Inhabitants, Illness, and Interment

Deaths in Charleston on the Eve of War

About

This project is part of the final project for HIST 525: Introduction to Public History at the College of Charleston, taught by Dr. Rachel Donaldson in Fall 2020. The goal was to create a public-facing digital project using the tenets of conscientious public historical scholarship. Hopefully I have succeeded, but I welcome feedback and constructive criticism.

The main source of this project was the Return of Death records, the originals of which are held in the Charleston Archive of the Charleston County Public Library, and the digital scans of which are available at FamilySearch.org. They are far from perfect, as pointed out by James W. Hagy in his 1990 article "The Death Records of Charleston." By cross referencing Jewish individuals listed in this collection with synagogue records, gravemarker inscriptions, and other archival sources, he concludes that some of the entries provide inaccurate or conflicting information on things like date of death and age, and omits information for some on things like cause of death and occupation, but still provides a valuable set of data that should not be completely discounted.1 Like any historical evidence, these should be examined critically and supplemented with other sources in order to present the fullest and most accurate possible picture. I have done my best to do so with the sources listed here.

Several entries were unable to be mapped due to a lack of address, or an address whose currently location couldn't be found or mapped. Some are included in the burial ground listed for the individual, but all are included in analysis involving the entire dataset. These are given in the table below, because every name is important.2

If any scholars are interested in obtaining a copy of the spreadsheet I compiled containing the Return of Death records from 1860, please feel free to email me. It was very time consuming and I'd be happy to save someone else the effort.

Potential employers impressed by this project should visit my LinkedIn profile. All research, writing, web design and coding, and GIS work was 100% completed by me, Danielle Cox.

Special thanks to Dr. Rachel Donaldson for her guidance and advice on this project and for providing an interesting and insightful introduction to the field of project history, and to Amanda Holling at the Charleston Archive for giving me an abundance of information about these records' scope, provenance, and accessibility. Thanks also to my classmates in this class and others who patiently allowed me to bounce ideas off them, to various professors who answered random niche questions in the course of talking about other things, and to my friends, family members, and cats who were probably confused and upset hearing me talk about nineteenth century causes of death, but were supportive nevertheless.


Burial Place Name Enslaver Gender Race Condition Age Occupation Birthplace Disease Physician Date

Public Cemetery

Infant Slave

D. R. L. Baker

female

Black

slave

0

Minor

Charleston

Convulsions

Isabella Lafar

March 22, 1860

Public Cemetery

Jane

J. Dougherty Esq.

female

Black

slave

0

Minor

Charleston

Burn

Henry R. Frost

June 14, 1860

Methodist Protestant Church Colored Cemetery

Emma

Mr. McAndrew

female

Black

slave

0

Minor

Charleston

Trismus Nascentium

Henry R. Frost

March 26, 1860

Methodist Protestant Church Colored Cemetery

Infant

C. Kenison Esq.

female

Black

slave

0

Minor

Charleston

Trismus Nascentium

T. L. Ogier Jr.

November 2, 1860

Field of Rest

Martha


female

Black

slave

0

Minor

Charleston

Trismus Nascentium

T. R. Aldrich

July 16, 1860

African Cemetery

Negro

Mr. E. Edwards

female

Black

slave

0

Minor

Charleston

Lungs, Congestion of

W. H. Huger

September 22, 1860

Field of Rest

Richard

Miss. M. Whitney

male

Black

slave

0

Minor

Charleston

Teething

C. M. Rivers

July 25, 1860

African Cemetery

Charles

Miss S. L. Lucas

male

Black

slave

0

Minor

Charleston

Bronchitis

D. J. Cain

February 5, 1860

Field of Rest

Infant

Mr. Geo. Taft

male

Black

slave

0

Minor

Charleston

Trismus Nascentium

Henry R. Frost

February 10, 1860

African Cemetery

Theophilus Merril

Miss S. L. Lucas

male

Black

slave

0

Minor

Charleston

Apoplexy

M. Greenland

February 5, 1860

Trinity Church Colored Cemetery

A negro child

Mrs. Simons

male

Black

slave

0

Minor

Charleston

Convulsions

W. H. Huger

July 11, 1860

Field of Rest

Child

Mr. Broughton

male

Black

slave

1

Minor

Charleston

Abcess

F. Peyre Porcher

August 8, 1860

Ephrath Cemetery

Infant

Alex. Robertson Esq.

