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 51 - 100 of 153
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
James Coleman September 16, 1873 at or near Mrs. Fantt's residence and one and 1/2 miles south east of Anderson Natural Causes
male infant slave male infant slave July 10, 1851 at Jacob Pickle's Unknown
George Norris November 23, 1876 at Anderson Courthouse Natural Causes
Robert Brownlee July 26, 1883 at Seneca River Accident
Clarissa Campbell freedwoman March 29, 1867 at the residence of Sarah Campbell Natural Causes
Israel slave November 3, 1845 on the plantation of David Gentry Natural Causes
Charity Norris May 29, 1869 at B. F. McGee's residence Homicide
Lena Hutchinson October 20, 1873 Accident
Anthony slave July 2, 1853 at Samuel J. Hannond's plantation Accident
Charity Bozeman June 11, 1880 at the house of Aby McAlister Natural Causes
Harry slave July 7, 1855 at Pendleton village Natural Causes
Mary Magdalene Saxton December 6, 1876 at the house of Enoch Saxton Unknown
Mary M. Williams March 20, 1860 at William William's residence Suicide
John Maddox June 15, 1881 at Williamston Accident
John Dean December 29, 1848 on the publick [sic] road leading from William McMurry's, Esq to J. L. Kenedy's Accident
James Jenkins May 30, 1875 at Robert Spence's [?] Mill Accident
Caleb Chappell January 22, 1835 at or near house of John Ledbetter Other
Samuel Negro Man Accident
John Williams February 9, 1879 at the house of Newton Perry [?] on the plantation of Thomas Cox Natural Causes
Elias Smith August 24, 1869 in the county of Anderson Natural Causes
John Brownlee June 7, 1863 at Williamston Natural Causes
Peter Williford May 2, 1876 at Daniel Williford's Natural Causes
Beller McAlester March 11, 1876 at house of deceased Natural Causes
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
William McCode January 20, 1870 at Luke McCoy's [?] Accident
infant January 23, 1873 at residence of M. A. Snipes Natural Causes
Bonaparte Bates March 26, 1856 at the Fuller old field Accident
infant March 30, 1874 at Silas Kay's Unknown
Truman Miles October 22, 1839 at Anderson Courthouse Accident
Olin Smith Natural Causes
infant November 27, 1870 at William Stuart's residence Natural Causes
Henry Davis October 30, 1857 at Anderson Courthouse Accident
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
James Robinson May 20, 1883 n.a. Natural Causes
Sally Williams July 19, 1880 n.a. Natural Causes
Abram Clement October 6, 1868 at Martin Williamston's residence Accident
Peter Knox July 23, 1878 near Calrandellers[?] Ferry on Tugalo River Accident
Alfred runaway slave June 16, 1862 At Williamston Homicide
Frances Pagett April 15, 1853 at William Pagett's Natural Causes
Samuel McCulley December 29, 1839 in Broadway Creek Accident
P. W. Morris April 27, 1872 at Anderson Court House Suicide
John H. Megill September 22, 1867 at J. D. Tucker's Unknown
James Wilson March 27, 1846 at the house of Alexander Moorehead Natural Causes
Morriss unknown free man of color January 7, 1858 at Grief Tater's residence Natural Causes
Hewlet Swangum July 21, 1883 at Pelzer, SC Accident
Mary Thompson June 12, 1878 Accident
Nancy Drake August 21, 1872 at Mrs. Elizabeth's Anne Keaton's Suicide
George C. Mitchell September 19, 1874 at residence of Marion Mtchell Suicide

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