Schley-Sumter County GaArchives News.....Cyclone 1893 Nicholson Baldwin Taylor Tooke Crawford March 29 1893 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Harris Hill http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002514 June 10, 2004, 9:20 pm The Atlanta Constitution DETAILS OF THE CYCLONE Which Skirted Sumter County and Narrowly Missed Americus. Americus, Ga., March 28--(Special)--Full details of the cyclone which swept the western edge of Sumter and Schley counties Friday evening show that Americus had a very narrow escape. Mr. John C. Nicholson, with several other gentlemen, were passing the Tooke plantation when they saw the cyclone approaching. They ran for shelter and took refuge in the house of John Crawford, a colored tenant on the place. In the party, besides Mr. Nicholson, were Major E.S. Baldwin, C.A. Taylor, William, Tom and Coley Tooke. The party stood in an open hallway anxiously watching the angry cloud that was rolling and tumbling towards them. All well understood its terrible import, and together with the colored inmates stood in the open doorway in order to jump for their lives in the event the house was overturned. In another negro house, several hundred yards distant, the frightened family, nine in mumber, were loudly praying as they watched the fiery monster coming upon them. With terrific fury the storm burst, tearing the cabin in which were the frightened negroes into a thousand pieces. Not a board or brick was left, and the roof was carried bodily a distance of nearly two hundred yards. Several of the negroes were hurt by the falling timbers. When the party of white men saw the cabin wrecked they attempted to leap from the house in which they had taken shelter, but in a second the building had been swept from under their feet, throwing them into a heap on their backs. As quickly as possible they arose and grasped the small trees about them, which they managed to hold on to until the cyclone had passed. For twenty minutes rain fell in torrents during which time the frightened men held on to the smaller oak trees for dear life. Mr. Nicholson says the scene is one he will never forget, and is quite positive that had any of the party let go his hold upon the trees he would instantly have been swept away. Additional Comments: C.A. Taylor and E.S. Baldwin where both Schley County residents at least for a time. Charles A. Taylor was s/o James N. and Eliza C. Taylor and brother of then Schley Co. Ordinary Philip E. Taylor. He would have been about 58 years of age at this time. Don't know a whole lot about E.S. Baldwin but his family was Talbot and Schley county. I'd like to know more about the others mentioned if anyone recognizes them. This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 3.0 Kb