Inquests

Title Inquest Location County Death Type Date COD Inquest Finding COD
The State vs. the Dead Body of Negro Man
Near Laurens Court house
Suicide June 20, 1808

Do say, upon their Oaths, that sd. Negro, not having God before his Eyes, but being. . .moved by the instigation of the Devil, in Laurens District aforesaid, in a certain wood near to Little River, the said negro being then and there alone with a pair of hauling lines, valued at twelve and a half cents, which he there and then had, and held in his hands, and... the sd. hauling lines in a slip noose about his neck, and hid the two ends over two certain boughs, separately, of a certain tree, and himself then and there with the hauling lines aforesaid, voluntarily, and feloniously, and of his motive afore though hanged and suffocated.

Hanging
The State vs. the Dead Body of John Simmons
at John Simmons
Homicide March 21, 1810

do say upon their oaths that on the 20th day of March 1810 that about a half mile from his house the said John Simmons was cild [sic] by a Rifle ball shot by John Hall by his own confession which said ball went through the write [sic] arm and into his write [sic] side of him the said John Simmons said was the Cause of his Death but we believe that it was innocently - Done by him the said John Hall and not in mallice [sic]...

Firearm
The State vs. the Dead Body of nameless newborn boy or male child
at T P Byrds Campbell place
Homicide January 12, 1885

upon their oaths do say that the said nameless boy or male child came to his death on the 10th day of January AD 1885 and in Laurens County by strangulation cause by criminal negligence on the part of Kittie F. Malone.

Infanticide
The State vs. the Dead Body of John Elmore
at Aaron Elmore home on LE Foleys plantation
Accident January 3, 1883

upon their oaths do say that the said John Elmore came to his death by misfortune or accident

Suffocation
The State vs. the Dead Body of Clem Davis
Near Barksdale station of the Greenville and Laurens RR
Homicide August 31, 1894

upon their oaths do say that Clem Davis came to his Death by Gun shot wounds at the hands of Parties to us unknown.

Firearm
The State vs. the Dead Body of Prophet Goodman
at the residence of N A Green
Accident May 24, 1884

upon their oaths do say that the said Prophet Goodman came to his death on the 24th day of May AD 1884 from being torn and lacerated by a sow hog, which sais tearing and lacerating was done on N A Greens place in Laurens County And so the jurors aforesaid upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the aforesaid Prophet Goodman came to his death by mischance or accident.

Animal
The State vs. the Dead Body of M. F. Anderson
at the residence of JR Anderson
Suicide February 22, 1883

upon their oaths do say that the said M F Anderson came to her death by taking an overdose of Strychnine and that the said M F Anderson in manner and form then and there voluntarily and feloniously herself did kill against the peace and dignity of the same State aforesaid.

Poison
The State vs. the Dead Body of James Crooks
at little River Near Laurens Court house
Accident March 29, 1807

upon their oath here insert that in Crossing a log he fell in & was Drowned.

Drowning
The State vs. the Dead Body of Andrew Dawkins
at Laurens CH
Accident June 25, 1895

From testimony produced, I find he died from a fracture of the skull received from a fall while engaged in unloading a Lumber car, at the Factory at Laurens County. I also find that there was no one to blame for same.

Fall
The State vs. the Dead Body of Alfred Gage
at Milton
Accident May 21, 1890

by their oaths do say that the said Alfred Gage came to his death "By Accidental Drowning in little river at the Mills at Milton.

Drowning
The State vs. the Dead Body of David Adkinson
on the Harris plantation near Clinton
Accident June 9, 1894

upon their oaths do say that he (David Adkinson) Died from the Effects of a severe blow upon the right side of the head, being accidentally struck by the passing 10 oclock train on the G.C. &N. R.R. At the place known as the Harris place 3 1/2 miles N.E. of Clinton.

Transportation
The State vs. the Dead Body of Lewis Bradley Accident

we the jury find in our opinion that Lewis Bradlet Died in Laurens County on the 29th day of Decr. 1894 from great Exposure in the [extreme?] cold, and that no one is to blame as far as we know, for his death.

Exposure
The State vs. the Dead Body of Will Metts
at Clinton
Accident March 16, 1895

we the jurors impaneled find from the testimony produced that the said Will Metts came to his death By being caught between Box Car and platform, crushing his body. In our opinion there could be no Blame attached to any one.

