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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mariah Pincy | July 10, 1881 | Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths aforesaid do say that said Mariah Princey ... came to her death from heart disease |
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| Jim | slave | October 4, 1858 | at Giles Sharps, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Jim came to his death for some cause unknown or the visitation of god |
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| Sarilla Coleman | August 5, 1880 | at the residence of Henry Jeffares, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that in their opinion Savilla Coleman came to her death from apoplexy or congestion of the brain. |
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| Jane Owens | at Ms. Helen Smith's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say She died from a paroxism of asthma |
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| infant | November 27, 1870 | at William Stuart's residence, Anderson County, SC |
do say that. . .said child was dead born |
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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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| 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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| Thomas C. Reaves | May 25, 1899 | Kershaw County, SC | |||
| Clarisa Epps | July 20, 1868 | at Laurens C.H., Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do Say that the afore said Claricy Epps came to her death by the visitation of God. |
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| T. G. Cooper | June 5, 1886 | at the late residence of T. G. Cooper, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said T. G. Cooper came to his death in his own house we suppose by heart disease |
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| William L. Collins | January 9, 1887 | at Chesterfield County, Chesterfield County, SC |
[No official declaration] |
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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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| Peter | negro man | May 5, 1835 | On the plantation of Jim[?] Rochester, Union County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that the said Peter . . .died by the visitation of God in a natural way |
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| Infant of Pearl Oliver | Infant of Pearl Oliver | December 26, 1894 | at D. A. Redfearn's Place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that the said Infant child came to its death from some natural cause unknown to them |
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| Allen Melton | January 6, 1893 | at the residence of Mr. James Cottege, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do says that it is their belief that Allen Melton came to his death from natural causes - in all probability - form failure of the heart to perform its proper functions |
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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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| Luvenia Elmore | March 15, 1883 | at J A Fergusons place, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the cause of her death on the 14th day of March AD. 1883 on J A Fergusons place in Laurens County from Congestion. |
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| W. G. Rivers | June 15, 1888 | at F. W. Rivers, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the said W J Rivers came to his death by som natural caus or causes to the jury unknown |
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| John Seawright | October 22, 1881 | on the public road leading from Craytonville to Anderson Court House, Anderson County, SC |
do say the said came to dis death from disease of the heart. . .the deceased came to his death by some providence of God. |
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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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| Charley Gainey | November 18, 1903 | at T.C. Williams', Chesterfield County, SC |
the said Charley Gainey diseased came to his death from heart failure |
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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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| Benjamin Bishop | November 26, 1840 | taken one mile and a half south of the [?] on the main road leading to Jones' ford on Enoree[?] river, Union County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that the said Benjamin Bishop. . . at a place in the woods near the main road. . . died by the visitation of God in a natural way |
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| Edward William Davis | September 29, 1870 | at Ridgeway, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Edward William Davis. "came to his death by a Pulmonary Congestion with Hemorrhage caused from heart disease |
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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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| Ephram Ashford | at [?], Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the deceased came to his death at his home from heart failure |
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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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| Frances Pagett | April 15, 1853 | at William Pagett's, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the deceased came to her death by the act of God? |
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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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| 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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| Jerry | July 11, 1811 | at the plantation of James Glen, Laurens County, SC |
do say upon their oathes, that they are of opinion that the said Negro boy died a Natural Death |
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| Gilbert Crawford | July 22, 1921 | at Pageland, Chesterfield County, SC |
Gilbert Crawford came to his death form natural causes |
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| infant child. Male. | infant child. Male. | January 25, 1874 | at Solomon Scott's, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that said child was born on the twenty second inst and was dead |
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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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| 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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| 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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| James Johnson | October 13, 1852 | at James Johnson's farm, Union County, SC |
he came to his death by some caus unknown to us |
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| Amilia Ruffin | August 7, 1880 | at S.W. Ruffs, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the aforsaid Amilia Ruffin came to her death July the 23d 1880; from natural causes to the jurors unknow, |
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| Thomas Stevenson | at the Jesse Wayride place, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased Thos. Stevenson, came to his death from some disease supposed to be disease of the Heart[.] |
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| Ed Caldwell | at Jas. McFir's[?] place, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the deceased Ed Caldwell came to his death from heart dissease at his home[.] |
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| infant | January 23, 1873 | at residence of M. A. Snipes, Anderson County, SC |
do say that it came to its death by the act of God |
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| Chaney | negro woman | December 11, 1855 | at the dwelling house of Mrs Randall in the Town of Hamburg, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that Chaney, the woman now lying dead before them came to her death by the Visitation of God |
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| James W. Steene | August 22, 1898 | at the Residence of Deceased James W. Steene, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say...we find that The deceased came to his death from Heart Falure |
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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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| Auguiste Campbell | October 30, 1868 | at Auguiste Campbell's, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the Decd. Auguiste Campbell came to his death, from the continual use of peach brandy, he the decd. Being advanced in years to old age & feeble constitution & that the use of sd. Intoxicating brandy, drank from Monday morning the 26th Inst. to the time of his death was the cause of sd. death. |
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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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| Lillie C. McManus | February 10, 1889 | at T. M. McManus's, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, by the Hand of God, and from causes unknown to the parents and to the jury |
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| Sallie Busch | August 21, 1892 | at Lewis Beans plantation, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That she came to her death from heart failure |
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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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| Infant of C. P. Rushing | Infant of C. P. Rushing | December 19, 1894 | at C. P. Rushing's Place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the said child came to its death from some natural cause or causes |
