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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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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| Finley Hall | November 30, 1912 | at Ansleydale, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon theire oaths do say that the Said Finley Hall come to his death by Natural causes |
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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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| George Hatcher | freedman | June 19, 1867 | at B. W. Hatchers Mill on Shaws creek, Edgefield County, SC |
upon there oath do say that George came to his death by some disease unknown to the Jurors |
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| Quash | May 11, 1815 | at the House Genl. John. Y. Wolff, Laurens County, SC |
do say upon their Oaths that the aforesaid Negro Man Quash from all appearances as exhibited to this Jury of Inquest did by the act of God - The testimony of Mr Alexander Mahoffy who saw him a few minutes before his death, "he thinks about nine oclock P.M. of the 10th Inst & Genl. John Y. Wolff a few minutes after his death, he thinks about 12 Oclock of the same day - induced the Jury to give their verdict" That the Decsd. came to his death by the Act of God. |
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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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| Nancey Means | December 22, 1879 | at D.T. Gibson's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the Said Nancey Means came to her death by natural causes unknown to the Jury. |
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| Sallie McDowell | August 12, 1882 | Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that ... Sallie McDowell died of indigestion |
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| Dinah Jackson | April 29, 1880 | at Joseph Thompson's Plantation, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that Dinah Jackson came to her death from natural causes unknown to the jury. |
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| Clara | slave | February 18, 1861 | at Thos Bayds[?], Union County, SC |
uppon there oaths do say. . . the decd came to her death by hand of the Almity |
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| Mary Hillian | October 30, 1896 | at R.E. River's place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: the said May Hillian came to her death from accidental Hemmorage of the lungs |
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| Moriah Scott | infant child | September 26, 1875 | at Ness[?] Scott's, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say that Moriah L. Scott infant child . . .came to her death from cold |
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| J. B. Whittle | November 28, 1894 | at Mrs Whittles, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that the said J.B. Whittle came to his death from natural cause |
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| Thomas Prince | July 31, 1848 | at the Joal of Said District, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Thomas Prince came to his death by the act of God |
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| James Hammons | March 25, 1884 | at Andrew Bristers, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the Said James Hammons came to his death by some natural caus or causes unknown to the jurors |
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| Charley Young | June 17, 1893 | on the plantation of Henry Young, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oathes do say that the said Charley Young came to his death from (Heart Failure). |
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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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| Betty Gene Mangum | December 19, 1934 | at Pageland, Chesterfield County, SC |
[No official declaration] |
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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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| Matt Loyd | February 24, 1891 | at Mr. Carmal cemetary near the Old Wills, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oath do say that the said Matt Loyd died from Dropsy[?] of the heart |
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| Thomas Noble | March 30, 1872 | at the residence of Thos Noble, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do Say That Thomas Noble in the manner and form aforesaid came to his Death by the act of God. |
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| Mary Jane Johnson | child | September 25, 1856 | at Sarah [?] house, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that they believe . . .that it Came to its by the visitation of God |
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| Caroline Timons | January 10, 1901 | at Mount Croghan, Chesterfield County, SC |
I have this day held a preliminary examination ovr the dad body of Caroline Timons and from the evidence of witness I do not deam It necary to hold an inqest but form such witness find that the Sed Caroline Timons came to her dath from none other than natural Causes this The 10 day of January 1901 |
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| Caswell Waldrop | April 18, 1882 | at the residence of Caswell Waldrop, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that . . . the said Caswell Waldrop . . . came to his death from the effect of an epileptic fit. |
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| Chasey Futrul | May 4, 1888 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the Said Chasey Futrul came to her death by Som natural caus or causs to the jury unknown and she dide on the 4 day of May 1888 |
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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 |
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| Edward | slave, boy | October 22, 1857 | at the residence of Wm Miller, Edgefield County, SC |
came to his death by the act of Providence |
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| George Blakely | August 23, 1889 | at Tom Youngs, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that George Blakely came to his death "Natural Causes" |
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| Simon West | March 25, 1857 | near the house of dec'd, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that it is by the visitation of God |
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| Madison Harper | September 23, 1867 | at the residence of R.E. Ellison, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Madison Harper came to his death from disease by the visitation of God |
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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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| R. H. Crawford | January 26, 1894 | at Elisha Boans, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the deceased R.H. Crawford came to his death from some natural cause or causes unknown to me |
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| James Robinson | May 20, 1883 | n.a., Anderson County, SC |
came to his death by the act of God in the form of Apoplexy |
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| infant | infant | May 5, 1893 | at F. L. Foys, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say we find that deceased Infant. . .came to its death from natural causes |
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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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| L. M. Stroud | August 18, 1909 | at Tom Strouds, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say: that the said Mrs. P. M. Stroud came to her death from natural causes |
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| Mag Potee | at N.D. Roberts place, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the deceasd came to her death at her home the night of the 2d of Sept 1892 from natural causes[.] |
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| Charlotte | slave | August 6, 1837 | in Camden, Kershaw County, SC |
do say that she came to her death by affliction[?] of the heart |
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| Aneliza Perdue | January 31, 1913 | at Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Aneliza Perdue did come to her death by Natural causes |
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| Mary May | April 14, 1854 | at J. W. May's, Anderson County, SC |
believe came to her death by the hand of Providence. |
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| Peyton Bird | colored | September 29, 1869 | at Edgefield CH, Edgefield County, SC |
do say as follows: That we the Jurors find that the deceased Peyton Bird came to his death by visitation of God from rupture of a blood vessel called Aorta |
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| Daniel | September 17, 1816 | at Reuben Meadows, Laurens County, SC |
do Say upon their oaths, that he came to his death by the visitation of God then and there to wit Reuben Meadows field aforesaid he died aforesaid and not otherwise. . . |
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| Answorth Middleton | December 3, 1816 | at James Boyds, Laurens County, SC |
Do say that he the said Answorth Middleton came to his Ende by the hand of god. |
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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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| Matilda Hall | June 28, 1880 | at residence of deceased on plantation of C.S. Brice, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that the said Matilda Hall came to her death by heart disease,-the act of Almighty God. |
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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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| 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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| 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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| W. T. Mathis | November 11, 1897 | at the Yeldell place, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oath do Say he come to his Death by Providential occurance or heart failure |
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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 |
