March 11, 1884 Greene County Tornado 

From The Eutaw Whig and Observer, March 20, 1884, pg. 3:

Damage by the Tornado in this County.

From gentlemen who live in sections of the county through which the cyclone of Tuesday night last passed, we get the following particulars:

             We first hear of its entrance in the county, near Mr. Jake Lockhart’s, in West Greene, coming from the southwest and going in a north-easterly direction, sweeping timber, fences, houses and everything in its track, which was from two hundred yards to one-quarter of a mile in width. At Mr. Lockhart’s all the cabins and outhouses were demolished.

             We hear of it next at the home of Mr. C.A. Hutton, where similar damage was done.

             At Mr. John McGowan’s all of the cabins and out-houses were scattered.

             Its fury is next visited upon the premises of Mr. Lawrence Williams, where all the cabins, stables, and other out-houses were demolished or unroofed and the dwelling, we think, partly unroofed.

             Next Mr. Wm. King’s place, near Pleasant Ridge, the house on which was occupied by Moses Scarbrough, col’d, was blown down, but, strange to say, none of the occupants injured.

             On the John King place all of the buildings except the dwelling were prostrated.

             The premises of Mrs. Gilmore were next in the path of the destroyer and everything here was leveled to the ground. Mrs. Gilmore, her son James and Mrs. Mourning Eatman were in the dwelling when it fell, but fortunately all escaped without serious injury.

             In its mad fury it swept on striking Churching Richardson’s place, blowing down all of the buildings except the dwelling house.

             It entered Mantua Beat blowing down the gin-house of Mr. R.J. Jones, and also partly unroofing his dwelling, smoke-house and stable, and destroying his orchard, garden, etc.

             The premises of Mr. N.J. Eatman were also struck, his gin-house blown down and out-houses unroofed.

             This is as far as we have heard from it but presume its destructive work was continued as it passed out of the county.

From The Tuskaloosa Gazette, March 20, 1884, pg. 3:

A severe cyclone passed through Taylorville, four miles south of Tuskaloosa on Tuesday night of last week. Mrs. Tarrant’s residence was almost completely wrecked; a great deal of fencing was blown away; the top was taken off of Rev. Mr. Payne’s stable, but his stock escaped unhurt. The colored church called Jerusalem was blown down, and also the school house nearby. Mack Scott’s stable and crib was blown down. The track of the cyclone was about a quarter of a mile in width. We learn that there was great destruction out about L.D. Browne’s place, and around Prude’s store.

             In Greene county, near Pleasant Ridge, the storm struck Lawrence Williams’ place and blew down all the out-houses. Passing on north Mrs. King’s, Simp. King’s, Richardson’s, Gilmore’s, and Newt. Eatman’s places suffered heavily, blowing down out-houses, fences, timber, etc. No lives or stock lost.