Coroners Inquisitions

Coroners Inquisitions are investigations into the deaths of individuals who died by a sudden, violent, unnatural, or suspicious manner, or who died without medical attendance. The coroner would summon a jury of twelve white men, usually prominent citizens of that locality, to assist him in determining cause of death.

Additional information may be found in Judgment records [Book 21].

UNKNOWN, boy, colored - at Little Pool on the Chesapeake 
& Ohio Canal
- 22 Jun 1869 - by Joseph HARRISON, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by drowning.  Dr. James B. DELAPLANE
  [Book 4, 90-92] (Filed 6 Jul 1869, Judgment Liber 21, 514)


UNKNOWN, man, colored - near Lock #39 on the Chesapeake 
& Ohio Canal
- 3 Jan 1869 - by John SNYDER, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning about the 17th of Nov 1868.  
  Dr. J. J. BECKENBAUGH. 
  [Book 4, 79-81] (Filed 13 Feb 1869, Judgment Liber 21, 510)


BARNTHOUSE, Christopher - at Israel REIFFE's barn 
- 21 Aug 1868 - by Joseph C. HERSHBERGER, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by suicide by hanging himself with a leather strap in 
  the stable.  
  [Book 4, 65-67] (Filed 15 Sep 1868, Judgment Liber 21, 505)


BRANNAN, Richard - near Henry FORSYTH's, District #15; 
3.5 miles west of Clearspring
- 5 Dec 1869 - by Tacitius N. HALLEY, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by exposure and freezing in a pond.  Dr. Fred C. DOYLE
  Witnesses:  Henry FORSYTH Sr, son Joseph, Jacob WHETSTONE Sr., 
  and Robert S. ROUCH 
  [Book 4, 88-89] (Filed 10 Dec 1869, Judgment Liber 21, 513)


Chisley, Henry - in Hagerstown
-12 Sep 1868 - by William BEIRSHING, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by intoxication.  Dr. TOBEY. 
  Witnesses:  H. ERNSTIRE, S. HESS 
  [Book 4, 77-78] (Filed 6 Nov 1868, Judgment Liber 21, 507)


COLEMAN, Samuel - at the Two Locks
- 28 Jul 1867 - by Tacitus N. HALLEY, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning.  Dr. Hugh M. JANEY
  Witnesses:  James GIBS, George WEAVER, Robert TELDEN
  [Book 4, 49-51] (Filed 9 Nov 1867, Judgment Liber 21, 501-502)


CRALEY, Samuel - at the farm of Samuel CRALEY near Funkstown
- 9 Jul 1866 - by M. ISEMINGER, J.P., acting coroner
- Death by suicide by hanging himself.
  Witnesses:  Jacob ALTER and Louisa CRALEY
  [Book 4, 9-11] (Filed 20 Nov 1866, Judgment Liber 21, 482)


DICK, John Jr - in Hancock
- 7 Nov 1865 - by Jacob CRAIG, coroner
- Death from apoplexy caused by drinking liquor to excess. 
  Witness:  Worford MANN, Miss LOWMAN; Dr. E. BROCK
  [Book 4, 29-33] (Filed 18 May 1866, Judgment Liber 21, 486)


EASTERDAY, Daniel 
- 29 Sep 1866 - by Samuel MEREDITH, J.P., acting coroner
- Death by injuries resulting from falling from a tree.
  Witnesses:  Samuel BOYERS; Dr. Albert DUNLAP
  [Book 4, 12-13; #483] (Filed 30 Oct 1866, Judgment Liber 21, 483)


FINDLEY, Michael - at Miller's Bend on the Chesapeake 
and Ohio Canal near John W. MILLER's
- 18 Nov 1867 - by Owen McCLAIN, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning.  Dr. E. T. WEISEL
  (man claimed to be unknown but believed to be the named person)
  [Book 4, 58-60] (Filed 28 Feb 1868, Judgment Liber 21, 504)


GALL, Charles - at the house of Martha J. SPRINGER 
in Hagerstown
- 20 Oct 1866 - by John COOK, J.P., acting coroner
- Death by gunshot wound in a riot discharged by an unknown person.
  Witnesses:  Samuel BOWSER; Drs. D. F. DORSEY and D. J. B. McKEE.
  [Book 4, 14-15] (Filed 30 Oct 1866, Judgment Liber 21, 483)


HENRY, Barney, colored - in Hagerstown
- 18 Feb 1867 - by William M. TICE, J. P., acting coroner
- Death from premature explosion of rock while blasting. 
  Witness:  Henry LOUDERSLAGER; Dr. M. J. McKENON
  [Book 4, 27-28] (Filed 18 Feb 1867, Judgment Liber 21, 486)


