Book Review: Coffin Point

 

• Title: Coffin Point: The Strange Cases of Ed McTeer Witchdoctor Sherriff  
• Author: Baynard  Woods
• Hardcover: 232 pages
• Publisher: River City Publishing; First edition (October 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579660886
• ISBN-13: 978-1579660888

Ed McTeer was arguably one of the most colorful and influential men to ever hold the office of High Sheriff of Beaufort County, South Carolina. Appointed by the governor in 1926 to finish out his late father’s term, McTeer became the youngest sheriff in the country at the age of 22 earning himself the nickname of “Boy Sheriff”. With the brief exception of commanding the United States Coast Guard Beach Patrol during World War 2, McTeer remained the sheriff of Beaufort County until he was voted out in 1962 after 36 years of service.

During his long career in law-enforcement, McTeer faced off with bootleggers, rum-runners, murderers, assorted criminals, and even a nudist-colony! In addition, he became an influential figure in both local and state politics, was credited with keeping the Klan out of Beaufort County and creating a place where black people were treated fairly.

However it was his dealings with local root doctors, most notably Dr. Buzzard, which made Ed McTeer more than the average lawman. McTeer understood the power of belief and took it upon himself to learn the power of “the root,” becoming a white-witchdoctor in the process. After the death of Dr. Buzzard, South Carolina’s most infamous root doctor, McTeer claimed that he was the “"last remaining tie to the true African Witchcraft."

As an almost legendary figure, there are a number of stories concerning McTeer, his exploits and adventures. As evidenced by his own writings, McTeer himself often contradicted his own stories giving different accounts of the same events. In Coffin Point, Woods has combined these accounts along with first-person interviews from people who personally knew McTeer to paint us a cohesive portrait of the man and the legend.

With brief, episodic chapters, Coffin Point is a quick read spanning McTeer’s life, career, death and legacy. Woods treats his subject(s) with the respect it deserves but pulls no punches with regard to the region, its history, its characters, and many contradictions. Those interested in the beliefs and practices of Lowcountry-Witchcraft will be disappointed to find very little practical information on the subject with regard to spells and recipes. However, the discerning reader will learn the importance of power and belief. In addition, history-lovers may question why the author chose not to include any photographs of McTeer, his collection of scrapbooks, or the natural beauty of the Lowcountry that McTeer called home.

Anyone who has lived or grown up in an area known for its influential figures and rich history knows the importance of ensuring that such knowledge and history is not forgotten or otherwise lost to us. In Coffin Point, Baynard Woods has done the state of South Carolina a great service by reminding us of the life and times of one of the most colorful and influential men to come out of the Palmetto State.

- Carolina Dean