Anderson County, SC

County Name: 
Anderson
State: 
South Carolina

Total population (1850): 32,318
Enslaved population (1850): 19,262
Percent enslaved: 60%
Extant nineteenth-century inquests: 153
Date range: 1830-1883
Percentage of violent crimes in county sample: 32% (49/153)

Anderson County was named for Robert Anderson, a Revolutionary War hero who helped wrest the land away from the Cherokee in 1777. The resulting cession was then broken into Pickens and Anderson Counties (technically Pickens and Anderson Districts) in 1826. Lacking a central county seat, Anderson Courthouse was built, which gradually became the town of Anderson, now known as 'The Electricity City' because it was the first in the country to have continuous power thanks to a water mill located in the high shoals. Like many counties in the area, Anderson became heavily invested in cotton and textile mills as the nineteenth century progressed.

Anderson County, SC Inquests

Displaying 1 - 50 of 153
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Sally Williams July 19, 1880 n.a. Natural Causes
infant November 27, 1870 at William Stuart's residence Natural Causes
James Robinson May 20, 1883 n.a. Natural Causes
Freedwoman Freedwoman October 23, 1867 at Anderson Court House Homicide
Hardy McKinney freedman July 28, 1867 at an old field near F. Wyne's Natural Causes
Henry Davis October 30, 1857 at Anderson Courthouse Accident
P. W. Morris April 27, 1872 at Anderson Court House Suicide
Abram Clement October 6, 1868 at Martin Williamston's residence Accident
Samuel McCulley December 29, 1839 in Broadway Creek Accident
Frances Pagett April 15, 1853 at William Pagett's Natural Causes
Peter Knox July 23, 1878 near Calrandellers[?] Ferry on Tugalo River Accident
Alfred runaway slave June 16, 1862 At Williamston Homicide
Morriss unknown free man of color January 7, 1858 at Grief Tater's residence Natural Causes
Nancy Drake August 21, 1872 at Mrs. Elizabeth's Anne Keaton's Suicide
John H. Megill September 22, 1867 at J. D. Tucker's Unknown
Hewlet Swangum July 21, 1883 at Pelzer, SC Accident
Mary Thompson June 12, 1878 Accident
James Wilson March 27, 1846 at the house of Alexander Moorehead Natural Causes
George C. Mitchell September 19, 1874 at residence of Marion Mtchell Suicide
James Drake December 7, 1854 at residence of James Drake Natural Causes
George Hammond June 24, 1871 at Provosts Mill Pond Accident
Meredith Crawford July 3, 1861 At the residence of Meredith Crawford Unknown
Gabriel Hill Colored April 28, 1868 on the plantation of John N. Wilson Suicide
Smith June 9, 1876 near R. H. Anderson's Tanyard Accident
Sophia Hall March 19, 1859 at or near Samuel Martin's residence Natural Causes
infant March 10, 1865 at Anderson Court House Homicide
Joseph Poor December 17, 1857 at William Holand's residence Other
Willis Watson June 14, 1876 at the river bank on Saulda one mile above Gambell old Bridge Accident
Jane slave March 10, 1863 at Anderson Court House Homicide
Sam Williams May 30, 1876 in the streets of Pendleton Homicide
white child white child January 20, 1871 at Wilson's Bridge Homicide
infant January 13, 1868 at Anderson Court House Natural Causes
Minnie Cason June 9, 1883 at Williamston Accident
Jack slave [runaway] November 21, 1835 at Andersonville Accident
John Seawright October 22, 1881 on the public road leading from Craytonville to Anderson Court House Natural Causes
Sloan freedman November 19, 1866 At Williamston Accident
Aaron Hardin June 24, 1845 at plantation of Mr. Moses Chambles Accident
Thomas Dalton February 8, 1882 at Williamston Accident
Major Crawford July 21, 1880 at Anderson Court House Accident
Robert L. Elmore at sawmill Homicide
Eber B. Stevens March 5, 1873 at Pendleton Natural Causes
Sarah Martin July 14, 1844 at residence of Mrs. Sarah Martin Natural Causes
Henry Cobb December 16, 1868 at Warnock's Crossing on the Anderson Branch of the Greenville & Columbia Rail Road Other
David McClellan November 27, 1857 at residence of David McClellan Accident
Thomas D. Cook April 10, 1854 at Stover's Ferry on Savannah River Accident
Martha Morris January 9, 1881 at the residence of Warren Morris Natural Causes
Bessie Gambrell Suicide
Daniel Brown October 8, 1881 at the plantation of Willis Watkins Natural Causes
Joe Jenkins October 8, 1881 at the residence of Matilda Rud Natural Causes
Thomas J. Geer November 23, 1860 Thomas J. Geer's residence Accident

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