HUDSON, Robert - at the house of Mrs. SINGER in Williamsport
- 31 Mar 1866 - J. R. HOSE, coroner
- Death by a club thrown on 22 Mar 1866 by Samuel ARTZ, a boy 
  about age 11, striking HUDSON in the head causing injury to 
  his brain which produced death in eight days.
  Witnesses:  Samuel WOLTZ, Frederick GROSH, Alex WOLF, Thomas 
  CROSS, William SHINEBECK and Isaac THOMPSON.
  [Book 4, 3-6] (Filed 1 May 1866, Judgment Liber 21, 475)


JOHNSON, Isaac, colored - at Williamsport
- 19 Jul 1868 - by O. McCLAIN, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning.  Dr. E. T. WEISEL.
  Witnesses:  Van WOLTZ, Frederick GROSH, Constable J. BOWSER
  [Book 4, 70-72] (Filed 31 Oct 1868, Judgment Liber 21, 506)


JONES, Eller - at the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, Lock #82 
near Hancock
- 23 Aug 1865 - by Jacob CRAIG, coroner
- Death by accidental drowning after falling into the water.
  Witnesses: William COLBERT, Isah CROCKET, William COLBERT Jr.; 
  Dr. Edward BROCK.
  [Book 4, 18-21] (Filed 18 May 1866, Judgment Liber 21, 484)


LANDIS, Shelby - at Antietam Creek
- 26 Jul 1868 - by William M. TICE, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning.  Dr. McGILL.
  Witnesses:  Thomas GROVE, John GRIERR
  [Book 4, 73-74] (Filed 2 Nov 1868, Judgment Liber 21, 506)


MCOUL, J. A. - at Sandy Hook
- 11 Jun 1867 - by John SNYDER, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning.  
  [Book 4, 47-48] (Filed 18 Jun 1867, Judgment Liber 21, 500)


McCOY, Rath, colored - at the Canal near Lock #40
- 20 Nov 1865 - by Samuel BOYER, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning after falling into the canal. 
  [Book 4, 25-26] (Filed 28 Nov 1865, Judgment Liber 21, 485)


McCUSCO, Hugh - at Antietam Creek
- 22 Dec 1867 - by William M. TICE, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning in a spell of mental derangement.
  Witnesses:  Harrison BEELER, William HARNENEISLA; Dr. W. B. SCOTT
  [Book 4, 56-57] (Filed 17 Feb 1868, Judgment Liber 21, 503-504)


MINNIUS, Margaret - in Hagerstown
- 7 Feb 1866 - by William M. TICE, J.P., acting coroner
- Death by natural causes.
  Witnesses:  Mrs. Sarah MUNSON, Mrs. John CROSS
  [Book 4, 1-2] (Filed 14 Jun 1866, Judgment Liber 21, 475)


NULL, William - in District #2, Williamsport
- 22 Oct 1867 - by William M. TICE, J. P., acting coroner
- Death from a wound in his left side by knife at hands of 
  Henry E. SHARPLESS on 16 Oct 1867.  Dr. E. T. WEISEL
  Witness:  Archibald PARKER
  [Book 4, 39-40] (Filed 7 Nov 1867, Judgment Liber 21, 500)


POWEL, Banner - at Millstone Point
- 5 Jun 1868 - by Daniel H. MYERS, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning.  
  [Book 4, 68-69] (Filed 24 Sep 1868, Judgment Liber 21, 505-506)


PRATHER, Lydia - at William PRATHER's house in Clearspring
- 2 Mar 1869 - by Tacitius N. HALLEY, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by a shot from a pistol by her own hand while in a 
  temporary state of unsound mind.  Dr. Amos ADAMS. 
  Witnesses:  Anna ANDERSON, William GARDNER, Daniel McCOY, 
  William PRATHER, Martha KREPS, Elizabeth GILLIS, Francis _____.
  [Book 4, 82-83] (Filed 9 Mar 1869, Judgment Liber 21, 511)


RAIRDAY, John - at John W. STONEBRAKER's paper mill on the Antietam
- 7 Jul 1867 - by William BLIESHING, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning.  Dr. M. J. McKINNON
  [Book 4, 44-46] (Filed 24 Oct 1867, Judgment Liber 21, 500-501)


