Iowa County WI Archives History - Books .....The History Of Iowa County, WI, 1881 1881
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Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com December 20, 2006, 12:31 pm

Book Title: The History Of Iowa County, WI, 1881

The following is from chapter 9 of The History of Iowa County, 1881:

	“The storm of May 23, 1878, will long be remembered by the inhabitants 
of Central Iowa, Southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, as the most 
destructive that ravaged their district from time immemorial…It first struck 
the ground on the farm of J.W. Rewey, two miles south of Mifflin Village, in 
the northwest corner of section 8, in the town of Mifflin. The storm pursued a 
northeasterly course through Iowa County, sweeping along the northern boundary 
of the city of Mineral Point, thence into Dane and Jefferson Counties…Leaving 
the Rewey farm, the storm struck the house of Edward Williams, inflicting 
damage to the extent of several hundred dollars. The residence of Mrs. Hannah 
Jones…next attracted a share of attention, the house being carried away in mid-
air. Among the various places visited were the following houses, which received 
damage of a more or less serious nature: The residences of John M. and Frank 
Owens, P. D. Thomas, J. Evans, Stephen Thomas, John Lewis, Mrs. Phillips, M. 
Hughes and David R. Davis, Mrs. Frank Owens was seriously injured, but 
recovered. Mrs. Phillips, whose injuries were anticipated to be fatal, likewise 
recovered.”

	“From the Welsh settlement, the storm swept across the country to Lost 
Grove, leaving a trail of devastated homesteads in its rear to define its 
progress. At Lost Grove, James Howe’s domicile was demolished. The family, 
consisting of husband, wife and children, occupied the house at the time and 
being unprepared, Mrs. Howe was transported over a distance of several rods and 
deposited on the ground with such violence that she succumbed to her injuries. 
At the first alarm, Joseph Howe caught his infant child in his arms, and both 
were dashed about furiously in different directions, but happily escaped 
unscathed, and the child was uplifted and gently born to an adjacent slough, 
where it was comfortably buried in the accommodating mire…It also crossed the 
farms of Mrs. McCormick, John L. Miller and James F. Brown, doing considerable 
damage on each place. A house occupied by Mr. Doney was swept away in company 
with a valuable line of fencing…Thomas Kealey’s new house, which had just 
assumed a look of substantial comfort, winged its flight in minute sections to 
another portion of the county. Mr. Kaley’s old house occupied by himself and 
family was damaged, the family singularly escaping by retreating to the cellar. 
Bearing around the bluff, the tornado was diverted from its direct course for 
seventy or eighty rods, and coming in contact with a new barn erected on Hugh 
Phillips’ farm, shattered it into minute fragments, and damaged other property 
in the vicinity…This appeared to have changed its course, for reversing, the 
storm careened down the valley in its former easterly direction.”

	“Castle Rock, a massive projection of sandstone corresponding somewhat 
to the ruins of an ancient castle, was the providential means of saving Mineral 
Point from being laid in ruins. Striking this natural barrier, further progress 
was temporarily arrested by the immovable obstruction. The scene at this point 
was grandly sublime beyond the power of expression. The inflated storm cloud 
swayed and surged around the rock…The wild conflict of the elements lasted for 
the space of several minutes, when the tornado was perceived to have again 
altered its course, and was then proceeding in a northeasterly direction. 
Departing on a tangent from its previous course, the storm overwhelmed James 
Spensley’s furnace…”

	J. Coleman’s house was bodily lifted into the air, injuring all the 
occupants. Mr. Coleman, wife and daughter, and John Allen were in the house. 
The first mentioned was dangerously injured, and his recovery was at first 
regarded as doubtful.”

	“The large frame house of John Spensley was uplifted and crushed in the 
remorseless maw of the aerial monster, the remains being distributed over a 
wide range of country. At the time, there were twelve persons in the house, 
including William Coates, a visitor from Dubuque. Seeing the portentous black 
clouds approaching…the family and their guests hastened into the cellar, 
running down a stairway leading from the dining room. All succeeded in gaining 
the basement, except Mrs. T.C. Roberts and Mrs. Maria Waller. The latter 
occupied a position on the stairs, urging the former lady to follow her down, 
but suddenly it occurred to Mrs. Roberts that one of her four children remained 
upstairs. The two ladies started together to recover the child. Simultaneously 
the storm struck the house, which oscillated and cracked violently while the 
stairs on which Mrs. Roberts stood swayed to and fro in an ominous manner. The 
ladies then retreated to the cellar stairs. The windows of the house were blown 
in, and the glass showered around the females like hail. The following instant, 
the house was torn into two sections and the whirlwind penetrating, seized Mrs. 
Waller, and bearing that hapless female through the air for 400 yards, dashed 
her lifeless body to the earth, in a terribly bruised condition. Her feet were 
denuded of shoes and stockings, which were carried away. The house was forcibly 
removed from its foundation, leaving the terrified women and children unharmed 
in the basement.”

