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.’
NEXT: Meet the Coroners
Natural Causes Inquests
| Name | Deceased Description | Date | Inquest Location |
Death Method |
Inquest Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Nelson | June 5, 1826 | in the house of John Nelson Sen'r on Grannie's Quarter, Kershaw County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that he came to his death by the visitation of God |
||
| T. A. Parker | June 2, 1897 | at the Residence of J. L. Johnson, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oath doo say that T.A. Parker deceast came to hir death we find that the deceast came to hir death from natural causes we find that the deceast came to hir death from natural causes |
||
| Mary May | April 14, 1854 | at J. W. May's, Anderson County, SC |
believe came to her death by the hand of Providence. |
||
| Thomas J. Fuller | October 5, 1894 | at T.J. Fuller's, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said T.J. Fuller came to his death "From Natural Causes." |
||
| Lillie C. McManus | February 10, 1889 | at T. M. McManus's, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, by the Hand of God, and from causes unknown to the parents and to the jury |
||
| 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 |
|
| Martha M. Kerr | March 10, 1881 | at the house of Edward L. Kerr, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Martha M. Kerr came to her death by the act of God: hemorage of the lungs |
||
| 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 |
|
| George Robinson | January 12, 1892 | at the plantation of E. B. Davis, Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say from Heart failure |
||
| Christen Turnage | August 29, 1892 | at Robert Turnage, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that Christen Turnage came to her death form some cause or causes to the Jury unknown |
||
| Patsy Johnston | at Bell plantation, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oath do say that the aforesaid Patsy Johnston came to her death from scrofula. |
|||
| William Ganey | February 22, 1889 | at E. H. Casons, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That the Said William Ganey came to his death form some natural cause or causes to the jurors unknown |
||
| 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 |
||
| Henry Clarkson | May 10, 1871 | at Antiark Church, Kershaw County, SC |
upon their oaths do say ... that the aforesaid Henry Clarkson ... came to his death disease of the heart |
||
| Arlen Blakney Watson | February 2, 1902 | at Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield County, SC |
[No official declaration] |
||
| 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 |
||
| Jim | slave | June 10, 1859 | at M, L, Bonham Esqr residence on the Pine House road, Edgefield County, SC |
upon there oaths do say that the said Jim a slave. . .came to his death by the act of Providence |
|
| Rachel Dullivan | January 30, 1890 | at Rachel Dullivan Residence, Laurens County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said Rachel Dullivan came to her death from natural cause (Heart disease). |
||
| Elizabeth Leightner | July 1, 1875 | at Col. Fenlis[?] Plantation, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say: that Eizabeth Leightner came to her death from some cause unknown to the Jurors. |
||
| Joseph Prince | April 13, 1842 | Union County, SC |
came to his death by the visitation of God |
||
| Lona May Hamilton | child | October 18, 1893 | at or near Longmires PO[?], Edgefield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that she said Lona May Hamilton came to death. . .on the plantation of J.A. Deale. . .by accidental suffication |
|
| George Center | October 28, 1880 | at George W. Centers, Greenville County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said George W Center came to his death by heart disease |
||
| Thomas Tillman | July 22, 1894 | at Thomas Tillman's place, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: that the said Tillman came to his death form natural causes |
||
| 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 |
|
| Martha Stevenson | at Daniel Stevenson's, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say, that Martha Stevenson came to her death from natural causes probly influenza[.] |
|||
| Charley Turner | February 8, 1922 | at J W Patsobe, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: That Charley Turner came to his death from natural cause |
||
| 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 |
|
| Kent | slave | January 12, 1845 | at the house of David Maberry, Spartanburg County, SC |
do say upon their oaths that the said slave Kent came to his death by the visitation of God |
|
| 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 |
||
| 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. |
||
| 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 |
||
| 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. |
||
| Clarence Rodgers | at the [?] Quarter[?], Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased Clarence Rodgers, came to his death from congestion of the lungs at the Residence of Hanibal Willis[.] |
|||
| 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 |
|
| 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 |
||
| William Blanton | January 14, 1884 | at the house of Langdon Blanton, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that William Blanton came to his death by heart disease |
||
| slave | slave | May 31, 1832 | Kershaw County, SC |
do unanimously believed that the said negro woman deceased formerly the property of Isaac Mothershed now lying Dead came to her death by an act of God |
|
| 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 |
||
| James Drake | December 7, 1854 | at residence of James Drake, Anderson County, SC |
do say that the said James Drake came to his death by the hand of God |
||
| 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[?] |
|
| 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. |
||
| Jonathan | June 5, 1826 | at the plantation of Wm Ader[?], Fairfield County, SC |
do say upon our oaths that our [?] from the evidence Jonathan came to his death by the Visitation of God |
||
| Patrick Keenan | June 18, 1869 | at Union Court House, Union County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the said P. H. Keenan came to his death by the hand of Providence |
||
| Reuben Johnson | March 11, 1881 | Spartanburg County, SC |
upon their oaths ... do say that the said Reuben Johnson ... came to his death from natural causes |
||
| 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 |
||
| 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 |
||
| 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 |
||
| Sam Clark | near Lyles Ford, Fairfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that in their opinion Sam Clark came to his death from Heart diseas |
|||
| Harry Horton | October 8, 1889 | at Harry Hortons, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say That the aforesaid Harry Horton came to his death by the act of God or natural causes |
||
| James Boiter | May 20, 1887 | near Wakefield Bridge, Spartanburg County, SC |
upon there oaths do say ... that the aforesaid James Boiter came to his death from heart disease |