male

Black

slave

1

Minor


Dysentery

T. L. Ogier Jr.

November 1, 1860

Public Cemetery

Bob

Miss Hort

male

Black

slave

2

Minor

Charleston

Diarrhea, Chronic

J. P. Chazal

August 25, 1860

Trinity Church Colored Cemetery

Sarah Celeste

Mr. D. Lesesne

female

Black

slave

3

Minor

Charleston

Dropsy

Henry R. Frost

January 4, 1860

Public Cemetery

Sye

E. Capers

male

Black

slave

3

Minor

Charleston

Worm Fever

Middleton Michel

May 19, 1860

St. John’s Church Colored Cemetery

Mary

Mrs. E. Godfrey

female

Black

slave

4

Minor

Charleston

Whooping Cough

Henry R. Frost

June 19, 1860

Field of Rest

William

P. Buchrut Esq.

male

Black

slave

17

Laborer

Charleston

Bowels, Inflamation of

William T. Wragg

April 17, 1860


Jane

Mrs. Walkins

female

Black

slave

23

Servant

Charleston

Diarrhea, Chronic

D. J. Cain

April 19, 1860

First Baptist Church Colored Cemetery

Elizabeth

Mrs. LeBruce

female

Black

slave

25

House Servant

Charleston

Consumption

A. N. Bellinger

October 28, 1860

Public Cemetery

Tenato

Mr. J.H. Tate

female

Black

slave

25

Cook

Charleston

Fever, Typhoid

J.F. Poppenheim

June 16, 1860

Public Cemetery

Judith

Alex. Robertson Esq.

female

Black

slave

30

Washer

South Carolina

Lungs, Congestion of

Peter Porcher

February 27, 1860

African Cemetery

Margaret

Mrs. Clark

female

Black

slave

35

Washer

Charleston

Pneumonia, Chronic

R. J. Limehouse

July 25, 1860

Public Cemetery

George

Danl. Heyward Esq.

male

Black

slave

40

Boathand

Charleston

Pneumonia Typhoides

T. L. Ogier Jr.

February 22, 1860

Second Presbyterian Colored Cemetery

Alice

Mrs. Shackelford

female

Black

slave

49

Servant

Charleston

Cancer Uteri

John Bellinger

January 15, 1860

Field of Rest

Betsy

Mrs. C.M. Perry

female

Black

slave

58

Servant

Charleston

Hepatitis

Henry R. Frost

May 5, 1860

Field of Rest

Nancy

Mrs. M. E. Lord

female

Black

slave

60

Domestic

Charleston

Pericarditis

A. L. Hammond

March 17, 1860

First Baptist Church Colored Cemetery

William

Est. Miss S. Rutledge

male

Black

slave

78

Servant

Charleston

Old Age

Henry R. Frost

June 29, 1860

St. Patrick’s Church Cemetery

Mary Jane

Mr. Lelane

female

Black

slave

80

Domestic

Charleston

Pneumonia

W. M. Michels

March 17, 1860

Field of Rest

Brister

Mrs. W. W. Ancrum

male

Black

slave

80

Laborer

Charleston

Dropsy

John L. Dawson

February 21, 1860

Trinity Church Colored Cemetery

Daniel

Est. Jon Lucas

male

Black

slave

85

Laborer

Charleston

Old Age

Elias Horlbeck

February 10, 1860

African Cemetery

Pleasant

Mr. J. Cohen

female

Black

slave

88

Servant

Africa

Old Age

T. E. Hertz

November 16, 1860

First Baptist Church Colored Cemetery

Daniel

A. H. Abrahams Esq.

male

Black

slave

90

Laborer

Charleston

Old Age

E. M. Whiting, Cor.

February 12, 1860

Trinity Church Colored Cemetery

Dinah

James Dupree

female

Black

slave

95

Nurse

Charleston

Old Age

Horatio S. Waring

February 1, 1860

Public Cemetery

Infant

E. M. Beach Esq.

male

Black

slave



Charleston

Stillborn

T. L. Ogier Jr.

January 29, 1860

Trinity Church Colored Cemetery

A female infant

C.F. Hanckel Esq., Stillborn

female

Black

slave




Stillborn

William T. Wragg

June 23, 1860

MacPhelah Cemetery

Julia F. Will


female

Mulatto

Free Col.

0

Minor

Charleston

Cholera Infantum

G. W. Wescott

August 18, 1860

MacPhelah Cemetery

Mary Washington


female

Mulatto

Free Col.

