Natural Causes
The “hand of God” is an active presence in CSI:D files. To be sure, the Almighty took no part in the suicides and homicides; those were the work of men “not having God Before [their] Eyes But moved by the instigation of the Devil.” Deaths that could be traced to what we would call ‘natural causes,’ however, were typically deemed an ‘act of God,’ a ‘visitation by God,’ or the ‘dispensation of Providence.’
Such cases expand on the point made in the introduction that coroners’ inquests paint a very particular portrait of death in the nineteenth-century South. The stock and trade of the coroner’s office were sudden deaths, especially those that intruded upon the public view. An old man succumbing to slow cancer in his own home was unsuspicious and unlikely to be investigated. This explains why heart attacks and strokes (which they called apoplexy) figure more prominently than fever among the ‘hand of God’ cases in these files. It also explains the relative frequency of deaths that occurred out-of-doors. Daniel Brown died in his cotton field; Jane Laniere died “in the woods near the public road”; Hartwell Roper “fell dead ... at his plow.”
The words ‘Hand of God’ were also used in cases where the deceased had been struck by lightning. (In perhaps the strangest case, Broderick Mason and his enslaved girl, Cinthy, were killed by the same lightning bolt, a sure sign that God does not play favorites.) Despite the similarity in terminology, however, lightning deaths have been filed as accidents because, like cave ins and train crashes, they are cases of people simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time and however ‘natural’ they might seem they are not a ‘natural death.’
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Natural Causes Inquests
| Name | Deceased Description | Date | Inquest Location |
Death Method |
Inquest Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charley Martin | June 23, 1889 | at Lanfords station, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Charley Martin came to his death by "Heart Failure." |
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| Elisha Farless[?] | September 15, 1847 | at Robert Youngers Mill house, Fairfield County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that the siad Elisha Farleys[?] died on the 14th[?] instant past at or in the Mill house of Robert Yongers[?] was found dead that he had no markes of violence appearing on his body and died by the visitation of God in a natural way |
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| Harry | slave | July 7, 1855 | at Pendleton village, Anderson County, SC |
do say that we believe he came to his death by the visitation of God. |
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| Fom[?] | July 2, 1858 | at the Rev. W. W Gwin on cedar creek, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Fom[?] came to his death by an act of (God) |
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| Elizabeth McHolister | August 16, 1855 | at the house of Elijah McHolister, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the said Elizabeth McHolister in manner and form aforesaid came to her death by the dispensation of providence. |
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| Betsy Pilgram | July 2, 1882 | at Woodruff, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased ... came to her death by disease of the heart |
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| Joel W. Warren | November 9, 1894 | at Joseph Mirren[?] House, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say and belief that he Joel W. Warren came to his death by heart failure |
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| Dick | slave | March 19, 1837 | at the house of Edward Gregory, Union County, SC |
do say that the said Dick . . .died by the visitation of God in a natural way |
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| infant | infant | June 6, 1876 | at Orange Goodlet'ts, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say . . .the jury is not able to say whether the child was born alive or not. |
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| W. L. Pegues | July 16, 1894 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said W L Pegues came to his death from natural causes. |
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| Dolly Glenn | at the Doly place, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the deceasd came to her death at the home of Joe Jackson the 21st of Aug 1892 from some Natural Causes[.] |
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| Finley Hall | November 30, 1912 | at Ansleydale, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon theire oaths do say that the Said Finley Hall come to his death by Natural causes |
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| Thomas C. Reaves | May 25, 1899 | Kershaw County, SC | |||
| Nathan Moore | April 1, 1870 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say, That the diseased was and had been for some time afflicted with a Heart disease, which we believe caused his very sudden death at the Corner of market and third streets in cheraw on Friday April the first 1870 at 5 O clk PM |
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| J. D. Wells | December 14, 1890 | at Edgefield C.H., Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased J D Wells came to his death from Heart disease |
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| Quash | May 11, 1815 | at the House Genl. John. Y. Wolff, Laurens County, SC |
do say upon their Oaths that the aforesaid Negro Man Quash from all appearances as exhibited to this Jury of Inquest did by the act of God - The testimony of Mr Alexander Mahoffy who saw him a few minutes before his death, "he thinks about nine oclock P.M. of the 10th Inst & Genl. John Y. Wolff a few minutes after his death, he thinks about 12 Oclock of the same day - induced the Jury to give their verdict" That the Decsd. came to his death by the Act of God. |
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| Nancey Means | December 22, 1879 | at D.T. Gibson's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the Said Nancey Means came to her death by natural causes unknown to the Jury. |
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| Nicholas Gibson | June 26, 1884 | at the residence of Nicholas Gibson, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say ... that the aforesaid Nicholas Gibson came to his death ... in the manner as testified to by the examining physician, Dr. M. Bonner |
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| Lila Gambrell | October 21, 1875 | at the house of Ran Duckworth, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the said Lila Gambrell came to her death by mischance produced by personal epolepsy [sic]. |
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| Maria Seawright | grandma | January 11, 1882 | at the farm of A. W. McDavids, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Maria Seawright came to her death from a natural cause by an act of Providence |
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| James Lee | April 7, 1834 | at Amos Lee's, Union County, SC |
do say upon there oaths that the sd James Lee . . .on the plantation of William Hay[?] . . .Dyed By the Visitation of god in a natural way |