	“A part of the house was on the ensuing day, found one mile away, and a 
rafter was discovered over a mile distant, driven five feet into the soil. A 
commodious barn and carriage house situated about three hundred feet northeast 
of the house, together with its contents proved a total loss. One horse alone 
escaped. One of the hubs of Mr. Waller’s buggy was cut out of the wheel with 
all of the apparent precision of work accomplished with the aid of mechanical 
ingenuity. The ruins of the barn were elevated into the air, where, seized with 
a cross current, they were born to the southwest.”

	“The farmhouse of John and Calvert Spensley, occupied by John Leonard, 
was also carried off, and Mrs. Leonard almost instantly killed. Her body was 
recovered in a ravine, about 100 yards from the house, in a terribly mangled 
condition. Another house, the property of Mr. Addington, was swept away, and 
the stone residence of John Francis, situated adjacent, was unroofed. One of 
the inmates of the latter house was slightly injured. Benjamin C. Bennett’s 
house suffered the same fate of its numerous predecessors, and was blotted from 
the surface of the earth. Mrs. Bennet was the sole occupant when the dreadful 
blast involved her in its folds. She was carried across an open area and dashed 
with violence against a woodpile, escaping with trifling wounds. William 
Jacka’s abode was shifted from its foundation several feet, the terrified 
dwellers escaping uninjured.”

“James Prince’s house suffered the loss of the roof. A barn belonging to John 
Lanyon was utterly demolished. The predatory mood of the winds directed the 
course of the storm through the German Catholic Cemetery, where havoc and 
desolation, marked by numerous decapitated monuments and broken tombstones 
illustrated the fury of the incursion. C. Gillmann’s brewery was laid in ruins. 
Twelve persons were in Mr. Gillmann’s house when warned by the roar of the 
approaching hurricane, they sought a timely refuge in the cellar. They all 
escaped death save Miss Alice Zimmer, of Eden, who sustained injuries which 
ultimately resulted in her death.”

“The brewery was completely prostrated. At the first touch, the roof was born 
away, and shattered to pieces in the air; the stone walls were overthrown, and 
two adjoining barns were leveled to the ground. Mr. Gillmann’s residence was 
obliterated, and his thriving orchard denuded of foliage and bark. A number of 
persons, including all of the employees who had taken refuge in the brewery 
miraculously escaped without a blemish. Among the refugees was the driver of 
the Arena stage, who, confiding in the stability of the brewery, had hurried 
thither with his vehicle in search of shelter. Overtaken by the storm, the 
driver jumped down from his elevated perch, and seizing the spokes of the rear 
wheel, tenaciously clung to them with a viselike grip. The stage was whirled 
around several times without relaxing the driver’s grasp, or perpetrating any 
material injury. The mailbag was preserved uninjured, but a package was picked 
up out of the coach and carried into Waldwick, a distance of twelve miles, 
where it was discovered the next day.”

“Frank Bowen’s homestead was lifted from the ground and carried backward for 
several rods, where, by the violence of the winds it was crushed, and fell to 
the earth a chaotic mass of splintered timber. By this visitation, Mrs. Bohan 
was deprived of life. Miss Annie Bohan, Frank Bohan and his son Peter were 
severely lacerated about the head and face. At John Jeuck’s summer garden, Mrs. 
Myers was fatally injured. John Beardsley’s house, situated on the brow of a 
hill east of the brewery, was also carried away. A neighboring schoolhouse was 
wrecked. Miss McIlhon was but slightly hurt. William Cocking’s house, barn and 
farm appurtenances were all destroyed, and the proprietor and his wife both 
badly wounded. Cocking was found in an apple tree, unconscious.”

“The appearance of the storm cloud, while moving along the earth’s surface, 
varied with the account of each individual. The most reliable testimony is the 
statement of William T. Henry, of Mineral Point, and Professor Chamberlain. On 
the day in question, both gentlemen had ascended a high bluff, and while there, 
were favored with an unobstructed view of the cloud as it appeared several 
miles distant. He described it as being much narrower at the base than near the 
summit, otherwise presenting a funnel-shaped appearance, composed of dark, 
heavy clouds, united by centrifugal action. S. Terrell, of Mineral Point, who 
observed the cloud approaching, depicts it as a column of black clouds reaching 
to the ground, and filled with trees, shrubs, timber, etc., which were hurled 
about in indescribable confusion.”