ROWLAND, Andrew 
- Oct 1868 - by William BEIRSHING, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by a blow inflicted upon the right side of his head 
  and face by some instrument at the hands of some unknown party.  
  Dr. John B. McKEE.  
  [Book 4, 75-76] (Filed 29 Dec 1868, Judgment Liber 21, 509)


RUSSEL, James, age about 50; stated he worked for SMITH, 
a contractor on the Railroad and he had no friends or family.
- in Boonsboro
- 22 May 1867 - by Jacob BLECHER, J. P., acting coroner
- Death from intemperance and exposure.  Dr. H. B. WILSON.
  Witnesses:  Charles SEUFFIN, Harlon SMITH, Lewis ROSENSTOCK
  [Book 4, 36-38] (Filed 29 May 1867, Judgment Liber 21, 499)


SMITH, Elizabeth, widow - in District 8
- 29 Mar 1867 - by Samuel MEREDITH, J. P., acting coroner
- Death from heart disease and general weakness. 
  Dr. Albert DUNLAP.
  [Book 4, 34-35] (Filed 9 Apr 1867, Judgment Liber 21, 490)


SNOWDEN, William, coloured boy - in Funkstown
- 18 Jan 1866 - by M. ISEMINGER, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning while skating on the Antietam Creek 
  when the ice broke and he fell in and drowned.  Dr. William BOOTH.
  Witnesses:  Geoge COOK and William C. COOK.
  [Book 4, 22-24] (Filed 20 Jan 1866, Judgment Liber 21, 485)


SOUTH, John - in Funkstown
- 8 Nov 1867 - by Morgan H. CLARK, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by pistol shots fired by hands of Simon P. MIDDLEKAUFF.
  [Book 4, 52-55] (Filed 11 Nov 1867, Judgment Liber 21, 502)


STRALEY, Martha Jane - near Harrison BRIDENDALLS's, District #15
- 16 Aug 1869 - by Tacitius N. HALLEY, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by exposure and starvation.  Dr. F. C. DOYLE
  [Book 4, 93-94] (Filed 20 Aug 1869, Judgment Liber 21, 514)


TAYLOR, Samuel - near Mercerville
- 26 Mar 1868 - by Samuel BOYER, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by hanging at his own hands.  Dr. E. T. WEISEL
  [Book 4, 61-62] (Filed 27 Mar 1868, Judgment Liber 21, 504)


TURNER, Nettie - near KINSELL's Ferry, District #15
- 1 May 1869 - by Tacitius N. HALLEY, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by drowning in the canal by accidentally falling off 
  a boat.  Dr. F. C. DOYLE. 
  Witness: Leander BARGER.
  [Book 4, 84-85] (Filed 3 May 1869, Judgment Liber 21, 512)


WASHINGTON, John, colored boy - at Maids Lock on the Canal
- 21 May 1868 - by Joseph HARRISON, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning in the canal off the boat Henry Keney.  
  Dr. James B. DELAPLANE
  [Book 4, 63-64] (Filed 8 Aug 1868, Judgment Liber 21, 504-505)


WASHINGTON, William, colored - at John W. MILLER's, District 2
- 13 Apr 1867 - by Tacitus N. NALLEY, J. P., acting coroner
- Death from a premature discharge of a blast while blasting 
  a rock.  Dr. H. M. JANEY
  Witnesses:  John W. MILLER, Jeremiah (?)RAGES (1st letter uncertain)
  [Book 4, 41-43] (Filed 30 May 1867, Judgment Liber 21, 499-500)


WILLIAMS, Infant of Nancy WILLIAMS, colored - in Hagerstown
- 2 May 1869 - by William M. TICE, J. P., acting coroner
- Death by violence at the hands of its mother.  
  Drs. William RAGAN, McKENNON and MASON
  Witnesses:  Jonathan SPEALMAN, Delia CLARK
  [Book 4, 86-87] (Filed 3 May 1869, Judgment Liber 21, 512)


WISE, John - in Hagerstown
- 17 Jul 1865 - by William M. TICE, J.P., acting coroner
- Death by apoplexy.
  Witness:  F. C. GRIFITH; Dr. James B. McKEE
  [Book 4, 7-8] (Filed 14 Jun 1866, Judgment Liber 21, 475)


WISE, Thomas - at the canal near Mercersville
- 28 Aug 1866 - by David PENNEL, J.P., acting coroner
- Death by accidental drowning in the canal.
  [Book 4, 16-17; #484] (Filed 30 Oct 1866, Judgment Liber 21, 484)

 

The End of Book 4 of Washington Co, Maryland Inquisitions - 1866-1869