Cyclone of Cleburne County, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/cleburne/newspaper/lowercane.txt ================================================================================ USGENWEB NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed and copyrighted by: Linda Ayres ================================================================================ August 2002 Cyclone of Cleburne County Alabama [Note this information is taken from a local newspaper dated Mar 18,1899] ''Cyclone sweeps thought this county and kills and injures more than twenty people'' '' Clouds unite and demolish buildings, uproot trees for twelve miles in this county, ten people buried in one grave'' '' A Cyclone swept over this section of Cleburne County last Saturday afternoon from 5:40 to 6 o'clock. It began about two miles west of Heflin and spent its force near Muscadine, in this county. The cyclone was formed from a union of two clouds, which came together with a terrible crash as reported by those who heard it. ''Like a collision of two trains'' the clouds assumed a funnel shape, and presented the appearance of a monster whirlwind. Terrible havoc was wrought in its path, fragments of clothing and buildings pieces of buildings and uprooted trees mark the course of the cyclone. It did move in a straight line, but changed several times. Its general course was from west to east. More than twenty buildings were blown down, ten persons was killed and many seriously injured The Dead Lewis Coffee aged 55 former Tax Assessor of this County Mrs. Nancy Coffee, his wife aged 45 Miss Luella Coffee, daughter aged 22 James Coffee, son aged 20 Lula Coffee, daughter aged 18 Jack Coffee, son aged 13 Dollie Coffee, daughter aged 10 Daveroe Coffee, son aged 8 Grover, Coffee, son aged 6 John Coffee, son aged 4 Seriously Injured Bessie Coffee leg broken and badly bruised Mrs. Runnells, Severely bruised, injured internally J.H. Cason bruised Mrs. J.H. Cason bruised Myrline Stansel [Colored] bruised Slightly Injured Tommy Runnells Wood Stansell [Colored] Mrs. Andrew Stelpan Lizzie Runnells Georgia Stansell Gainsville Stansell Tosh Stansell [Colored] Coleman Stansell [Colored] The Cyclone passed one mile north of Heflin missing the home of Wm. Mc. Tollerson about 200 yards. Fences on his farm were blown down. It crossed the Edwardsville road about two miles east of here, moved south and crossed the railroad, changed northeast recrossing the railroad and moved about one-half mile and struck the Lewis Coffee home. The Coffee home, situated on an eminence about four miles east of Heflin, was strong structure made from logs with shed rooms front and rear. The building was picked up by the cyclone and dashed to pieces, logs and planks were scattered for a great distance. In the house eleven members of the Lewis Coffee family were whirled into the air and ten of them carried 200 yards and dashed violently to the ground. All the bodies were horribly bruised and lacerated. As soon as the news reached Heflin a party went up to assist a number of persons from Edwardsville in the search for the victims of the awful disaster. The members of the family were found near the place the house was struck, nine of them were dead and one Bessie, seriously and perhaps fatally injured. The dead bodies were sent to Edwardsville and prepared for burial. The remains of Johnnie aged 4 were not found until about 11 o'clock Sunday morning. The chimney had fallen on the child and crushed him to death, it was carried to Edwardsville and together with the nine others members of the family was buried in the afternoon at Cane Creek Church, five miles east of Heflin, all ten were buried in the same grave. Mr. and Mrs. Coffee were the parents of thirteen children two are married, the other ten lived at home, of these children all were at home at the time of the Cyclone except Morgan aged 13 who was at a neighbor's house. Lewis Coffee was one of the best known men in the county, he was born and reared here, had served as Justice of the Peace for many years, was Tax Assessor of this county for eight years, and in 1892 was the democratic candidate for Tax Collector, but was defeated, He served in the Confederate Army in Company? 22nd Alabama, and lost a leg in the service. Not more than a quarter of a mile from the Coffee house was a house occupied by J.W. Wilder, which was next demolished by the Cyclone, fortunately, Mr. Wilder and family were not at home at the time, the house was completely wrecked, furniture and bedding were scattered for miles. The barn and stables of J.C. Norton were carried away and trees were blown down in the yard, windows in his dwelling broken but none of his family was hurt. The next place struck was the home of Andrew Stelpan, a German who lived with his wife and child in a one-story log building. Stelpan was not at home when the Cyclone struck it, Mrs. Stelpan and baby were buried beneath the logs but miraculously escaped death, but both were severely cut and bruised. A house belonging to Mrs. Warren was partly unroofed but no one was hurt. The house of J.H. Cason was next struck and like the others Was demolished, the contents being carried many yards away. Cason was at home with his wife and his aged mother-in-law and two adopted children, all were injured, none seriously accept Mrs. Runnells who condition is critical, she is 75years old. The home of Ben Sanstel colored was next struck. He was not at home but his wife and five children were, and all were badly cut and bruised, four small buildings near Stansel's were razed to the ground, no more damage was done until it reached a point about one mile above Edwardsville were two outhouses were blown away. Its reported papers belonging to Mr. Coffee were picked up more than twenty miles from his home; the path of the Cyclone varied from 100 to 250 yards wide and the scene is indescribable. Those who saw the Cyclone says it was funnel shaped looked like heavy smoke illuminated by electricity, preceding and just after the Cyclone rain and hail fell and the wind blew hard, while it was passing very little air was stirring.''