“…The following is a carefully compiled statement of the individual losses and 
casualties, several of which are recapitulated to complete the table of 
disasters: The house owned by Edward William’s in the Welsh settlement was 
first struck and completely destroyed…Three houses in a row, owned by Mrs. 
Phillips, Frank Owens and Mrs. Jones…were then struck and leveled, and a house 
across the road was unroofed…John Davis’ house was also blown down…Steven 
Thomas’ house and outhouses were blown down…The next was John Lewis’ outhouses 
and part of his dwelling…Hugh Hughes dwelling and outhouses were also wrecked…
David R. Davis’ house, cultivator, buggy, wagon and reaper, blown away…The next 
was David Thomas’ stone house, which was unroofed…Stephen Thomas’ house blown 
down…No one was killed, and only two seriously injured...Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. 
Owens, at this place.”

“Mrs. McCormick’s place, two miles west of here was next struck by the storm, 
which carried off part of the house and outbuildings…a bridge situated about a 
quarter of a mile from this place was carried one mile. John J. Ross suffered 
damage on his farm…Thomas Keely, adjoining, had his house stable and wagons 
demolished…Mrs. Howe’s place in Lost Grove was demolished, killing Mrs. Howe…
James Spensley’s furnace was destroyed. Hugh Phillips’ place was struck, 
demolishing a new barn and killing five head of cattle besides destroying two 
miles of fence…John Coleman’s house was next wrecked, seriously injuring 
Coleman and his daughter…John Spensley’s residence and barn, and a house 
occupied by George Leonard were razed, Mrs. Waller and Mrs. Leonard being 
killed…John Francis’ stone house was damaged…Benjamin Bennett’s house and barn 
were swept away…J. Lanyon’s barn was blown down, two men being in it at the 
time, one of them, John Oates, receiving injuries about the hips.”

“A. Jenkins house was unroofed…S. Webb’s house occupied by James Prince was 
blown over. William Jacka’s house, barn and woodshed partially carried away. 
Judge Cothren’s and John Hutcheson’s fences blown away [the Cothren/Hutcheson 
land was only a few acres southeast of Louis Poquette’s 40 acres, separated 
only by the Charles L. Stephenson tract, along the diagonal intersection]. 
Adam’s house was unroofed. C. Gillman’s house, stables and brewery damaged. 
About a quarter of a mile from this place, F. Bohan’s new house was carried 
away, killing his wife and fatally injuring his daughter. John Jeuck’s summer 
garden and Solomon Myers’ residence were blown away, killing Mrs. Myers. About 
half a mile east of this place, John Beardsley’s hop house, barn and orchard 
were razed to the ground. William Cocking’s place was next struck and damaged…”

“The schoolhouse was carried away completely. Out of fifteen scholars in the 
building when it was struck, Oliver and Eliza Beardsley, brother and sister 
were killed, and one boy badly injured by being deprived of his scalp. Mr. 
O’Dowd’s house and barn and outhouses were totally demolished. William Salmon 
had his house, orchard and farm destroyed. Stephen Terrill’s barn, blacksmith 
shop, a new buggy, threshing machine and outhouses were destroyed. At William 
Terrill’s, 500 cords of wood were scattered, but no damage inflicted to 
dwellings. John Kreamer’s house, at a distance of six miles, was blown over, 
killing William Ooley. William Targeson’s house and outhouses were leveled to 
the ground. Miss Libbie Campbell, daughter of Senator Campbell, received 
injuries from which she died on the following day. Mrs. Targeson and three 
daughters were terribly bruised…Mrs. Marcy had her house blown down. John 
Powers house was carried away, and outhouses blown down. David Power’s house, 
barn, reaper and granary were destroyed and himself and his wife seriously 
wounded. Crossing Blue Mound Branch, the tornado struck Peter Peterson’s farm, 
unroofing the house and otherwise injuring the building…”

“Ole Swanson’s residence was completely demolished and $100 in money blown 
away. Mr. Swanson was found with a rail driven through his body, and his head 
frightfully bruised. Mrs. Swanson was found dead about six rods from the house, 
with her baby uninjured, clasped in her arms. George Swanson had his leg 
broken. Kettle Paulson’s house was blown over…George Paulson, chairman of the 
town of Moscow, had his house blown away. Louis Hovred had part of his house 
unroofed, and barn and outhouses demolished. Holver Hailey’s housed was blown 
over…John Wild had his house unroofed, and barn and outhouses and two miles of 
fencing destroyed. Rev. A. Jacobson, Pastor of the Norwegian Church at Perry, 
had part of his house carried away, and outhouses destroyed. Haly Waring, a 
friend stopping at the house, was killed, and Mrs. Jacobson received slight 
injuries. The church adjoining was unroofed. Dr. McFarland’s house was 
destroyed, killing one man and injuring another.”

“The number of fatalities…were, in Iowa County, thirteen…To these are to be 
added the deaths from injuries and wounds suffered during the storm. The number 
is incalculable, as in many instances the sufferers survived in agony for 
months subsequent to the date of infliction.”

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