The State vs. the Dead Body of Lewis

Date: 
July 13, 1860

Deceased

Lewis
Sex: 
Male
Race: 
Black
Slave Status: 
Enslaved
Owner: 
William Young
COD Category: 
Accident
COD: 
Act of God
COD Method/Implement: 
lightning
COD Inquest Finding: 

upon their oaths do say; that the said boy came to his death by a stroke of lightning

Coroner

Coroner: 
H. S. Neel
Coroner Title: 
Magistrate

Location

Inquest Location: 
at William Young's darm
County: 
Laurens County, SC

Source

South Carolina Department of Archives & History
Columbia, SC
Inquest Images: 
Laurens_Cor_D5852_0701.jpg
Laurens_Cor_D5852_0702.jpg
Laurens_Cor_D5852_0703.jpg
Laurens_Cor_D5852_0704.jpg
Laurens_Cor_D5852_0705.jpg
Laurens_Cor_D5852_0706.jpg
Laurens_Cor_D5852_0707.jpg
Transcription: 

Mr. Thomas Owens stated on oath that he found the body of the boy at a certain oak tree in the cotton field, lying on his back dead close to the tree soon after a Thunder storm had passed over in the evening.

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