Charleston, IL Tornado, May 1917 - Damages, Some of the Dead

EDDY LOSES PROPERTY.

Dr. W. J. Eddy of this city suffered material loss in the tornado at Charleston, where a dwelling house owned by him was destroyed. The building was of eight rooms, and worth $2,000. Dr. Eddy carried no tornado insurance.

J. L. Seaman, formerly of Shelbyville sustained some loss through damage to the roof of his drug store, which stands on the north side of the public square. With damaged roof, the interior of the building was soaked by the rain, but the loss was negligible.

Mrs. W. M. Tucker, a daughter of Cal Sherburn of this city, was in the path of the storm at Charleston. The top of her home was blown off but none of the family was injured. Mrs. Tucker however, is in a critical state from tuberculosis, and she was brought by her father to his home here Monday evening.

The Daily Review, Decatur, IL 30 May 1917

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Charleston, Ill--- Mrs. Johanna McMason, 75, took her three grand children with her to visit Mrs. George Briggs. The two women were found with their arms clasped about the children in the wreckage of the house. Both were dead but the children were uninjured.

J. R. Sweeney and his wife fled from their farm house to a hollow. The tornado picked up the house and dropped it into the hollow, crushing them to death.

Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, In 29 May 1917

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CHARLESTON, ILL.--George Kilgore, engineer, and Jesse Huddleston, firemen stuck to their posts in the electric power house, determined the city should be kept lighted. The tornado reduced the house to pulverized brick, killing both.

Mrs. Huddleston died later from the shock of her husband’s death.

Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, IN 29 May 1917