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| Molsie Knight | February 6, 1897 | at Reid Knight's, Chesterfield County, SC |
So the Jurors aforesaid do say that the aforesaid Molsie Knight in manner and form aforesaid did come to Her death in a way that is unknown to the Jury we decide that it was an act of God. |
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| John Brown | December 20, 1844 | at the house of John Brown, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that. . .the aforesaid John Brown came to his death by mischance or misfortune by the act of God, unknown to the Jurors |
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| Silvia | October 10, 1857 | at the House of J.s. W. Holliday, Horry County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the said Silvia a slave Came to her death by the Visitation of God |
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| Mrs. Will Hough | March 22, 1930 | at Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield County, SC |
[No official declaration] |
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| Infant of Mary Sellers | Infant of Mary Sellers | December 1, 1894 | at J. H. Seller's, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: the infant child came to its death from natural causes |
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| Peter C. Oclan | January 7, 1850 | at C. Burch's, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the sd. P.C. Oclan came to his death by the act of God |
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| Levi S. Mathews | July 13, 1892 | at G. C. Wheerles[?] Residence, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their do Say. . .that the aforesaid Levi S. Mathews. . .Came to his death from hart Failure |
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| Lewis Dial | October 20, 1870 | at Laurens C.H., Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say on examining and viewing the body of Lewis Dial, this day found dead in the garden of J.M. Boyd, and from competent medical examination, we find that the said deceased came to his death by the visitation of God. |
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| Daniel W. Willis | September 27, 1887 | at the residence of the deceased Daniel Willis, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the [said] Daniel Willis came to his death of heart disease |
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| Elizabeth Pinnel | February 27, 1851 | at the late residence of Elizabeth Pinnel, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Elizabeth Pinnel in maner[?] and form aforesaid came to her death by the providence of God |
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| Annie Jefferson | January 19, 1892 | at Bary Rosie, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that the Said Anna Jefferson came to her death form some cause or causes to the Jury unknown |
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| Benjamin Crowley | January 31, 1888 | at Benjamin Crowley's, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the said Benjamin Cawley came to his death by some natural cause or causes unknown to the Jury and that he dide on the 30 day of January AD 1888 |
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| Jenny | slave | April 28, 1836 | Kershaw County, SC |
do on their oath say that they believe she died of an apoplectic fit, the visitation of God |
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| Sharp | infant male child | June 5, 1861 | at Wm Bovels[?], Union County, SC |
uppon there oaths do say that . . .we conclud that Decsd Came to its Death by the hand of the Almighty |
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| John Brown | January 28, 1902 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
[No official declaration] |
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| Rebeca Eidson | May 29, 1861 | at the Residence of William Eidson, Edgefield County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that it is made evident to theme that the said deceased came to here death. . .from Congestion Pneumonia |
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| Rachael Watts | July 29, 1889 | at W.B. Fullers place near Cross Hill, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that near the Residence of W. B. Fuller in above state and county on the 29th July 1889 the said Rachael Watts came to her death by "Visitation of God." |
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| George Blakely | August 23, 1889 | at Tom Youngs, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that George Blakely came to his death "Natural Causes" |
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| Madison Harper | September 23, 1867 | at the residence of R.E. Ellison, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Madison Harper came to his death from disease by the visitation of God |
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| Harry | slave | December 17, 1855 | at Jesse Gray's residence, Anderson County, SC |
do say that he came to it by manner and means to them unknown, but believe it was by the visitation of God |
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| Sallie McDowell | August 12, 1882 | Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that ... Sallie McDowell died of indigestion |
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| infant Boy | infant Boy | October 29, 1894 | at [?] Coleman, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said infant didid from natural cause or by the hand god |
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| Dinah | slave | January 25, 1859 | at the late residence of John Gregory deseast, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that she died of [?] of the heart which has been protracted[?] for the last ten or twelve months |
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| Fayet Walter | January 20, 1877 | at Greenville, Greenville County, SC |
upont their oaths do say that the dec'd Fayet Walter came to his death from a disease known as congestion of the lungs caused from severe cold |
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| Thomas Tillman | July 22, 1894 | at Thomas Tillman's place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that the said Tillman came to his death form natural causes |
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| Mag Potee | at N.D. Roberts place, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the deceasd came to her death at her home the night of the 2d of Sept 1892 from natural causes[.] |
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| Aneliza Perdue | January 31, 1913 | at Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Aneliza Perdue did come to her death by Natural causes |
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| John Jones | December 16, 1817 | at John Jones's, Spartanburg County, SC |
do say upon their oaths. . .that the said John Jones did die a natural death |
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| George Bracy | August 19, 1871 | the plantation of Wm Cassady, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the deceased, George Bracey, came to his death by a visitation of Providence at the plantation Wm Cassady, on the 18th day of August 1871 |
