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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Infant | Unknown Infant | March 27, 1895 | at Daniel McGarland's place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: The said infant child was the Child of Caroline Laurean but from being buried such a length of time was in such a state of decomposition, it was impossible from autopsy to find out cause of death, Therefore we find that it came to its death from some cause unknown to it there |
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| Mary Jane Rivers | September 12, 1900 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
I do not deem it necessary to hold an inquest but from such evidence find that the said Mrs Jane Rivers came to her death from none other than natural causes. |
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| Major | negro man the property of no person | July 29, 1845 | at the plantation of Miss M. J. Rogers, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that the above named Major came to his death by the act of God, |
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| Daniel Brown | October 8, 1881 | at the plantation of Willis Watkins, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the said Daniel Brown died. . . in the cotton field on the plantation of Willis Watkins by no act of violence or foul means but by heart disease. |
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| Loucinda Alexander | December 7, 1883 | at the house of Camel Alexander, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased came to her death by the acts of Providence unknown to us |
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| Edward | slave, boy | October 22, 1858 | at the residence of Wm Miller, Edgefield County, SC |
the said Boy Came to his death by the act of Providence |
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| John Polk | February 27, 1889 | at Hannah Polks House, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon thire oaths do Say Infant child came to his death from natural causes unknown to the Jurors |
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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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| Dora Jackson | December 26, 1893 | near Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the deceased Dora Jackson came to her death in the manner and from aforesaid that is from natural causes |
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| Leanora M. Cannon | February 25, 1879 | Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that ... the said Leonora M. Cannon died from the rupture of a blood vessel which caused a rush of blood into the lungs and instant death ensued |
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| M. H. Miller | April 10, 1889 | at W. T. H. Miller's, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that from the evidence given Martha Miller died with heart disease |
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| Lidda Hampton | November 24, 1893 | at A Derrecks, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Lidda Hampton came to her death from heart failure |
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| Manerva Proctor | September 19, 1876 | at Thomas Anderson's place, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say: That Manerva Proctor came to her death by disease of the heart. |
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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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| John M. Bonds | December 16, 1850 | at Isom R. Bond's, Anderson County, SC |
do say having understood that the said John M. Bonds died very suddenly on the mornign of the 15th of this Instant while going as a boat hand on Savannah River. . . .we the jury report that we fully concur in the opinion of the said doctors as reported by them to the coroner...that is to say that John M. Bonds came to his death by a diseased action in the Larynx producing or giving rise to suffocation. |
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| E. D. Holly | September 21, 1907 | at Holley's Mill, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: She died from natural causes |
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| negro child a slave | negro child a slave | January 27, 1835 | on the plantation of T Hooker, Union County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that the Sd child . . .died by the visitation of god in a natural way |
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| M. M. Oneall | December 1, 1870 | at the residence of Elias E. Roberts, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Mrs. M.M. Oneall came to her death from disease of the heart |
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| Willy Hall | February 19, 1845 | at Black River in the stage road, Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Willy Hall came to his death by the visitation of God |
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| Ben Shubrick | col | December 24, 1869 | at Negro heade Lane, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That they find that the said Ben Shubrick col came to his death by the act of Providence |
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| Waterman Fleming | August 3, 1925 | at Jule Fleming's, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: by natural causes |
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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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| Cintha Boon | April 10, 1926 | [Stein?] Pin Township, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: Died of Heart failure |
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| Madison Materson | at Blythewood, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oath do say that the above decest came to its Death by natural causes on June 20-1895[.] |
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| J. H. Collins | June 30, 1896 | at G.W. Morris' place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that the Deceased came to his death from natural causes, from the effects of Rheumatism. |
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| negro child | negro child | January 16, 1854 | at [???], Union County, SC |
do say upon their oaths . . .that it came to its death by the visitation of God |
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| Pompy Robinson | November 1, 1898 | at Norris Place, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that Pompy Robinson came to his death from throat trouble |
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| Anarky Thompson | at Joe Freshleys, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased came to her death from diseas of the heart called osfication of the valve of the heart, on the plantation of Joe Freshley, in Fairfield County SoC. The 1st of May 1884. |
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| Borough | August 21, 1853 | on the high Road near Marengo, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that he had no marks of violence upon him and that he died by the visitation of God & not otherwise. |
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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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| Elizabeth Walker | March 1, 1879 | at P. A. McDavid, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Elizabeth Walker came to her death by misfortune or accident |
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| Kissey Blakeny | October 22, 1884 | at Kessey Blakenys, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the Deceased came to her death by a natural causs of heart disease |
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| Samuel Flagg | February 18, 1833 | near Wilson's old field, Spartanburg County, SC |
after examining the body of the sd. dec'd & finding no marks fo violence committed beleave [sic] that he was brought to his death by the visitation of God |
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| Amanda Lester | December 13, 1884 | near Pelham, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say Amanda Lester came to her death from heart disease |
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| Henry Jennings | September 14, 1891 | at the residense of diceased, Edgefield County, SC |
upon the oaths of the Jury aforesaid do say that the said Henry Jennings came to his death from Heart Disease |
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| Unknown | March 26, 1875 | at the residence of Mr. John Murpheys, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do Say that the death of the Child was the Act of God |
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| Georgiana Williams Moore | July 26, 1882 | at TS Langston's plantation, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oathes do say that the said Georgiana William Moore came to her death by a visitation of God and died of Embolism of the heart. |
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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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| Robert Jordan | December 3, 1900 | at Mount Croghan, Chesterfield County, SC |
from the verdict of witness I do note deem it necsary to hold an inquest but from such witnesses find that the Sed Robrt Jordan came to his ath from natural causes Decmbr 3 1900 |
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| Matt | negro man | February 9, 1832 | on the plantation of Doct. Jas Macham, Union County, SC |
do say upon there Oaths that the Said negro . . .died with the visitation of God in a natural way |
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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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| James Goodson | September 28, 1807 | Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said James Goodson . . .was found dead, that he had no such marks of violence on his body as would have occasioned his death & died by the visitation of God & not otherwise |
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| Patrick Burns[?] | November 4, 1858 | at the residence of Richard Campbell, Edgefield County, SC |
said Burns came to his death by visitation of God . . . that the immediate cause leading to sudden death, was the bursting of a blood vessel in or about the heart or lungs |
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| Amy Crawford | February 2, 1890 | at Neal Crawford, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon thire oaths do say that he Said Aimie Crawford came to her death by some cause or causes to this jury unknown |
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| John Wallcot | at Winnsboro, Fairfield County, SC |
do say upon their Oaths that the deceased came to his death in Winnsboro SC the 7 of Jan 1889 from heart diseas. |
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| Anna Braboy | January 13, 1894 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Anna Braboy came to her death from natural causes |
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| Isaac Greer | December 29, 1879 | at Vernonville, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that he came to his death by cause or causes unknown to them but in their opinion it was an act of God |
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| Laban Johnson | May 15, 1889 | at Clifton, Spartanburg County, SC |
do say that the said Laban Johnson came to his death from heart troubles brought on by natural causes |
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| Kisiah Frazier | December 17, 1893 | at the plantation of T S Rainsforde, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Kisiah Frazier came to her death from natural causes. . .Rheumatic trouble of the heart |
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| Thomas R. Bell | December 23, 1876 | at the late residence of Thos R. Bell, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say after hearing the testimony for the state, that Tho's R. Bell's death was caused by disease of the heart |
