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
infant November 27, 1870 at William Stuart's residence Natural Causes
Harry slave July 7, 1855 at Pendleton village 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
Charity Norris May 29, 1869 at B. F. McGee's residence Homicide
Sally Williams July 19, 1880 n.a. Natural Causes
Anthony slave July 2, 1853 at Samuel J. Hannond's plantation Accident
P. W. Morris April 27, 1872 at Anderson Court House Suicide
John Dean December 29, 1848 on the publick [sic] road leading from William McMurry's, Esq to J. L. Kenedy's Accident
Abram Clement October 6, 1868 at Martin Williamston's residence Accident
Caleb Chappell January 22, 1835 at or near house of John Ledbetter Other
Samuel Negro Man Accident
Frances Pagett April 15, 1853 at William Pagett's Natural Causes
Mary M. Williams March 20, 1860 at William William's residence Suicide
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
Henry slave December 25, 1830 on public highway from Pendleton to Pickensville [modern-day Easley] Accident
Elizabeth McHolister August 16, 1855 at the house of Elijah McHolister Natural Causes
Mary Thompson June 12, 1878 Accident
John Brownlee June 7, 1863 at Williamston Natural Causes
George C. Mitchell September 19, 1874 at residence of Marion Mtchell Suicide
Bonaparte Bates March 26, 1856 at the Fuller old field Accident
Truman Miles October 22, 1839 at Anderson Courthouse Accident
George Hammond June 24, 1871 at Provosts Mill Pond Accident
Olin Smith Natural Causes
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
infant March 10, 1865 at Anderson Court House Homicide
James Robinson May 20, 1883 n.a. Natural Causes
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
Henry Davis October 30, 1857 at Anderson Courthouse Accident
infant January 13, 1868 at Anderson Court House Natural Causes
Samuel McCulley December 29, 1839 in Broadway Creek Accident
John Seawright October 22, 1881 on the public road leading from Craytonville to Anderson Court House Natural Causes
Peter Knox July 23, 1878 near Calrandellers[?] Ferry on Tugalo River Accident
Sloan freedman November 19, 1866 At Williamston Accident
Alfred runaway slave June 16, 1862 At Williamston Homicide
Major Crawford July 21, 1880 at Anderson Court House Accident
Hewlet Swangum July 21, 1883 at Pelzer, SC Accident
Eber B. Stevens March 5, 1873 at Pendleton Natural Causes
Henry Cobb December 16, 1868 at Warnock's Crossing on the Anderson Branch of the Greenville & Columbia Rail Road Other
James Wilson March 27, 1846 at the house of Alexander Moorehead Natural Causes
David McClellan November 27, 1857 at residence of David McClellan Accident
Morriss unknown free man of color January 7, 1858 at Grief Tater's residence Natural Causes
James Drake December 7, 1854 at residence of James Drake Natural Causes
Daniel Brown October 8, 1881 at the plantation of Willis Watkins Natural Causes
Meredith Crawford July 3, 1861 At the residence of Meredith Crawford Unknown
John Saylor August 6, 1870 at or near the Ridge road near E. R. Cobb's residence Natural Causes
Sophia Hall March 19, 1859 at or near Samuel Martin's residence Natural Causes

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