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 |
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John McDonald | April 15, 1839 | at Daniel McDonalds, Kershaw County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that they believe the said John McDonald ... being a youth in the district aforesaid there & then died of the visitation of God |
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Phillis | August 18, 1831 | at the house of Charles P. Stone, Fairfield County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that, according to all the testimony adduced to them, they are inclined to believe, that on the 17th instant, the said Phillis being often last spring, complaining of Hysterical, vapours she was taken with a Hysteric Attack which caused her death |
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Sally Foster | April 14, 1876 | at Flora[?] Manwell[?], Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Sally Foster died of Epileptic Convulsion or as is more commonly called Fitts |
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Laura Doneyhue | October 17, 1901 | at the Plantation of Geo Gregory, M.D., Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: nothin other than natural causes |
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Eddie Watson | Infant | April 25, 1892 | at Bob Stevens, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do Say that the Said Eddie Watson came to his death from Natural Causes |
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Sam Clark | near Lyles Ford, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that in their opinion Sam Clark came to his death from Heart diseas |
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D. Searey | November 17, 1882 | near Martinsville, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that ... the said D. Seary died from Epileptic fit or other causes to which mortal man is heir |
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Priscilla Clark | March 28, 1837 | at the house of Jesse Clark, Union County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that the said Priscilla Clark . . . died by the visitation of God |
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Marisley Malone | September 23, 1890 | at the residence. Mrs Fooshers, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that on the night of the 22nd day of Sept. AD 1890, at the House of Mrs. Foosher in Laurens County, that the said Marilsey Malone came to her death by the Act of God. |
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Huston Griffith | August 24, 1910 | at J. N. Sowell's Place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that the Said Huston Griffith came to Death By natural causes |
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Eber B. Stevens | March 5, 1873 | at Pendleton, Anderson County, SC |
do say . . . by a visitation of God |
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white man | white man | October 21, 1849 | in the woods near Holsonbakers[?] old fields, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say the aforesaid Stranger came to his death from the act of God |
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Infant | February 3, 1894 | at J. B. Presson's, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That it came to its death by natural causes sometime between midnight and day on Feb the 3rd 1894 |
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Abram | slave | October 8, 1860 | at the Residence of H. B. Raborns, Edgefield County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that. . .the said Abram a slave of H Gallman. . .came to his death by some internal deseased unknown |
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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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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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Amy Thompson | June 12, 1878 | at or near Shelton, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the Said Amy Thompson came to her Death from Disease of the Heart. |
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David S. Threatt | July 15, 1924 | at Dudley Chesterfield County S. C., Chesterfield County, SC |
I decided that under the clear facts of the surroundings that it was unnecessary to empanel a Jury to decided how he came to his death as there was no the least suspicion or doubt that the deceased came to his death by natural causes from an affliction which usually and natural terminates fatal and suddenly. |
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Emaline Jackson | August 27, 1894 | at Dr Childs Plantation, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that from the evidence before us by misfortune and that said misfortune was caused by the bursting of an artery And So the said jurors aforesaid, do say, that the aforesaid Emaline Jackson came to her death in manner and form |
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Martha Stevenson | Fairfield County, SC |
from what I can see on the other children it died from influenza |
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Ely Edwards | at Ridgeway, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that we the jurors after viewing the body of Ely Edwards & hearing the testimony in the [?] Believe that his death was the result of natural causes on the night of Dec 14th 1893 about Eleven oclock[.] |
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Infant of Andrew and Helen Barrett | Infant of Andrew and Helen Barrett | February 19, 1897 | at Andrew Barretts coloud in Chesterfield Co., Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, the deceased came to its death by means unknown to the Jury. |
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Amos Lee | July 10, 1852 | at Amos Lee's, Union County, SC |
upon ther oaths do say . . .that the said Amos Lee Come to his death by the act of God |
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Bilpha Hargroove | February 1, 1847 | at Joseph Simmon's, Laurens County, SC |
do say upon there oaths, That after a thorough examination of the body we find no marks of violence or bruises on the body, we after a full examination of the testimony we are of opinion that the Deceased came to her death by appoplectic fit or some suffocation. |
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Jacob Belue | July 31, 1882 | at Jacob Belues, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Jacob Belue came to his death from congestion of the lungs |
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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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Olin Smith | Anderson County, SC |
I found he died from natural causes |
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J. W. Hunnicutt | December 8, 1896 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
[No official declaration] |
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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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John S. Collins | May 29, 1870 | at Mr. John S. Collin's residence, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the sd. J.S. Collins came to his death by the hand of God |
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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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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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Grover Cassidy | December 3, 1885 | at W. F. Pates, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the Said Grover Casidy came to his death on the 3d day of December A D 1885 form som nautral causes or causes unknown to the jurors |
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George Roberts | May 2, 1896 | Laurens County, SC |
we the Jury Empannelled in the case of the State vs dead body of George Roberts find that he died From Heart failure |
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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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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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William A. Jordan | December 12, 1891 | at William M. Jordan's, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that Said Infant came to his death from Some causes or causes to the Jury unknown |
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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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John McDaniel | May 31, 1839 | at McCaskill's graveyard, Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say we found upon examination of the body of John McDaniel no cause nor have heard any testimony to lead us to believe that he cam eto his death otherwise than by 'a visitiation of God' |
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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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Harry McBee | May 31, 1876 | at Alexander McBee's, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say that Harry McBee came to his . . . in the woods near the Premasis of Mr Alexander McBee . . . by the visitation of God |
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Sallie Perdew | January 5, 1902 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
I have this day helt a prliminary ex amination over the dad body of Sallie Prdew and from witnesses find that She Came to her dath nothing other than heart faleior or Change of life this the 4 and 5 days of January 1902 |
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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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George Jefferis | near Crosbyville, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that in their opinion George Jefferis came to his death from appoplexy |
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infant | December 24, 1882 | at the residence of Miss Mary Bridges, Spartanburg County, SC | |||
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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Josephine Smith | October 12, 1890 | on the plantation of M.B. Pool, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Josephine Smith from some natural cause unknown to the jury. |
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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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James Coleman | September 16, 1873 | at or near Mrs. Fantt's residence and one and 1/2 miles south east of Anderson, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the deceased came to his death by the act of God. |
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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 |