0

Minor

Charleston

Trismus Nascentium

S. C. Webster

June 16, 1860

Brown Fellowship Cemetery

Infant of Eliza Deas


female

Mulatto

Free Col.

0

Minor

Charleston

Convulsions

T. R. Aldrich

April 8, 1860

Second Presbyterian Colored Cemetery

John


male

Mulatto

Free Col.

0

Minor

Charleston

Want of Vitality

Celia Dedrick

June 2, 1860

African Cemetery

Mr. Edward's Child


male

Mulatto

Free Col.

0

Minor

Charleston

Teething

H. C. Guerin

October 3, 1860

Methodist Protestant Church Colored Cemetery

Paul Drayton


male

Mulatto

Free Col.

0

Minor

Charleston

Lungs, Inflammation of

T. R. Aldrich

June 4, 1860

Methodist Protestant Church Colored Cemetery

Francis Wiss


male

Mulatto

Free Col.

0

Minor

Charleston

Enteritis

W. H. Ford

August 12, 1860

Trinity Church Colored Cemetery

Harriet Miles' Child


male

Mulatto

Free Col.

0

Minor

Charleston

Birth, Premature

W. H. Huger

November 18, 1860

Brotherly Association Cemetery

Julia Hare


female

Mulatto

Free Col.

4

Minor

Charleston

Whooping Cough

Middleton Michel

June 24, 1860

First Baptist Church Colored Cemetery

Mary Legare


female

Mulatto

Free Col.

32

Seamstress

Charleston

Pericarditis

Henry R. Frost

November 10, 1860

First Baptist Church Colored Cemetery

Jackson


male

Mulatto

Free Col.

58

Mechanic

Charleston

Rheumatism

J. C. Ludwig

December 27, 1860

MacPhelah Cemetery

C. Verie


female

Mulatto

Free Col.

59

Seamstress

South Carolina

Cerebral Congestion

Middleton Michel

March 30, 1860

First Baptist Church Colored Cemetery

William Jackson


male

Mulatto

Free Col.

62

Mechanic

Charleston

Fever, Typhoid

C. L. Meyer

April 24, 1860

Public Cemetery

White Infant


female

White


0

Foundling

Charleston

Diarrhea

H.E. Bissell

May 25, 1860

St. Lawrence Cemetery

Mary Torres


female

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Convulsions

C. L. Meyer

May 24, 1860

St. Lawrence Cemetery

Mary Vaughan


female

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Lungs, Congestion of

J. J. Chisolm

October 13, 1860

Bethania Cemetery

Elizabeth M. Busch


female

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Hemorrhage of Bowels

R. M. Brailsford

February 15, 1860

Bethania Cemetery

Ann Catherine Lubbs


female

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Gastro Enteritis

T. R. Aldrich

May 13, 1860

Public Cemetery

Amelia Smith


female

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Teething

T. R. Aldrich

May 25, 1860

St. Mary’s Church Cemetery

Mr. Millar's Son


male

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Hemorrhage

C. Davega

November 25, 1860

Bethania Cemetery

Mr. Froning's Child


male

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Lungs, Congestion of

C. Davega

September 21, 1860

Magnolia Cemetery

George N. Brickwell


male

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Pneumonia

G. W. Wescott

February 13, 1860

St. Lawrence Cemetery

Kennedy O'Brien


male

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Trismus Nascentium

Henry R. Frost

February 7, 1860

St. John’s Church Cemetery

Mr. Mason's Son


male

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Convulsions

J. J. Chisolm

November 23, 1860

St. Lawrence Cemetery

Malike Tighe


male

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Diarrhea

S. L. Lockwood

July 16, 1860

Jewish Cemetery - Hanover Street

Mendal S. Rubenstan


male

White


0

Minor

Charleston

Teething

T. E. Hertz

May 11, 1860


James B. S...


