J. A. Keck Journal - Early Tornado or Cyclone

PAPERS OF J. A. KECK

Joseph A. Keck's Journal & Letters

To California for Gold
Letter Home June 4th 1851
Return Trip to Iowa
When Coal Oil Was First Used
Early Days in Van Buren Co.
The rise and fall of the Know Nothing Society
Sons of Liberty, vs. Knights of the Golden Circle
Early Tornado, or Cyclone

File K234, Historical Library, Des Moines, Ia.

About This Transcription

J. A. Keck

"Early Tornado, or Cyclone"

Stockport (R. F. D. No. 1), Iowa

During the Summer (probably June) of 1844 the Storm passed through the North Eastern portion of Van Buren County through Union, and Cedar Township from the N. West, to S. East, The principal damage was at the Hon Timothy Day farm in Union and the John Marshall farm in Cedar and Harrisburg Mr. T. Day had just erected a frame house on his premises, which the storm utterly demolished, Scattering the debris along the path of the Storm for many miles. there remained many years afterwards Shingles and pieces of boards on the Prairie, North of the house of this writer There were but few Settlers, along the path of the storm, At the Marshall farm it completely destroyed the house, and out buildings. The storm, was in the early part of the night , and Wm Marshal, then a boy was carried with the storm one half mile on the featherbed on which he was lying, and was found after the storm not injured, The Marshal farm was in the timber on little Cedar Creek

The timber along the creek was about one mile wide when the storm passed through, and destroyed the timber, large Hickory trees were twisted like a wyth(sic) and the destruction could be seen after many years where the storm passed through this strip of timber It Struck the Harrisburg prairie where it had not been settled, and did no damage of any amount At the Marshal home, there was a large rock that was imbeded at the well, which the storm removed quite a distance, the grass in the path of the storm was cut of f close to the ground, as if it had been mowed down the chickens, were picked of their feathers, But there was no one killed, not even hurt. If such a storm would pass through the path of this town at the present time it would reap a rich harvest, The writer was on the ground two years after the storm and writes this to preserve History.

Feb 18 1909 J. A. Keck
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