March 20,1875- 11AM-A Tornado spawns after crossing the Chatahoochee River in Harris County! It passed trough eight counties in Georgia and three counties in South Carolina before ending the death and destruction!

What peaks your curiosity? I am one of those people that when something get my attention, I quest knowledge and search for answers and information. This happened to me again last week, as I sought information on another project in history I’m researching with Mrs. Sandra Doolittle on her family. We had gone to Waverly Hall to visit the old Mt. Zion Church Cemetery (now Waverly Hall City Cemetery) in Harris County, Ga. As it has happened before, what I saw and read in the cemetery got my attention. There in front of me was seven marble blocks in a row. Three on one side and three on the other of center, that one is marked "Kennon family died in the storm of 1875".--- Here I go! What storm? When in 1875? Who was this family and were there others? How Big was the storm?-- I HAD TO KNOW!!

As soon as, Sandra dropped me off a home that afternoon, I fired off the old computer and began my four day search for information, from every source I could think of! I would pick up a little information hear and there, but nothing very useful. Then I went back to my old favorite Google and typed in "Harris County, Ga." 1875 storm. The screen came alive as old wire messages and letters to the newspaper were posted; from through out Georgia, on a storm that began in Harris County at 11AM- March 20,1875. It swept across middle Georgia and into South Carolina by 2 PM, cutting a path ½ mile wide, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Modern weathermen, reading these eye witness accounts have stated the storm had to be a large F5 class tornado moving 75 to 85 miles an hour across Georgia with winds of over 150 miles an hour. Some in Talbot County claim two funnels from one cloud hitting near Talbotton. Remember there was no early warning system, no TV or radio reports. Unless you were outside or heard the storm approach you had no warning at all! This 1875 tornado is still the biggest of Georgia’s storms ever recorded.

I will be posting for you a county by county report as they were reported to the papers in Georgia by eye witness’ of the storm over the next three days. News traveled slow in 1875.

The following reports were telegraph or mailed to the Atlanta Constitution newspaper.

Harris County March 20,1875 - 11Am.---" The tornado seems to have commenced on the east side of the Chatahoochee River and on the east side of the Pine Mountain Ridge, this side of Hamilton." "Captain Hillard Pitts, of Hamilton, had two daughters killed, another daughter had both ankles and a thigh broken, and two more daughters more seriously, if not fatally injured. Mrs. Pitts is reported to have gone deranged in consequence of her heavy affliction." "The storm extended fifteen miles, and a half a mile wide, leaving not a house or tree standing in its track. Mount Airy Church, near Ellerslie, and many houses in that neighborhood were blown down. The house of Captain John Cannon (Kennon), near that place, was blown down, killing Mrs. Cannon (Kennon), three of her grown daughters and two of her sons. Captain Cannon (Kennon) and two of his little sons escaped, as they were at the house at the time. Knowing that his family was in danger, he was struggling to get to them, when he met the bodies of two of his little daughters being carried along by the cyclone."

"The store of Mr. Sparks, in Harris County, was demolished and his goods blown away. His calicoes, oanaburgs, and other goods are now fluttering from the limbs of trees outside the track of the storm!" The storm is now tracking toward Raugheville, Talbot County. "A gentleman, who was in the storm about Waverly Hall, reports that about 11 o’clock Saturday morning, the most terrific storm ha had ever witnesses, passed in the neighborhood of Waverly Hall and Ellerslie, blowing from the southwest, doing great damage to property and killing several people, blowing down houses, trees, fences and everything before it. The storm extended to within twelve miles of Columbus." The storm brought little rain and the cloud appeared to be on fire (red in color) as it sucked rocks, dirt, orchards, and crops off the plowed fields as it roared through Harris County."

Talbot County, Ga.---March 20,1875 as reported by the Atlanta Journal & Constitution on March 24,1875.

There seems to have been two cyclones; one in the northwest part of the county and the other in the middle part. As the storm neared Talbotton, it became more furious. Mr. W. J. Raine’s dining room was blown down and a little daughter was badly hurt. Mr. Elisha Culpepper was killed and his wife and daughter badly hurt; a young man by the name of Crawford was killed; Mr. A. B. O’Neil’s houses were all blown away. Mr. J. B.Gorman’s mill gin are all gone; Mr. J.H. Walton had his houses all un-roofed, but none of his family were hurt. Mr. J. A. Clements had his house blown down; all the family in it were covered with timber, but no one was hurt. Mr. H. Trussel’s houses were all blown down and their furniture and clothing were all blown away.

Mrs. Culpepper found her husband crushed under a sill. With superhuman strength she lifted the immense piece of lumber off his body, only to find him crushed to death! It was said no two men in the county could have lifted the piece of timber under ordinary circumstances.

At Baugh’s shop, the academy, the church, and the residences of Messrs. Baugh, Calhoun, Wilson, and Jones were all blown down and away. Mr. Clements, when he saw the storm coming, gathered his family together in a corner of one room of his house and began to pray. The house was lifted off and utterly ruined, but no one of his family was hurt.

