Bucks County, PA - Hulmeville, Middletown, Attleboro, Wentmore - Tornado, May 1860

TERRIBLE TORNADO IN BUCKS COUNTY.

A correspondent, writing from Hulmeville, states that on Monday last that neighborhood was visited by one of the most destructive storms that have occurred there for years past. The wind commenced blowing about five o'clock in the afternoon, and was accompanied by thunder, lightning, heavy rain, and hail. A terrific gale proceeded from the northwest, carrying everything before it. Dwelling houses, barns, stables, barracks, and shops, were razed to the ground, bridges were blown away, fences scattered over fields, and whole orchards of trees torn up by their roots.

The heaviest part of the storm prevailed in Middletown township, Attleboro, and Wentmore. The new buildings of the Bucks County Agricultural Society were considerably damaged, and had the storm, which was fortunately of brief duration, continued a few moments longer, they would have been totally ruined. The following are the principal sufferers:

JOS. EASTBURN, a large frame barn, wagon-house, and other farm buildings; WILLIAM MILNER, blacksmith shop; Turnpike Company's barn; L. BUCKMAN, hay-house, barn greatly damaged, and a valuable apple orchard entirely destroyed; SAML. BUCKMAN, buildings injured and orchard destroyed; CAPT. JOS. EYE, lost many valuable trees; J. HESTON, barn, total loss; P. F. WISLAN, residing near Newportville, had three valuable colts killed by lightning during the storm; REV. G. W. RIDGLEY, frame dwelling house entirely destroyed – the inmates had just time to escape being buried in the ruins; about thirty of the fruit trees in the lawn of the estate of JAMES WORTH, deceased, near Newtown, were blown down, doing great damage to those left standing.

It is impossible to estimate the amount of property destroyed at this period. The section through which the storm raged presents a most horrible spectacle, and the hurricane of the seventh of May will long be remembered as one of the most destructive that have ever visited that vicinity.

Philadelphia Press Pennsylvania 1860-05-10
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!