New Baden, IL Tornado, May 1896

Clinton County.

Carlyle, May 28 -- Wednesday evening about 6 o'clock the village of New Baden, in the southwest part of Clinton county, came near being wiped out of existence. Ten persons were killed and sixteen seriously injured.

It is a town of 800 inhabitants, on the Louisville, Evansville & St. Louis railroad, 40 miles west of St. Louis. It is a German settlement, beautifully [illegible] on a hill.

Edwardsville Intelligencer, Edwardsville, IL 29 May 1896

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Nine Killed in New Baden, Ills.

ST LOUIS, May 29, -- Specials from the various storm swept towns in Illinois and Missouri furnish the following list of dead:

At New Baden, Ills: Peter Krause, Mrs. Krause, Pierce Meyer, Minnie Rust, Adam Peters, Ida Born, Nellie Born, John Ferguson, an unknown peddler, residence St. Louis ...

The Evening News, Lincoln, NE 29 May 1896

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Mascoutah, Ill., June 9. -- Two more have been added to the list of the dead from the tornado at New Baden. The last two victims were Miss Bassler and Miss Hazelet Ethington, both of whom were badly crushed by falling timbers. This makes the number killed sixteen and twenty-five wounded.

The Perry Bulletin, Perry, IA 11 Jun 1896

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Wednesday, May 27, 1896 stands out in the memory of the elder citizens of New Baden and there are few of the younger generation who have not heard stories of the terrible cyclone which struck the village that day. There were about sixty houses with a population of 200 in New Baden at this time and after the fury of the storm had passed, thirty-one buildings were completely demolished, many were slightly wrecked, and the dead and suffering lay without shelter until help could come. The loss exceeded $50,000. Neighboring towns lent a strong and willing hand and the injured were taken to the old school house, St. George’s School, and Nagele’s Hall.

Those killed or who died from injuries were:

Peter Kraus
Mrs. Peter Kraus
Emma Kraus
Hazel Ethington
Edna Ferguson
Pius Meyer
Charles Lee
John Bassler
Hattie Bassler
Jacob Fehmel
Mrs. Bachmann
William Rust
Mrs. William Rust
Willie Rust
Adam Peter
Ida Born

An emergency fund was set up for the cyclone victims and contributions were received from many Illinois communities and one California community. Mr. Louis Butzow was serving as president of the village at this time and a board was appointed to apportion the relief funds which amounted to $6,836.97.

New Baden centennial, 1855-1955 : June 24, 25, and 26, 1955, New Baden, Illinois. Mascoutah, Ill., pages 9 and 10
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