Samuel W. Brock, Sr. was born about 1796. I believe his father to be a James Valentine Brock that passed away at age 98 in another Chesterfield County house fire in 1847.
Samuel married Martha [LNU] about 1825. To this union were born 9 children; 7 sons and 2 daughters.
When the fire occurred in 1884, Samuel was an aged man of 88 years and was partially blind.
Several close neighbors went to his aid the Saturday morning that the house fire occurred but the flames were too intense to rescue Mr. Brock.
"... a lawful Jury of Inquest, who being charged and sworn to inquire, for the state of South Carolina, where, and by what means the said Samuel Brock Sr. came to his death, upon their oaths, do say:
That the Said Samuel Brock Sr. came to his death by being burned to death in his own house Supposed accidentally on the 22 day March A. D. 1884.
AND so the said Jurors aforesaid, upon oaths aforesaid, do say, that the aforesaid Samuel Brock, Sr. came to his death in manner and form aforesaid.
Eli Brock Sworn Statement
Deceased is my father I don't think deceased could have moved bed cloth to back end of house without crawling.
I think deceased clothes caught fire and that was the way the house caught fire. He set the house on fire several times. Deceased had no money. I don't think that there was any foul play.
Eli Brock
Samuel W. Brock died 22 March 1884, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
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[1] [1] SC Coroner's Inquest., SC Dept. of Archives and History, Colombia, SC.
In the days of dry wooden houses with light and heat being generated by fire in lamps or candles, it is no wonder that so many people did die of house fires. What an awful way to die. Samuel W. Brock is my children's forth great grandfather. I appreciate your helping descendants learn more about their ancestors.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julie.
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