Transportation
The State vs. the Dead Body of Will Harris
in Clinton
Accident June 16, 1896

We the Jury of inquest Empaneled in the case of the state vs dead of unknown colored man (supposed to be William Harris) found dead on or near the track of the G.C. & N. R.R. at Clinton S.C. find that said unknown man came to his death from bruises and shock supposed to be received by jumping or falling from train no 41 on Georgia Carolina and Northern Railway about midnight June 16th 1896 while trying to steal a ride.

Transportation
The State vs. the Dead Body of Tower
at Benjamin Strange's
Natural Causes December 27, 1809

do say upon their oaths that they believe his death came by the act of god

Other
The State vs. the Dead Body of Georgiana Williams Moore
at TS Langston's plantation
Natural Causes July 26, 1882

upon their oathes do say that the said Georgiana William Moore came to her death by a visitation of God and died of Embolism of the heart.

Heart
The State vs. the Dead Body of Spencer Simpson
at Clinton
Homicide November 25, 1896

We the Jury of inquest. . . find that Spencer Simpson died in Laurens County on 21st Day of Nov AD 1896 - from the Effects of a gunshot wound from the hands of Jno. Miller, and so we all agree.

Firearm
The State vs. the Dead Body of Thomas J. Fuller
at T.J. Fuller's
Natural Causes October 5, 1894

upon their oaths do say that the said T.J. Fuller came to his death "From Natural Causes."

Heart
The State vs. the Dead Body of Jarrett
at the House of James Loughridge
Homicide February 9, 1809

do say upon their oaths that at the House of the aforesd. James Loughridge in the Village aforesaid on the ninth day of the Instant upon view of the body of the said boy saith that the aforesaid Boy on the night of the Eighth Instant died by the hands of James Loughridge aforesaid through Several Strokes from the Edge and corner of an Iron Hoe, and a large stick.

Blunt Instrument
The State vs. the Dead Body of John Henry Goudelock
at Bethlehem Grove Church
Accident June 3, 1882

upon their oaths do say that he came to his death by being burned in the dwelling house of Jane Goudelock which is included in Laurens County, State of South Carolina. The cause or origin of the said fire is to this jury unknown.

Burns
The State vs. the Dead Body of Hillary Suber
at Mrs N.B. Copelands plantation
Natural Causes July 9, 1883

upon their oaths do say that the said Hillary Suber came to his death on the plantation of Mrs NB Copeland from Heart Disease

Heart
The State vs. the Dead Body of Mack Byrd
at Duncans Creek Colored Baptist Church
Homicide July 20, 1885

upon their oaths do say that the aforesaid Mack Byrd came to his death on the 19th day of July AD 1885 in Laurens County near to Duncans Creek Colored Church by a pistol shot in the hand, of Alfred Dean alias Alfred Harley.

Firearm
The State vs. the Dead Body of Dozier Anderson
at Clinton
Accident June 16, 1882

upon their oaths do say that the said Dozier Anderson came to his death on the 14th day of June AD 1882 in Laurens County on the Laurens Rail Road in the discharge of his duties as a train hand on material train No 1 in the employ of and doing the work of the Columbia and Greenville Rail Road. And so we find that the aforesaid Dozier Anderson in manner and form aforesaid came to his death by misfortune or accident, which accident occured on the 13th day of June AD. 1882.

Transportation
The State vs. the Dead Body of S. J. Thomas
at Clinton
Accident June 13, 1882

upon their oaths do say that the said SJ Thomas came to his death on the 14th day of June AD 1882 in Laurens County on the Laurens Rail Road in the discharge of his duties as conductor on Material train No 1 in the employ of and doing the work of the Columbia and Greenville Rail Road and so we find that the aforementioned SJ Thomas in manner and form aforesaid came to his death by misfortune or accident.

Transportation
The State vs. the Dead Body of Daniel Williams
at Mrs. Mary Williams
Suicide January 3, 1822

do say upon their oaths in pursuing their Solemn inquiry are of opinion that the said Daniel Williams on the 3rd day of Jany. 1822 died in a fit of insanity then, and there voluntarily cut his own throat with his knife against the peace of this State.

Sharp Instrument

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