November 22, 1874 Shelby County F3 Tornado

From The Montgomery Advertiser, November 25, 1874, pg. 2:

The Sufferers at Montevallo.

Help The Homeless.

             The storm on Sunday last was very destructive at Montevallo. Many families are left without shelter or means to provide it. A committee is here to solicit aid and we most cordially commend them to our citizens. Mr. Wilson, Representative in the House from Shelby, joins his own recommendation to those of the meeting held in Montevallo. Whatever is done should be done quickly:

             Montevallo, Nov. 23, 1874.

To the Citizens of Montgomery:

             Friends – At a meeting of the citizens of this place held this evening to take the necessary steps to solicit aid in behalf of the sufferers by the tornado here last night the bearers hereof, viz: Walter B. Cary and Rudolph Ehrman, were selected to visit your city and set before you the claims of our suffering people upon your humanity and kindness.

             In behalf of our destitute and helpless people this appeal is made to your generosity and benevolence.

             Very respectfully your obedient servant,                 G.A.B. Smith,

                                                                                                                                             Secretary.

From The Montgomery Advertiser, November 26, 1874, pg. 1:

The Cyclone at Montevallo.

From the Selma Times.

Our special telegram from Montevallo concerning the cyclone that visited that place on Monday morning, gave no exaggerated picture of the terrible effects of the monster; in fact it was not by any means as vivid as the reality justified. The main facts are corroborated by Messrs. H.C. Reynolds and R.E. O’Brien, two very intelligent gentlemen from Montevallo, with whom we had an interview last night.

             They inform us that fifteen minutes before the cyclone burst upon the ill-fated town, it was a bright, beautiful moonlight night, with not the least indication of the approaching horror that overwhelmed the poor people and marked its visit with death and desolation. The approach of the tornado gave out a sound like that of an immense train of cars running at lightning speed. Pitchy darkness supervened upon bright moonlight in less time than it takes to write it, and the work of destruction was rapid and almost instantaneous. Those who were not injured were stupefied by the awfulness of the scene, and no pen can portray the horrors of the night.

             The cyclone did its work in the twinkling of an eye, and the crash of falling buildings, trees, fences and all movable objects, with the howling, shrieking monster, created a pandemonium that was appalling. Finishing its terrible work the cyclone went howling to the northeast, leaving devastation and destruction in its pathway.   

             In the midst of the destruction by the cyclone the grand cloud burst, and a perfect deluge rained upon the town for twenty minutes. No other term than cloud burst can fitly describe the rain. It came down in torrents and sluices and its like had never been seen. Ditches, gutters overflowed and the streets were flooded. The creek that separates the town from the railway depot, on Sunday night before the storm came was so low, that one could easily step across the stream, and in a half hour from the commencement of the rain, it was swimming for fully seventy-five yards.

             Many people have been left homeless and entirely destitute, having houses, furniture, provisions, clothing – in fact everything swept away and they appeal to the citizens of Selma for help.

             On Monday night the citizens of Montevallo held a meeting and appointed Messrs. H.C. Reynolds, and R.E. O’Brien a committee to visit Selma and call upon our people for assistance. They are here having arrived by yesterday’s train and will call upon our people to-day. Remember people of Selma that many at Montevallo have not only been rendered homeless but are without money, clothing or provisions, and do as you would be done by. Help these poor, distressed, suffering people. They are our neighbors and friends, and Selma is the market where they purchase many of their supplies. The trade of Montevallo with Selma is by no means small, and let us show to them in the hour of their terrible afflictions that we feel for them and make substantial manifestations of it. Messrs. Reynolds and O’Brien are making their headquarters at Harral & Woodruff’s. Subscriptions can be handed in there, and lists are also at Hardle & Robinson’s and at the Post Office. Fellow citizens of Selma, let these gentlemen return to Montevallo with substantial manifestations of our sympathy. They will be thankful for any contribution, no matter how small.

From Our Mountain Home, Talladega, Alabama, November 25, 1874, pg. 3:

The Storm, Sunday Night.

From telegrams, it appears that the storm which prevailed here on Sunday night last, was very disastrous elsewhere in the State, many lives being lost, and a great deal of property destroyed.

             Although it was severe here, yet did no material damage, and did not at all compare with its violence as exhibited at other places.

             At Montevallo, W. H. Young, Esq., and Miss Mamie Morrow were killed – a great many others being wounded, a number seriously. The Methodist, Episcopal, and colored Baptist churches, masonic hall, storehouses, fifteen private residences, numbers of barns, stables, etc., were destroyed.

