Year: 1865




ward through the brush-the poor
FLIES nickering after us as we disap-
peared from them in the brush.
About, or just before dark, we
emerged from the mass of brush
and timber at the creek crossing
near my fathers house, and were
soon afterwards across the creek and
up the bill to the house. On Tues
day, the third day afterwards, the
fillies came home. They never in
formed me how they got through,
and to this day l am ignorant of
how they did it. | could then see
no way for them to do it; and it is
haUl even AoN 20 eimagine how Il
was done.


When We got to the house, we
found the family all in it safe and
sound, and somewhat over the fright
and alarm they had been thrown in
to by the hurricane: and they were
much rejoiced to find that we were
safe and had got home. The eastern
half of the roof of the house was
blown off entirely. weight poles and
all, and the bigger portion Of the
west half of the roof also. Some of
the clapboards were blown two hun
dred yards from the house. 1t
being hewed log house, no portion
of the body of the house was blown
down. We slept that night as best
we could.


Early the next morning the whole
nelghborhood was astir, first right
ing up houses and fences to shelter
ourselves and save our crops. This
kept all busy during that day. The
wheat in the shocks, many cf which
were blown all to pieces, was next
attended to and gathered in. On
Wednesday or Thursday, / forget
which day it was, we went to work
to open the county road through the
fallen timber, up which my brother
and ] had worked our way on Sunday
evening; for, till that was opened.
the intercourse between the north
and south parts of the settlement
was completely barred.


To show the strength and terrible
ness of the tornado, | state fact
that we observed and talked about
at the time we were opening the
road About q half mile south of
my fathers house, which point was
little north of the middle of the
tornado, q sound, thrifty, growing
beech tree. of from twenty inches to
two feet in diameter, was twisted
like a hickory withe, from two TO
eight feet above ground, and was
LAYING down all whole except that
twist. From the appearance of the
twist and the way the tree lay, it
seemed that the wind had struck it
and bent 1t over for falling, and that
while it was falling the wind had
carried the top little more than
once entirely around by the time 1t
struck the ground, and the timber
was so tough and green and strong.
that the tree did not break off, but
simply twisted down as hickory
withe will twist. | noticed it partic-
ularly, for l helped to cut it out OF
the road. 1t had stood just on the
west side of the road, and its top
Law a little north Of east from where
it had stood.


/ will state another fact, to show
she force OF the tornado. At MIR.
John Hodges house, which stood
about three hundred yards south OF
my fathers house, and both Of which
were il the northern skirt of the
whirlwind, a twelve or fifteen gallon


iron sugar kettle was sitting or
leaned up against the south east cor
ner of his house, which was q low,
one story cabin. The wind moved
the kettle some three or four feet


from where it was sitting, and 1t was
found after the storm, mouth down


wards, which kept it from having


been carried further; for its round


bottom having been turned upwards
the wind could not hoist it again.
Mr.. Hodges cabin was entirely un-
rooted, and | believe some Of the
ribs or logs blown out of place, but
, am not certain Of this. This shows
| that the wind was stronger at Mr
Hodges than it was ut my father
: house. 1t was some three hundred
f wards nearer the center OF the whirl
2 wind than my father house was, ant
| hence the wind was stronger there
: than at my fathers.


How far west or how high up in tn
!, atmosphere, the whirlwind was form
j, ed and commenced travelling east
e ward, do not know. But from Tia
: tracks it lett after it was over,
I seemed to have got down to the tim
t her. or "struck the timber" abou
# the line between Randolph and Henr.
# counties. Its course was nearly cas-
It and its center seemed to have move
in nearly straight line, but about th
II middle of its course it diyerged
e little 10 the south. Its center passe
Is from mile to a mile and half sout
D, Of the township line between towI
h ships Is and 10, and its length frol
c, west TO east. was about six mile
d II seemed TO have come down TO I'll
I timber about the county line, and
n continue to descend and get near'
le the earth. and. of course, widenln
re in its devastations, for about tN
n, miles aud hnlf, then for mile an
Is half of its course it ground nj