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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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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| Jane Laniere | August 13, 1880 | at the residence of G. B. Whiton, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the said Jane Lanier died in the woods near the public road leading from Pendleton to Williamston at the 4 mile post . . .by no foul means but by a disease of the heart |
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| Infred Padgett | July 12, 1848 | at the Joal of Edgefield, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Decd came to his death by the act of God |
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| E. P. Brown | January 1, 1879 | at Mrs. E.P. Browns, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the Deceased came to to her death at her Residence Dec. the 31st A.D. 1878 from enlargement of the heart[.] |
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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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| 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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| Hartwell Roper | June 17, 1869 | at the residence of Rev. J.P. Mealing, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That the said Hartwell Roper fell dead in the field at his plow |
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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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| Spencer Knott | August 9, 1890 | at Spencer Knotts', Chesterfield County, SC |
Jurors aforesaid that said that Spencer Knotts came to his death from some natcherel case or cosses to the jury owns known |
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| Israel | slave | November 3, 1845 | on the plantation of David Gentry, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the said Israel came to his death by mischance, and not from any injury inflicted by the hand of another, but by the act of God. |
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| Mary Jane Johnson | child | September 25, 1856 | at Sarah [?] house, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that they believe . . .that it Came to its by the visitation of God |
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| Vance Melton | January 18, 1930 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that he came to his death from natural causes |
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| Charley Young | June 17, 1893 | on the plantation of Henry Young, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oathes do say that the said Charley Young came to his death from (Heart Failure). |
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| T. A. Parker | June 2, 1897 | at the Residence of J. L. Johnson, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oath doo say that T.A. Parker deceast came to hir death we find that the deceast came to hir death from natural causes we find that the deceast came to hir death from natural causes |
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| Thomas Wynn | October 31, 1868 | at William Bousar's, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the dec'd died a natural death in his bed |
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| Caswell Waldrop | April 18, 1882 | at the residence of Caswell Waldrop, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that . . . the said Caswell Waldrop . . . came to his death from the effect of an epileptic fit. |
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| Emanuel Thomas | at Winnsboro, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the deceased came to his death from natural causes[.] |
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| Thomas Noble | March 30, 1872 | at the residence of Thos Noble, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do Say That Thomas Noble in the manner and form aforesaid came to his Death by the act of God. |
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| George Robinson | January 12, 1892 | at the plantation of E. B. Davis, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say from Heart failure |
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| Polly Evins | August 18, 1886 | at Joe Waters, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased came to her death from natural causes |
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| Simon West | March 25, 1857 | near the house of dec'd, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that it is by the visitation of God |
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| Christen Turnage | August 29, 1892 | at Robert Turnage, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that Christen Turnage came to her death form some cause or causes to the Jury unknown |
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| Elias Smith | August 24, 1869 | in the county of Anderson, Anderson County, SC |
do say that while from the evidence before the jury there was serious grounds for suspicion that the said Elias Smith had come to his death by some in-proper means, the evidence of the dissecting physician relieves the jury of the disagreeable necessity of prosecuting the investigation further, and so the jurors aforesaid, upon their oaths do say that the aforesaid Elias Smith came to his death by apopsy of the chest and diseased liver |
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| Joseph Prince | April 13, 1842 | Union County, SC |
came to his death by the visitation of God |
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| Hardy | January 17, 1848 | at the house of I.B. McCall, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oath, do say that the said negro man came to his death by a dispensation of Providence |
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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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| Arlen Blakney Watson | February 2, 1902 | at Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield County, SC |
[No official declaration] |
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| Jim | slave | June 10, 1859 | at M, L, Bonham Esqr residence on the Pine House road, Edgefield County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that the said Jim a slave. . .came to his death by the act of Providence |
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| Charlotte | slave | August 6, 1837 | in Camden, Kershaw County, SC |
do say that she came to her death by affliction[?] of the heart |
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| Lona May Hamilton | child | October 18, 1893 | at or near Longmires PO[?], Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that she said Lona May Hamilton came to death. . .on the plantation of J.A. Deale. . .by accidental suffication |
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| Unknown Infant | Unknown Infant | July 1, 1925 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
My opinion is that its death was from natural cause and has been dead for about four days |
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| Clara | slave | February 18, 1861 | at Thos Bayds[?], Union County, SC |
uppon there oaths do say. . . the decd came to her death by hand of the Almity |
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| S. D. Lawton | July 19, 1911 | at Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield County, SC |
S. D. Lawton suddenly, without any bad natural causes, as far as deponent knows or believes, dropped dead |
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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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| 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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| 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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| Martha Morris | January 9, 1881 | at the residence of Warren Morris, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the deceased came to her death from disease of the lungs . . . at the residence of Warren Morris. |
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| Thomas Prince | July 31, 1848 | at the Joal of Said District, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Thomas Prince came to his death by the act of God |
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| Charles Jones | February 11, 1879 | at R.J. Gladney's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the aforesaid Charles Jones came to his death by disease unknown to the Jury[.] |
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| Daniel | September 17, 1816 | at Reuben Meadows, Laurens County, SC |
do Say upon their oaths, that he came to his death by the visitation of God then and there to wit Reuben Meadows field aforesaid he died aforesaid and not otherwise. . . |
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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 |
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| James Mitchell | February 18, 1879 | at L D Laudrums, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Jas Mitchell came to his death by means unknown |
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| Isaac Jones | July 1, 1881 | at Ridge Spring, Edgefield County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that the deceast came to his death from Nattural Causese the visitation of Providence |
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| William Blanton | January 14, 1884 | at the house of Langdon Blanton, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that William Blanton came to his death by heart disease |
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| Samuel Kelso | December 21, 1817 | at the plantation of Sam'l Kelso, Spartanburg County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that. . .he came to his death by an act of God being subject to something like a apoplexy for some time previous to his death |
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| Martha McFarlan | September 20, 1890 | at Robert Mcfarlan, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon thire oaths do say that the Said Martha McFarling came to her death from natural causes to the Jury unknown |
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| James Wilson | March 27, 1846 | at the house of Alexander Moorehead, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the said James Wilson came to his death by the hands of Providence causes unknown to the jury. |
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| Patrick Keenan | June 18, 1869 | at Union Court House, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said P. H. Keenan came to his death by the hand of Providence |
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| Mandy Richerson | February 18, 1929 | on Jule Campbell's Place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: Mandy Richerson came to her Death from natural causes |
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| Alice Miller | November 16, 1893 | in Alice Miller's house, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that she came to her death from Heart Disease and that no violence of any kind was used by any person. |
