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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dick | August 13, 1818 | on the plantation of John Boyd, Laurens County, SC |
the said Dick came to his death by the Act of God do Say upon their oaths here inserted. |
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| Shelt Gainey | February 17, 1929 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
We Find du Explannation and Testimony frm Witnesses and Doctor that Deceased Shelt Gainy came to his Death from Natural Cause, Heart Trouble and Accut Indigestion from eating Fresh Pork for his supper |
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| B. J. Mims | January 20, 1885 | at the Residence of Capt B J Mims, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased came to his death by the visitations of Providence from heart disease |
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| Sophia Hall | March 19, 1859 | at or near Samuel Martin's residence, Anderson County, SC |
do say that no marks of violence could be seen on her body that she the said Sphia came to her death by the hand of God. |
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| J. M. Caddell | January 31, 1898 | at the Residence of the late J M Caddell, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon thare oaths do Say that J M Caddell deseast came to his death from heart dease and other excitement cause from a mule Running away |
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| Julia Rice | June 27, 1887 | at Clough Rice's, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that in our opinion the deceased came to her death from some natural cause, probably heart disease |
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| Briant King | May 16, 1861 | at the resident of W. D. H. McHaughton, Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that on the 16th day of May 1861 in the field at home while at work [Briant] came to his death by none other than a visition of providence |
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| Sallie Walker | at M.J. Steel's[?] place, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say tha the deceased Sallie Walker came to her death from heart diseas on the Plantation of Mrs M.J. Slide[.] |
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| Bessie Marshal | child | November 22, 1893 | at Henry Foster's, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say "that Bessie Marshal came to her death by the hand of Providence, at the house of Henry Foster, on the 22nd day of November 1893." |
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| L. O'Brien | August 5, 1877 | at Greenville CH, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Mrs. L. B. O'Brien came to her death from a natural cuase to[?] with[?] by a disease known as paralasis of the brain |
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| John Savage | January 27, 1852 | at John Savages, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that . . .John Savage Sr was Providentially taken away by the act of God |
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| Alexander P. Kennard | February 16, 1847 | in the District, Edgefield County, SC |
do say upon their Oaths, that they do believe that he died of Cramp of the Stomach or in an Appoplectic fit |
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| Unknown infant | Unknown infant | July 14, 1879 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that , according to the evidence before them, the said infants came to this death in the house of Alie Williams on Church street in Town of Cheraw one on Saturday night the other on Sunday - both form natural causes |
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| H. F. Nivens | January 1, 1893 | at John Parker, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the Said H.F. Nivens came to his death form some cause or causes to this Jury unknown |
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| Eva Lyons | February 9, 1880 | at Greenville, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that. . . the Dec'd came to her death from Laranges[?] Tracheitis or inflamation of the wind pipe. |
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| May | March 20, 1832 | at the plantation of Doctor William Bratton on Wateree Creek, Fairfield County, SC |
do say upon their oaths, that according to the evidence adduced to them, they believe that on the 19th instant in a field where the said May was breaking Cotton Halks, he was taken with an appoplectic fit and expired in an instant |
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| Albert Watson | June 15, 1892 | at the plantation of W.B. Maffett, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Albert Watson came to his death from Natural Causes |
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| Pinkie Lemmon | at J.H. Aiken's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, the said Pinkie Lemmon came to her death from Heart Disease[.] |
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| Peter Williford | May 2, 1876 | at Daniel Williford's, Anderson County, SC |
do say that some time between the hours of 3 oclock on the 1st of May 1876 and 8oclock on the 2d day of may May 1876 that the deceased came to his death by the act of God |
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| Sebron Miller | June 30, 1903 | at Jefferson, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that the said Sebron Miller came to his deth by natural causes |
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| John Crosley | January 11, 1838 | at of John W Sartor[?], Union County, SC |
do say upon there othes that the said John Crosley . . .died by the visitation of god in a natural way by getting choked or strangled and not otherwise |
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| Liberty | slave | August 1, 1843 | at John Murph's, Spartanburg County, SC |
do say uppon [sic] their oaths that he was found in his house lying dead on the floor and came to his death by the act of God |
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| Jack Dendy | October 25, 1889 | at Jack Dendys, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Jack Dendy came to his death "From Providential Causes." |
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| Tom | negro boy | February 5, 1853 | at the late residence of Col Harling Quarles[?] deceased, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say the said negro boy . . .died in some natural way unknown |
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| Ben Harris | July 8, 1910 | at McBee, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that he came to his death form natural causes |
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| Richard Lewis | January 4, 1910 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That he came to his death from natural causes |
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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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| Infant of G. R. C. Baskins | Infant of G. R. C. Baskins | February 18, 1905 | at E. W. Gulledge's place, Chesterfield County, SC |
their oath say that the said William H. Baskin infant Died . . . from Natural Causes. |
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| Henry Leard Bancum | November 29, 1894 | at W. H. Funderburk's, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say That it was an act of providence from natural causes |
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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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| Milly Roler | November 2, 1819 | Kershaw County, SC |
do say upon their oaths [that] the said Milley Roler came to her Death by the act of God as far we know |
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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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| 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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| Bettie McConnell | near Lyles Ford, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, "That Bettie McConnell in manner and form aforsaid, came to her death from by heart failure." |
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| Alexander Black | November 14, 1863 | at the house of A. W. Black, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said decd came to his death . . . by the act of God unknown to them |
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| Isaac F. Swinney | March 12, 1875 | at Chesterfield C. H., Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: the under verdict that the deceased Isaac F Swinney came to his death from some natural cause |
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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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| Edward Fuller | July 30, 1880 | at Spartanburg C.H., Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Edw. O Fuller ... came to his death from conjestion of the brain or other natural cause |
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| Monday | May 9, 1833 | at Mr. John Smiths, Laurens County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that the said Negro Slave Monday, died by the visitation of God as he had no marks of violence upon him such as would lead to suppose he came to his death otherwise than in a natural way. |
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| Mrs. Joe Landon | October 11, 1929 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
according to evidence that an inquest is not necessary |
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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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| Samuel Ward | July 19, 1859 | at Church Cross Roads, Anderson County, SC |
do say that he came to his death by the visitation of providence him being an old man between 75 & 80 years of age. |
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| Barbra Franklin | June 6, 1898 | near Swift Creek Colored Baptist Church, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said barbra Franklin of the said county and said state on the Evening of the fifth day of June 1898 Did come to her death from natural causes |
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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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| Mary Champion | November 10, 1870 | at Camden, Camden, S.C., Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that [the] deceased came to her death by a visitation or the act of God |
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| Wade Chappell | at William Steele's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the deceased Wade, Chappell, came to his death from an affection of the heart[.] |
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| John B. Garrison | February 21, 1894 | in Clinton, Laurens Co, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that the said John Garrison died from mitral Insufficiency. |
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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 | 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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| Unknown infant | Unknown infant | July 14, 1879 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that , according to the evidence before them, the said infants came to this death in the house of Alie Williams on Church street in Town of Cheraw one on Saturday night the other on Sunday - both form natural causes |