male

White


3

Minor

Charleston

Convulsions

G. W. Wescott

October 1, 1860

Unitarian Church Cemetery

Catherine Miller


female

White


8

Minor

Charleston

Sore throat, Membranous

Henry R. Frost

September 2, 1860

St. John’s Church Cemetery

Anne Millington


female

White


15

Minor

Charleston

Fever, Typhoid

Geo. E. Trescot

August 31, 1860

St. Lawrence Cemetery

P. Dolen


male

White


22

Laborer

Germany

Stomach, Inflammation of

C. J. Proctor

July 4, 1860

St. John’s Church Cemetery

Sarah Tucker


female

White


25

Mother

South Carolina

Fever, Typhoid

C. L. Meyer

April 20, 1860

Bethania Cemetery

Peter Weinheimer


male

White


28

Merchant

Germany

Coup de Soleil

Middleton Michel

July 5, 1860

Interred out of City

P.f. Chartrand


male

White


28

Merchant

South Carolina

Consumption

Middleton Michel

October 26, 1860

St. Lawrence Cemetery

F. Collmann


male

White


30


Germany

Consumption

J. C. Ludwig

October 29, 1860

St. Lawrence Cemetery

Ellen Maloney


female

White


35

Servant

Ireland

Brain, Congestion of

Geo. E. Trescot

May 10, 1860

Public Cemetery

An unknown person


male

White


35

Laborer


Unknown

E. M. Whiting, Cor.

April 4, 1860

Bethania Cemetery

Mrs. A. Lubbs


female

White


36

Wife & Mother

Germany

Debility

T. R. Aldrich

September 21, 1860

Bethania Cemetery

C. Federwith


male

White


37

Clerk

Germany

Gastritis

G. W. Wescott

July 12, 1860

St. John’s Church Cemetery

William Kayal


male

White


42

Mechanic

Charleston

Fever, Typhoid

Henry R. Frost

March 28, 1860

St. Lawrence Cemetery

Bridget Noonan


female

White


43

Wife

Ireland

Apoplexy

Henry R. Frost

June 20, 1860

St. Lawrence Cemetery

Julia Duvaul


female

White


45

Wife

Canada

Heart, Dropsy of

T. R. Aldrich

May 6, 1860

St. Lawrence Cemetery

James Donnelly


male

White


45

Laborer

Ireland

Phrenitis

C. J. Proctor

July 20, 1860

Magnolia Cemetery

Mrs. Joseph Smith


female

White


48

Mother

South Carolina

Fever, Typhoid

C. J. Proctor

July 5, 1860

St. Lawrence Cemetery

Thomas Quin


male

White


50

Laborer

Ireland

Complication of Disease

S. L. Lockwood

May 20, 1860

St. John’s Church Cemetery

Boehan


male

White


50

Gardener

Ireland

Pneumonia

S. L. Lockwood

July 9, 1860

Unitarian Church Cemetery

Barrow


female

White


55

Domestic

Charleston

Breast, Cancer of

J. J. Chisolm

December 23, 1860

St. John’s Church Cemetery

Joseph Laurence


male

White


60

Mechanic

Germany

Pneumonia, Typhus

R. M. Brailsford

October 11, 1860


Mrs. P.h. Chisolm


female

White


84

Domestic

Charleston

Bronchitis

J. J. Chisolm

December 6, 1860
Burial Place Name Enslaver Gender Race Condition Age Occupation Birthplace Disease Physician Date Residence Place

St. John’s Church Colored Cemetery

Rev: Mr. Lynch's woman

Rev. Mr. Lynch

female

Black

slave

50

Servant

Charleston

Dropsy

Augustus Fitch

January 9, 1860

Boate Alley

Trinity Church Colored Cemetery

Louisa Cochran


female

Mulatto

Free Col.

45

Seamstress

Charleston

Consumption

Augustus Fitch

April 2, 1860

Cohen's Court

St. Lawrence Cemetery

Huetson


female

White


45

Washer

Ireland

Consumption

S. L. Lockwood

October 15, 1860

Gadsden's Green

Public Cemetery

John Colinwood


male

White


17

Sailor

Charleston

Fever, Typhoid

Wm. Snowden

July 4, 1860

Lodebar School Ship

Lutheran Colored Cemetery

Dick

Est. L. V. Martin

male

Black

slave

40

Mason

Charleston

Tetanus

A. Peurofoy

February 5, 1860

Phenix St.

Public Cemetery

Prince

W. Lowrey Esq.

male

Black

slave

50

Laborer

South Carolina

Apoplexy

E. M. Whiting, Cor.

April 21, 1860

Whapoo

1 James W. Hagy, “The Death Records of Charleston,” The South Carolina Historical Magazine 91, no. 1 (1990): 32–44.
2 City of Charleston, SC Board of Health, South Carolina, Charleston City Death Records, 1821-1926, database, FamilySearch.org, film 007576007, 350-410. https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/3477663.

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