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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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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| Eber B. Stevens | March 5, 1873 | at Pendleton, Anderson County, SC |
do say . . . by a visitation of God |
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| Emaline | slave | April 4, 1862 | at R. G. H. Faws[?], Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say . . .that the deseast came to her death by the visitation of god or some unknown cause |
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| Drusilla Philips | June 18, 1840 | at Abram Philips, Laurens County, SC |
do Say upon their oaths that; the said Drusilla Philips on the 17th day of June in the year one thousand Eight Hundred and forty one at Abram Philips her husbands own House, in the distrct afore said was found dead that she had no Marks of violence upon her and died by the visitation of God in a natural way and not otherwise. |
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| Ellison Blakney | October 4, 1896 | at Hick's Mine Place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the said Ellison Blakney came to his death from heart trouble |
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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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| 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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| Mary Adams | September 23, 1885 | at Mary Adams, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the Said Mary Adams came to her death by Sum natural caus or causes unknow to the jurys |
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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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| Cooper | slave | March 17, 1852 | at the plantation of L.H. Mundy decd, Edgefield County, SC |
where & when & by what means the Said Slave, Cooper came to his death By acute Gastro Duodinitis[?] |
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| Charles Aiken | at the Bell place, Fairfield County, SC |
upo their Oaths do say that the deceased Charles Aiken, came to his death form Rupture of a blood vesel at Narthers Church[.] |
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| Scott Infant Child | Scott Infant Child | July 30, 1891 | at W. A. Buchanan's Place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that the said Infant child came to its death form natural cause or causes to this Jury unknown |
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| Alex Black | October 27, 1884 | at Philadelphia in Spartanburg County, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that he came to his death from disease of the brain in his field some two hundred yards from his house |
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| Freeman Cook | March 18, 1896 | at John Cook's, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Freeman Cook came to his death from natural causes. |
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| Ann Eliza Loid | June 29, 1891 | at William Loid's, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon there oaths Do say that Said Lizar Loid came to her Death from Heart Disease By falling on the floor on the 28th June 1891 |
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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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| Mrs. May M. White | January 22, 1885 | at E. P. Whites, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the said Mrs. Mary M. White came to her death by some natural cause or causes, on the 22nd day of January A.D. 1885 |
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| Martha Lanham | January 29, 1892 | at Wilts[?] Curryes place, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do Say that Marsha Lanham Came to her death from hart failure |
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| Anna G. Cason | June 10, 1883 | at Williamston, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the death of said Anna Cason (after hearing the testimony) was caused by disease of the heart. |
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| Limbrick | negro child a slave | July 22, 1856 | at Wm. R. A. Thomas's, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that limbrick here lying dead came to his death by a visitation of god |
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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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| 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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| Elisha Farless[?] | September 15, 1847 | at Robert Youngers Mill house, Fairfield County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that the siad Elisha Farleys[?] died on the 14th[?] instant past at or in the Mill house of Robert Yongers[?] was found dead that he had no markes of violence appearing on his body and died by the visitation of God in a natural way |
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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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| Edmund Chambers | November 18, 1819 | at the house of Edmund Chambers, Spartanburg County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that the aforesaid Edmund Chambers. . .died by the visitation of God |
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| Harriet | negro woman | July 20, 1859 | at the residence of JB Rease, Edgefield County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that the said negro woman. . .died by the visitation of God |
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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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| 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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| 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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| Adam Eubanks | April 19, 1894 | at the residence of the deceased, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Adam Eubanks died from natural causes on the night of the 18th April 1894 at his residence |
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| Wiley W. Gandy | November 18, 1912 | at Steer Pen, Chesterfield County, SC |
the Said W W Gandy came to his death we find that the deceast W W Gandy came to his death by Natural causes |
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| Frank Milton | child | January 26, 1894 | at Sanders Loricks, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oath do say: that said Frank Milton aforesaid came to his death from natural causes, that is to say from inflammation of the lungs |
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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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| 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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| Simney Harrington | August 7, 1868 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that there appearing no signs of violence on his body the deceased came to his death by the visitation of God. |
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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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| Andrew Boney | July 26, 1879 | at Ridgeway, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that from the Certificate of two Physicians who reached him in his dying moment that he come to his death from Heart disease[.] |
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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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| 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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| Milledge Stuard | October 8, 1881 | at Mount [??] Yard, Edgefield County, SC |
upon there oths do say the said Milledge Stuard Came to his death from some unknown Cause to us but Suppose from heart Disease |
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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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| William Fisher | September 12, 1855 | at the home of Sarah Vanderford, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say . . .that they are of opinion that the Said William Fisher died a natural death by [?] and 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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| J. W. Hunnicutt | December 8, 1896 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
[No official declaration] |
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| David Hall | October 26, 1931 | at McBee, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That david Hall come to his death by natural causes |
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| Robert Inglish | April 25, 1891 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that the Said Robert Inglish came to his death form hart disease |
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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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| 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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| Tephius[?] Cornwall | January 14, 1845 | on one of the Public Streets of the Town of Hamburg, Edgefield County, SC |
Upon their oaths do say, that the decd Tephius[?] Cornwell came to his death as they believe by the visitation of God |
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| Rachel Manigun | at Feasterville, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that Rachel Manigon[?] died from a stroke of apoplexy on the 4th of Apr. A.D. 1887, at her home on the plantation of J.B. [?][.] |
