Leavenworth, IN Destructive Tornado, May 1852

DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO -- GREAT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY -- LOSS OF LIFE.

The flourishing towd[sic] of Leavenworth, Ind., was visited with a most terrific tornado on Friday night, 30th ult. which proved very destructive. The storm broke upon the place between 5 and 6 o'clock. The storm which came in the shape of a whirlwind, struck the lower end of the town and continued its desolating course along the bank of the river, prostrating and unroofing twelve or fourteen houses, tearing down barns, fences, and fences and whatever stood in its path. Some four or five houses were leveled to the earth and eight or ten unroofed or moved from their foundations. A child of MR. JAMES GIBBS, whose family had just sat down to supper, was crushed to death by the fallen house; a son of MR. GIBBS, a young man of seventeen or eighteen years of age, was severely injured while endeavoring to hold the door of the house, being struck in the breast and hurt internally; MR. C. MILLER was also, severely injured internally, being struck by some portion of a falling building, and up to the time our informant left, he was considered in a critical condition; his child was also severely injured, its skull being fractured. A number of others were also injured. MR. W. SCOTT, who employs a number of men on the opposite side of the river, is also missing, and fears are entertained that himself and his workmen had started across the river, and were overtaken by the storm. At the town of Fredonia, Ind., four miles below Leavenworth, four hourse were blown down by the storm.

The New York Times New York 1852-05-08
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!