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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Gregory | September 3, 1862 | at John Gregory, Union County, SC |
do say that the Decd Came to his death by the hand of God |
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| Rose Brodie | June 5, 1897 | on MacFarland plantation, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Rose Brodie came to her death by from natural causes |
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| Catharine Rodgers | child | September 30, 1879 | at Greenville, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that . . . the deceased came to her death from congestion of the Lungs |
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| James Wilson | March 27, 1846 | at the house of Alexander Moorehead, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the said James Wilson came to his death by the hands of Providence causes unknown to the jury. |
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| Baby Roscoe | June 18, 1934 | at Ruby & Hartsville Cross Roads, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: Still Born |
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| Johnathon Crow | August 25, 1840 | over Johnathon Crow at his own residence, Spartanburg County, SC |
it appeared to us and we verily believe that he the sd. Johnathon Crow's time had come and that it appeared that he never had a struggle |
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| Charity Johnson | March 11, 1847 | at the Residence of Charity Johnson, late deceased, Edgefield County, SC |
do say upon their oaths, that the said Charity Johnson. . .died by the visitation of God |
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| William Smith | infant | January 20, 1869 | at Stephen C. Smith residence, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that he came to his death by some means or disease to the jurors unknown |
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| Arthur R. Hill | January 1, 1883 | at Mrs F[?] Browns place, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Arthur R Hill came to his death on the 1st day of January AD 1883 by some sickness... |
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| Emma Alexander | July 2, 1885 | Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths say that from the evidence before them that the said Emma Alexander died from congestion of the lungs |
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| Samuel Threatt | November 4, 1892 | at Samuel Threatt's, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths Do say," that the Deceased came to his Death by some unknown cause to them |
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| Willis Arther Jenkins | February 4, 1888 | at J. C. Jenkins, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the Said Willis Arther Jenkins came to his death by some natural cause or causes unknown to the jurors and that he dide on the 4 day of Feb 1888 |
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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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| Elizabeth Mitchel | October 12, 1845 | at the dwelling house of David Mitchel, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that . . .the deceased went to bed in the house of David Mitchel . . .in good health, and was found a corps on the morning of the twelfth, and do believe that She came to her death by a visitation of god |
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| Mittie Mitchell | September 19, 1902 | at Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield County, SC |
[No official declaration] |
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| John Bryce | March 7, 1815 | in the town of Camden, Kershaw County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that the said John Bryce came to his death in the Town of Camden aforesaid, on the night of the sixth Instant of a visitation of God. |
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| Fanny Payton | colored woman, free from birth | June 20, 1870 | at residence of Harry Gallard[?], Anderson County, SC |
do say that the deceased came to her death in her bed in the room she usually slept and from disease of the heart |
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| Hester Mobley | June 27, 1868 | at David Gladney's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say . . . that from the testimony the Said Hester Mobley came to her death by the desease, She was Suffering from, The disease of the Heart. |
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| Brown Lee | at the McCerkin[?] grave yard, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the deceased came to his death on the 6 day of Nov A D 1889 at his residence from natural causes |
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| Watson Jackson | June 5, 1880 | at Jackson Grove Church, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that at his mother's house of the plantation of Mr. A. Smith ... Watson Jackson came to his death by Malarial Fever |
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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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| Rose Watts | December 8, 1891 | at Mountville, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Rose Watts came to her death by misfortune or the act of God. |
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| Nancy Loyns | June 25, 1889 | at Elias Ballingers, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon there oaths do say from the evidence heard in case and our belief is that she died of consumption |
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| Malsey A. Blakeny | August 12, 1894 | at the house of W. E. Courtney, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say "that she came to her death by an act of Providence" |
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| Infant of Peter and Mary Hancock | Infant of Peter and Mary Hancock | March 1, 1898 | at B.C. Moons, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: from natural causes |
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| Prince Crawford | November 29, 1916 | at Pageland, Chesterfield County, SC |
Prince Crawford came to his death from natural causes |
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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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| negro child | negro child | September 23, 1848 | at the plantation of Davis Foudalock, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that . . .it must have dyed by the visitation of god |
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| Venus | female slave | November 9, 1848 | at John Harrises, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that . . .the disceased was a person advanced in life, and had at time been complaining of a Smothering Sensation at night and . . .Came to her death by a visitation of god |
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| Jackson Cartlidge | October 21, 1874 | at or near the Brewers gold mine, near the waters of Big Lynches Creek, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do Say, That it appears that the deceased Jackson Cartlidge came to his death by mischance or accident, or visitation of God. |
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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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| 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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| 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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| Manuel Coleman | at Manuel Coleman's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say came to his death by congestion of the Stomach from drinking water. |
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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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| Charmes | October 7, 1865 | at Levison Fowlers, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the Freedman Charmes came to his death by the act of God |
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| Hannah | negro woman | April 15, 1860 | at Smith Cooks, Union County, SC | ||
| 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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| 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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| 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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| Earnest Leland Smith Jr. | December 12, 1945 | at Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Earnest Leland Smith, Jr. received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by causes unknown |
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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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| 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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| 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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| Nancy Davis | April 22, 1883 | at plantaion of Seaborn Parks, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Nancy Davis the deceased came to her death from disease of the Heart. |
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| James Robertson | September 13, 1885 | at Calvin Brewton's, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the aforesaid James Robertson came to his death by disease of the heart |
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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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| Ranse Lowry | July 21, 1888 | at Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield County, SC |
The finding of the Jury is that the deceased came to his death by mischance |
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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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| Samuel Mitchell | April 10, 1837 | on the plantation of Robert Glen, Union County, SC |
do say upon thear Oaths that the Sd Samul Mitchell . . .at a Spring . . . was found dead . . .and died by the visitation of God in a natural way |