Near a little place called Red Bone, Mr. Robert Bryant’s house was blown down and his arm was broken, his wife was seriously injured, and his little niece who boarded with him had her legs broken.

The cyclone passed about a mile and a half off Tabotton, but the cloud was plainly seen, and its roar distinctly heard. Mr. Mound who was twelve miles off heard the roar with great distinction. Mr. J. B. Gormans mill and gin were ruined. His dam was damaged by wind and the millstones were blown twenty feet away from their position.

No reports of death, injury, or major damage were reported from Upson County

Monroe County, Ga.-March 20,1875 about noon--- Near the Towaliga River, the hail stones that fell were large and fell with such force as to wound men and animals caught outside of shelter. The premises of Mr. Early Cleveland lay in the track of the tornado and his place was left in ruins. He had a large number of out buildings, barns and stables; he had six horses and two mules in the lot. These buildings were so completely wrecked and the timbers were blown about freely, but strange to say not one of the horses or mules were injured! No personal injury was sustained by any of the family; but several narrow escapes were made! Near High Falls the storm was very severe. Mr. Wm. Childs, son of Mr. White Childs, of Jones County, had been with his wife some distance from their home in a buggy and were returning when the storm and rain came. The party took shelter under the gin house of Mr. John Ham, where they had not remained long, when they saw the house falling. Mrs. Childs tried to escape, but running in the direction the wind was blowing, she was caught by the falling house and covered with the debris. Mr. Childs, together with the horse which he was holding, was also buried in the ruins. Fortunately, for him, the timbers fell across his feet and he was able to call for assistance. A Negro came to his relief, and succeeded in getting him out with no injury except bruises across his ankles. He told the Negro that his wife was under the ruins and doubtless dead! The Negro pulled off the roof and flooring in several places before finding her. She had been caught by falling timbers, one large piece across her feet and another across her body. She was unconscious, but recovered consciousness when carried home and was able to tell some of the particulars of the accident. She lies in a critical condition. The horse was killed and the buggy smashed into fragments.

On the Russelville Road, a short distance from Forsyth, several houses in which Negroes were living were partially or wholly destroyed. The roof was taken from a house, leaving a Negro woman exposed to the rain. The storm continues to raise havoc as it weaves across Georgia, moving West to East very quickly and deadly, destroying all in its path.

Jones County, Ga.—March 20,1875 – Just afternoon in the upper part of the county, near the Putman County line, the residence of Mr. William Gore was destroyed. Mr. Gore was badly injured and his widowed sister was killed. Other area damage unknown.

Baldwin County, Ga.—March 20,1875—The tornado swept across Milledgeville from west to east prostrating everything before it. In its pathway, houses were literally demolished and many persons killed or wounded. The broad apex of the funnel-formed demon of the cloud floated rapidly along, probably at a rate of more than a hundred miles an hour, The base which touched the earth lifted and destroyed everything in its path. Seven are wounded on the McComb estate plantation, every house is in ruins. Two are killed on Mr. Jas. Martin’s place, and every house in ruins. Two are killed on the road between town and the lunatic asylum, others are so badly wounded that they will probably die. On the place of Mr. Richard Brown, the destruction was terrible, three were killed –two Negro women and a child. Every house on Mr. Browns place was destroyed and every person was injured. Many plantations are completely ruined; timber and forests have been leveled wherever the storm passed. A great deal of poultry was killed and scattered, people are gathering them up to have food to eat.

The killed and dying are known to be ten in number. The wounded will probably reach forty-five in Baldwin county alone. The course of the cyclone seems to have varied as its power grows. At first, it seems to have come from the north of west, crossing the Macon and Augusta railroad near Haddocks station. It then traveled east nearly to town, when it made a bow and passed around the city. It then continued on its eastward course until it got about ten miles beyond the river when it seems to have taken a northeasterly direction and re-crossed the Macon and Augusta railroad between Cary’s and Deeeevreaux’s station. As the tornado moves to leave Baldwin County it strikes Mr. Robert Harper’s place, killing four more Negroes and wounding several more. No building left standing!

Part II –Next Week as there are four counties in Ga. left to

face the "Tornado of March 20,1875." Headlines will read—

"Frightful Destruction of Human Life and Property"

"Desolated Track of the Tempest Strewn with Household Goods & Dead Stock"

"Entire Families Hurled Into Eternity with a Crash"

"Large Horses Swept Away or Dashed in Pieces"

"The Power Of Prayer"

Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 24 of March 1875—Eight Counties in Georgia and Three in South Carolina need relief from the effects of the tornado! The list of the killed and wounded is appalling.

Reported by Telegraph and Mail to the Connstitution.

Now read Part II

Chiefnw1@peoplepc.com

Thanks Ron Rollins