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
Namesort descending Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Method
Aaron Hardin June 24, 1845 at plantation of Mr. Moses Chambles Accident
Abram Clement October 6, 1868 at Martin Williamston's residence Accident
Adeline Agnew May 14, 1871 near the residence of Ephraim R. Cobb Homicide knife
Alfred runaway slave June 16, 1862 At Williamston Homicide
Allen Johnson June 17, 1876 at Broadway trestle on the line of the Greenville and Columbia Railroad Accident train
Allen S. Barksdale June 23, 1876 at the house of Robert A. Gray Homicide axe
Amaziah Payton colored man of New York July 20, 1866 at the house of Richmond Payton Homicide pistol
Anna G. Cason June 10, 1883 at Williamston Natural Causes
Anna G. Goodrich November 10, 1881 at Pelzer, SC Accident train
Anthony slave July 2, 1853 at Samuel J. Hannond's plantation Accident
Barbary Havard wife of Mark Havard November 5, 1840 in the house of Mark Havard Suicide
Beller McAlester March 11, 1876 at house of deceased Natural Causes
Bessie Gambrell Suicide
Bill Reese December 12, 1872 at Pendleton Homicide knife
Bonaparte Bates March 26, 1856 at the Fuller old field Accident
Caleb Chappell January 22, 1835 at or near house of John Ledbetter Other
Caroline A. Kinnan January 13, 1872 at L. C. Neals[?] Unknown arsenic
Celia King September 8, 1857 at Peter King's residence Suicide hank of cotton thread
Charity Bozeman June 11, 1880 at the house of Aby McAlister Natural Causes
Charity Norris May 29, 1869 at B. F. McGee's residence Homicide
Charles Kelly August 14, 1866 at the town of Anderson Homicide razor
Clara Burress February 25, 1878 at the house of Caty Burress on the plantation of Dr. A. G. Cook Homicide pistol
Clarissa Campbell freedwoman March 29, 1867 at the residence of Sarah Campbell Natural Causes
colored colored April 24, 1874 at Dr. J. A. Todd's Accident
Cyrus slave September 15, 1860 at the shanty [?] upon the grounds of the Blue Ridge Rail Road Company at Anderson Accident train
Daily Thompson December 8, 1876 at Daniel Thompson's Suicide
Daniel Brown October 8, 1881 at the plantation of Willis Watkins Natural Causes
David McClellan November 27, 1857 at residence of David McClellan Accident
Eber B. Stevens March 5, 1873 at Pendleton Natural Causes
Edward Lawrence March 29, 1856 at Pendleton village Accident wagon
Edward Whitt March 1, 1846 near John Baurman's Accident horse
Eli David Junkins July 24, 1871 at or near the hosue of John Martin (colored) near Richard Robinson Mill Accident shotgun
Elias Smith August 24, 1869 in the county of Anderson Natural Causes
Elizabeth McHolister August 16, 1855 at the house of Elijah McHolister Natural Causes
Ephraim Mayfield April 1, 1847 at the plantation of Ephraim Mayfield Suicide knife
Fanny Payton colored woman, free from birth June 20, 1870 at residence of Harry Gallard[?] Natural Causes
female daughter of female daughter of November 28, 1841 at graveyard at Hammonds Old Field Homicide
Frances Pagett April 15, 1853 at William Pagett's Natural Causes
Franklin A. Ragsdale July 23, 1867 at the house of Franklin A. Ragsdale Unknown
Freedwoman Freedwoman October 23, 1867 at Anderson Court House Homicide
Gabriel Hill Colored April 28, 1868 on the plantation of John N. Wilson Suicide
George C. Mitchell September 19, 1874 at residence of Marion Mtchell Suicide
George Hammond June 24, 1871 at Provosts Mill Pond Accident
George Norris November 23, 1876 at Anderson Courthouse Natural Causes
Giles Guess colored February 2, 1882 at the hosue of John Smith Homicide pistol
Hardy McKinney freedman July 28, 1867 at an old field near F. Wyne's Natural Causes
Harry slave December 17, 1855 at Jesse Gray's residence Natural Causes
Harry slave July 7, 1855 at Pendleton village Natural Causes
Henry slave December 25, 1830 on public highway from Pendleton to Pickensville [modern-day Easley] Accident
Henry Cobb December 16, 1868 at Warnock's Crossing on the Anderson Branch of the Greenville & Columbia Rail Road Other

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