             At Shelby Springs, part of Norris’ hotel was blown down, and a number of residences and summer cottages destroyed. Some persons were hurt but not seriously.

             In Clay county the storm passed up Horn’s Valley, tearing down the homes of Messrs. Green and Horn, unroofing many others, and laying waste everything in its terrible march. Up Horn’s Valley it swept on to Miller’s and then to Thos. Watts’ houses and mills. It blew down the residence of Mrs. Martha Cole, seriously injuring two of her daughters.

             The general course of the hurricane was from southwest to northeast.

             But at Tuscumbia it seems the storm was most violent. The place has a population of about 2,000, we think.

From The Shelby Guide, Columbiana, Alabama, November 26, 1874, pg. 3:

  The Cyclone At Montevallo.

Dear Guide: The Sabbath of the 22nd November had been marked by high winds from the southwest, with occasional light and flying clouds. The heavens were manifestly not at rest. The evening was unusually warm. At church our citizens in attendance, seemed to be oppressed with the heat – books and hats were freely used as fans. The same oppression of the atmosphere continued with increasing sings of an approaching tempest, till 9 or 10 o’clock p.m., when the far off, quick and vivid lightning hove in sight. There was no report of thunder or but little heard. At length between 12 and 1 o’clock the roar of the coming tornado was heard. An observer reports that upon hearing it, he looked and saw its dreadful front, as a vast volume of apparent smoke, boiling up from a heated furnace. In a few minutes from his first look out, as an unchained messenger from the laboratory of Omnipotence, the tornado made its attack of desolation upon our quiet village. In perhaps less than five minutes from the time of the onslaught the work of ruin was accomplished.

             It struck our town a little south of the business portion, and swept utter ruin and desolation before it. The negro church near the ford of the creek, recently erected, the Masonic hall, two spans of the bridge, the roof of French Nabors’ office was taken off. Maj. Wells’ tan-yard building was unroofed; Col. Lynch’s residence and sleeping office were left in ruins. Mrs. Gardner’s residence wrecked from top to sill. Mrs. Reynolds’ house (the property of Maj. Strong) with large amount of valuable furniture, house and furniture of Mrs. Adams, residence and outhouses of J.W. Harris, and several houses belonging to colored people on the west side of the creek were swept into utter ruins.

             On the east side and a few rods further up the creek, the fury of the hurricane seemed, if possible, to increase. As if determined to do its work of violence with the greatest certainty, it descended to the basin of the creek, prostrating the low shrubbery upon its banks, and utterly destroying the valuable and extensive tannery, grist mill and wool earder, and numerous outbuildings connected therewith, belonging to Col. E.G. Walker. It thence took in its march the residence of T.L. Morrow, that of Mrs. Powell, with outbuildings, some of which were occupied by freedmen. Here it seemed to widen its path to the left and right crushing into mournful desolation the new Episcopal church, nearly finished, Methodist church, Mr. Rowley’s large barn and also his new storehouse.

             The following is a list of the killed and wounded.

Killed.

             Mr. W.H. Young and Miss Mamie Morrow, both in the same residence. Mr. Young was about sixty years old and the young lady about ten years old.

Wounded.

             Joseph W. Harris, severely in face and head. A son of Alex Nelson, severely if not fatally, in the head. Mrs. Reynolds, severely in ankle and side. Miss N. Reynolds, severely in shoulder, face and arm. Mrs. Harriet Young, very seriously. Professors Wilkinson and Graham, slightly. Willie Reynolds, slightly, also a number of others whose names are not now remembered. – Britt Storrs (col.) was severely injured in the head. Hardy Johnson (colored) was fatally, and his wife severely injured. Viner Houston (col.) had one of her arms broken.

List Of Losses.

             E.G. Walker $7,000; Mr. Rouley $3,000; J.M. Strong $4,000; Mrs. Powell $1,500; Joe Harris $2,000; Mrs. Adams $1,000; Mrs. Reynolds $1,500; Mrs. Gardner $500; Mr. Lynch $4,000; Masonic Hall $2,500; Episcopal Church $1,200; Methodist Church $3,000; Colored Baptist Church $1,000; French Nabors $750; Town Bridge $700; Mrs. Ambrose (near town) $1,000; H.R. Lyman $2,000; Doctor Hale $500; Maj. Wells, tannery and building, several thousand dollars; Dockery (col.) $300; four stores, damage unknown; ten houses occupied by negroes, damage unknown.

             About thirty houses were destroyed and the damage is not less than forty thousand dollars.