Wayne County, IN Tornado, Jul 1824

THE GREAT STORM OF 1824.

The great cyclone of July 18, 1824, is thus described by Mr. Jno. A. Locke, in his articles on Early Days, contributed to the Hagerstown Exponent. It would be well for early history if these sketches could be put in book form. They are worth of it. He says in substance:
“The rain fell in a perfect flood and the bottoms were soon covered and the waters became a raging torrent. Timber was blown down and the roads blocked for miles. A meeting was held at the house of MR. MACY’S by REV. CHAS. OSBORN, it being Sunday, and while Mr. Osborn was preaching the storm came up. The meeting was broken up, for nothing could be heard during the fury of the storm and the roar of the raging waters. The water rose so rapidly that some who attended the meeting living on the other side of the West Branch could not get home until the next day, and one man was said to have been three days working his way through the fallen debris. The roofs of several log cabins were blown off, but, strange to say, no one was reported killed. The country, however, was thinly settled, and the log cabins, strong and durable and protected by the heavy forests, were not easily destroyed. The roof might go, but the cabin stood firm. It was the heaviest storm ever known in that section of the country, and Perry Township was one of its greatest sufferers.”

History of Wayne County, Indiana 1884, page 691
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Transcribed by Jill. Thank you, Jill!