death by misfortune or accident. |
|
Thomas Rosseter[?] | August 30, 1852 | at Hamburg SC, Edgefield County, SC |
Upon their Oaths do say, that he, said Thos Rosseter came to his death by drowning . . .in the street in the town of Hamburg, during the high water Backed[?] out from the Savannah River |
||
Howard Gale | June 13, 1879 | at Jacksons Holinns[?] Mill, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oath do say that the Said Howard Gale came to his death by accidental droning |
||
Adaline Cason | at Kase Williamson's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their [oaths] do say that Adaline Cason came to her death by Accidental Burning on the 11th of March 1885 |
|||
infant | March 20, 1883 | at Jerry Frey's House, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that at Jerry Frey's House ... said infant child came to its death by being miscarried at a stage too early for it to possibly survive |
||
slave | slave | January 17, 1827 | near McRae's mills, Kershaw County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that he came to it by intemperate drinking & exposure to the cold in an open field |
|
Unknown Colored Man about 60 years old | Unknown Colored Man about 60 years old | May 15, 1893 | on the plantation of D.D. Simpson, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oathes do say that the said colored man came to his death from inflamation of the left hand and arm of phlegmonous character and for want of proper attention, that he died some time about the 13th inst. |
|
Charley Campbell | March 14, 1892 | at Rhett Copelands, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say "that Charley Campbell came to his death. By Accident or Misfortune, By the burning of the house he was in |
||
Joe | infant negro | August 26, 1860 | at John Huiets, Edgefield County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that the child was over laid by his Farther dick |
|
Alexander | January 2, 1862 | at Dr. Austins, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Alexander came to his death Jany 1st by accident having been caught in the running gear of the gin. |
||
Harris Hotchkiss | March 12, 1821 | at Thomas Hugh's, Union County, SC | |||
Proph[?] Fryday | at Willson Fryday's, Fairfield County, SC |
I am satisfied that the deceased came to his death from a gunshot wound on the evening of the 29 of March at or near his fathers house and that the gun was fired accidentally. |
|||
Margaret McKeown | May 5, 1860 | at Boykin's Mill, Kershaw County, SC | |||
Fannie Patton | November 18, 1898 | at Francis Williams house, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that upon examination find that Fannie Patton Came to her death by accidental Drowning |
||
J. B. Deas | February 6, 1936 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that J. B. Deas received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Single Barrell Shot gun in the hands of Durant Easterling & Sinclair Sellers |
||
Violet Gray | February 25, 1877 | at the house of Violet Gray, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Violet Gray came to her death by accidentally falling into the fire and burning to death at her own home |
||
Washington | negro man | February 1, 1857 | at Pullok[?], Union County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that they believe Decsd Came to his death by misfortune though intoxication & exposure to rain & cold |
|
William Davis | January 16, 1841 | at or near the residence of Alex. McMakin, Spartanburg County, SC |
[do say that] not having God before his eyes but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil came to his untimely end. . .by drinking intoxicating spirits to an excess and attemting [sic] to vomet [sic] and strangled so that he finally lost his Breath and departed this life |
||
Archie Oliver | May 9, 1909 | at the home of J. P. Thurman, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, so say: That the said Archie Oliver came to his death by a gun shot wound in the head= said gun being at the time in the hands of Willis Thurman said sun being discharged accidentally = without any effort of the said Willis Thurman = he at the time not knowing that the gun was loaded |
||
infant female | infant female | November 25, 1880 | at T. H. Long, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that . . . the said infant came to its death by being smothered by its Mother accidentally while she was asleep in bed |
|
Willie Chappell | June 18, 1882 | at Badgetts quarter, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Willie Chappell came to his death at Badgetts quarter place in Laurens County on Sunday the 20th day of June AD 1882 That Lucinda Bradford the said Willie Chappell by misfortune and contrary to her will in manner and form aforesaid did kill... |
||
Thomas | child of Thomas M Chandler | September 11, 1850 | at Thos M. Chandler's house, and at the old Pottery, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that the deceased came to his death on the 8th ist by accidental drowning |
|
Marim Evans Hudson | July 28, 1942 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Marim Evans Hudson received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by a pistol accidently discharged in the hands of Ira W. Boun, Jr. |
||
William Bently | March 21, 1851 | at Wm Bently's, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths doo say that the said Wm Bently came to his death . . . by a wall plate that fell from the top of the house which he was Building which was by misfortune or accident |
||
Edinborough Ryan | December 30, 1882 | at Mrs D. L Bussy Plantation, Edgefield County, SC |
upon there oaths do say ... that the said Edinborough Ryan Came to his death from cause unknown |
||
Lewis Berry | February 20, 1815 | Union County, SC |
do say on their oaths that the said Lewis Berry come to his death by being in [?] in the Cold |
||
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 |
||
Jim Rice | on James Jones' place, Fairfield County, SC |
upon there oaths do "say" that Jim Rice in manner and form aforesaid caem to his death by a bucket fallin acidently on his head while walking in a well |
|||
Ned | February 15, 1831 | near the house of Joseph Gladney Little River, Fairfield County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that according to the evidence addressed to them they believe that on the 25th December in attempting to cross little river at a Ford [he] was thrown off a mule on which he rode and then and there was drowned, without any Person being accessory to his death but think they have some reason to believe he was in some degree intoxicated which might in some manner procured his being thrown from said mule |
||
William Pettifoot | free black | January 21, 1847 | at Camden, Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased came to its death by being accidentally overlaid & smothered in the course fo the night by its mother |
|
Anthony | slave | July 2, 1853 | at Samuel J. Hannond's plantation, Anderson County, SC |
do say the deceased came to his death by causes unknown. We find marks or bruises on the right side of the head and behind the right ear. We find no more marks or bruises on the deceased more than what might have been made by a fall. |
|
Collen Baskins | August 4, 1885 | at Josh Baskins, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: Tat the Said Collen Baskins came to his death by being acly Drowned |
||
George | May 6, 1849 | at C... Garlington Mill pond, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do Say by accidental drowning. |
||
John D. Player | February 24, 1870 | at Camden, Camden, S.C., Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the aforesaid John D. Player came to his death from [?] of the Glottis |
||
Eva Tucker | May 29, 1894 | at R. P. Tucker's place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that the said Eva Tucker came to her death from an accidental pistol shot wound in the hands of Wm M Chappell, inflicted on or about the 27th of April 1894 |
||
Abby Davis | May 29, 1877 | at Quarly[?] Davis, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that the aforesaid Abby Davis came to her death to the best of their belief from the evidence given, by misfortune or accident. |
||
Toney Moore | November 29, 1865 | at Conwayboro, Horry County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That the said Toney Moore came to his death by Mischance from the accidental explosion of a Steam Boiler |
||
John Pinson | September 2, 1858 | at [?] Pinson residence, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that he came to his death by accidental drowning . . . near McBees Mills in Reedy River |
||
William Lundy | August 28, 1846 | at house of John Rainsford, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that decd came to his death by the accidental discharge of a shot gun that was in his hands the load entering his left temple and passing out of the top of his head carrying part of the brain & skull off |