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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sophia Hall | March 19, 1859 | at or near Samuel Martin's residence, Anderson County, SC |
do say that no marks of violence could be seen on her body that she the said Sphia came to her death by the hand of God. |
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| Harriet Hill | May 27, 1884 | Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the aforesaid Harriet Hill ... came to her death the hand of God |
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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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| Nettie Frazier | at the plantation of Mrs. Nancy Youngue, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased came to its death from the effects of Whooping cough[.] |
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| Lucinda Scott | September 9, 1878 | at P. Hastings' Plantation, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Lucinda Scott came to her death at the house of John Scott; on P. Hastings plantation. September 8th 1878. from hemorrhages of the Lungs. |
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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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| E. P. Brown | January 1, 1879 | at Mrs. E.P. Browns, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the Deceased came to to her death at her Residence Dec. the 31st A.D. 1878 from enlargement of the heart[.] |
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| Humphrey Wilson | August 26, 1882 | at the residence of Humphrey Wilsons, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say . . . he died from a visitation of the Almighty God |
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| James Lee | April 7, 1834 | at Amos Lee's, Union County, SC |
do say upon there oaths that the sd James Lee . . .on the plantation of William Hay[?] . . .Dyed By the Visitation of god in a natural way |
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| Nathan Moore | April 1, 1870 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say, That the diseased was and had been for some time afflicted with a Heart disease, which we believe caused his very sudden death at the Corner of market and third streets in cheraw on Friday April the first 1870 at 5 O clk PM |
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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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| Hartwell Roper | June 17, 1869 | at the residence of Rev. J.P. Mealing, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That the said Hartwell Roper fell dead in the field at his plow |
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| Unknown infant | Unknown infant | July 14, 1879 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that , according to the evidence before them, the said infants came to this death in the house of Alie Williams on Church street in Town of Cheraw one on Saturday night the other on Sunday - both form natural causes |
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| Henry Rush | June 22, 1875 | Spartanburg County, SC |
return our verdict that the deceased, Henry Rush, died from an attack of epilepsy |
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| Mrs. Joe Landon | October 11, 1929 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
according to evidence that an inquest is not necessary |
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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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| George Norris | November 23, 1876 | at Anderson Courthouse, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the said George Norris by act of God died (Consumption) |
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| Daniel W. Willis | September 27, 1887 | at the residence of the deceased Daniel Willis, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the [said] Daniel Willis came to his death of heart disease |
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| Molsie Knight | February 6, 1897 | at Reid Knight's, Chesterfield County, SC |
So the Jurors aforesaid do say that the aforesaid Molsie Knight in manner and form aforesaid did come to Her death in a way that is unknown to the Jury we decide that it was an act of God. |
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| Silvia | October 10, 1857 | at the House of J.s. W. Holliday, Horry County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the said Silvia a slave Came to her death by the Visitation of God |
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| Wade Chappell | at William Steele's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the deceased Wade, Chappell, came to his death from an affection of the heart[.] |
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| Isaac | slave | March 4, 1841 | at Col. Wm. J. Taylor's plantation, Kershaw County, SC |
on their oaths due say that it was according to their belief and the evidence before them that Isaac came to his Death by the visitation of God |
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| Sharp | infant male child | June 5, 1861 | at Wm Bovels[?], Union County, SC |
uppon there oaths do say that . . .we conclud that Decsd Came to its Death by the hand of the Almighty |
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| Lewis Dial | October 20, 1870 | at Laurens C.H., Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say on examining and viewing the body of Lewis Dial, this day found dead in the garden of J.M. Boyd, and from competent medical examination, we find that the said deceased came to his death by the visitation of God. |
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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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| Infant of G. R. C. Baskins | Infant of G. R. C. Baskins | February 18, 1905 | at E. W. Gulledge's place, Chesterfield County, SC |
their oath say that the said William H. Baskin infant Died . . . from Natural Causes. |
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| infant | March 16, 1883 | at Martha J. Adkins, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that said infant child came to his death by the hands of Providence |
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| Annie Jefferson | January 19, 1892 | at Bary Rosie, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that the Said Anna Jefferson came to her death form some cause or causes to the Jury unknown |
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| James Blackie | August 17, 1836 | in the house of Ezekiel Hoy, Fairfield County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that they believe James Blackie died on the 16th of August & and that his death was caused by a 'severe acute disease aggravated & hurried to a fatal termination by previous organic affection of all the viscera of the systems |
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| Alexander Black | November 14, 1863 | at the house of A. W. Black, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said decd came to his death . . . by the act of God unknown to them |
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| Dick | slave | March 19, 1837 | at the house of Edward Gregory, Union County, SC |
do say that the said Dick . . .died by the visitation of God in a natural way |
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| John Brown | January 28, 1902 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
[No official declaration] |
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| Rachael Watts | July 29, 1889 | at W.B. Fullers place near Cross Hill, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that near the Residence of W. B. Fuller in above state and county on the 29th July 1889 the said Rachael Watts came to her death by "Visitation of God." |
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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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| Nathaniel Miller | September 2, 1825 | Spartanburg County, SC |
do say upon their oaths aforesaid that he came to his death by an act of God |
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| Richard Lewis | January 4, 1910 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That he came to his death from 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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| Samuel Ward | July 19, 1859 | at Church Cross Roads, Anderson County, SC |
do say that he came to his death by the visitation of providence him being an old man between 75 & 80 years of age. |
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| Nicholas Gibson | June 26, 1884 | at the residence of Nicholas Gibson, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say ... that the aforesaid Nicholas Gibson came to his death ... in the manner as testified to by the examining physician, Dr. M. Bonner |
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| W. L. Pegues | July 16, 1894 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said W L Pegues came to his death from natural causes. |
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| Dolly Glenn | at the Doly place, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that the deceasd came to her death at the home of Joe Jackson the 21st of Aug 1892 from some Natural Causes[.] |
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| Charles Jones | February 11, 1879 | at R.J. Gladney's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the aforesaid Charles Jones came to his death by disease unknown to the Jury[.] |
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| William Cooper | September 22, 1882 | at Greenville, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that . . .Wm T. Cooper came to his death from heart disease |
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| Levy | negro man slave | January 9, 1849 | at Austin Wilson's, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Levy Came to his death by natural Cause and that was an Act of God |
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| George Bracy | August 19, 1871 | the plantation of Wm Cassady, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the deceased, George Bracey, came to his death by a visitation of Providence at the plantation Wm Cassady, on the 18th day of August 1871 |
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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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| James Mitchell | February 18, 1879 | at L D Laudrums, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Jas Mitchell came to his death by means unknown |
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| Unknown Infant | Unknown Infant | April 26, 1888 | at Margret Bouer, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That the said Infant Child came to her death by being accidently Smothered and that it dide on the 26th day of A D 1888 |
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| J. H. Vandike | May 20, 1877 | at Crawfordville, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that they are satisfied that the aforesaid Col. J.H. Vandike came to his death from apoplexy while riding along the road |
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| Vance Melton | January 18, 1930 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that he came to his death from natural causes |
