Whiteside has been visited several times since its settlement by violent tornadoes, but with the exception of the one commonly called the" Great Tornado" which occurred on the evening of Sunday, the 3rd of June, 1860, their ravages were confined to some particular locality, such as those at Tampico, Portland, Garden Plain and Union Grove, descriptions of which will be found in the histories of those townships.

The one on the 3rd of June, 1860, swept a path over the whole county from Albany to the southeastern line, carrying death and destruction throughout its course. The storm commenced near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and was described at the time by those who saw it, as a gathering of the clouds, in separate masses with fearful outlines, and thelr opponent concussionn and mingling together in one rolling, sweeping mass, with accompanying, terrible thunder and lightning, more resembling a set battle and charging armies, than spirits of the air. These mingling masses of clouds came to the earth in the shape of a whirlwind, covering a strip of country about eighty rods wide. It appeared to be hollow in the in the center of transparent blood-red color, while the two sides were black and thick with all conceivable sorts of floating matter which had been torn from its path.

Before crossing the Mississippi river into Illinois, the most fearful destruction took place at Camanche, a village on the river almost opposite Albany. At that place ninety dwelling houses, all occupied, besides a large number of stores and business houses, with some churches and hotels, were totally destroyed. Twenty-nine persons were killed and many badly injured, some of them being maimed for life. The destruction of life and property at De Witt, and other places in Iowa, was also great. In Camanche alone eight hundred and sixty persons were left homeless. As the tornado reached the river at the latter place it struck a raft upon which were twenty-four persons, all of whom were blown into the river and drowned.

At Albany, people were preparing to attend the Sunday evening services at the different churches, and some had actually started from their homes. Looking over toward the Iowa side of the river, however, they saw a sight in the air which struck terror to their hearts, and caused them to hasten back and attempt to close the windows and doors of their houses. In many instances this precaution against the danger of a fierce wind had not been completed, before the terrible aerial visitor took possession of the town, and with a remorseless power and ferocity demolished the homes of the people, with their business houses, churches and schools, and killed five of their number, besides seriously injuring many others. Those who witnessed the scene next morning represent it as beggaring all description. The town was literally blown to pieces and scattered in every direction, not more than half a dozen houses remaining uninjured, and not over fifteen or twenty left standing on their foundations. But one business house was left in which business could be done at all.

Some of the effects of the tornado were very curious. Upon the roofs of several buildings the shingles were stripped off in fanciful shapes, leaving upon some a single covered spot. Others were entirely unshingled. In some cases every clapboard was torn from houses, and the sides of others literally perforated with boards, splintered timbers and sharp stakes. The lower stories of somee were blown out entirely, leaving the upper story upon the ground. Other buildings slid from their foundations and were carried along for several feet. One small frame house was lifted from its foundation and carried about a square, around another building which was torn to pieces, and let down within six feet of it without apparent injury. The bell from the brick church was swept out of the belfry and taken near the corner of Union and Main streets, where it was landed on the walk uninjured with the exception of a small piece which had been knocked from the base of the rim. Heavy brick and stone walls were leveled to the ground with apparently as much ease as the lightest wooden structures. Trees were torn from their roots and denuded of their branches and in some instances literally twisted to pieces. Horses, cattle and hogs were killed on the spot, and chickens, geese and turkeys either killed, or stripped of their feathers, and left as bare as if ready for market. On each side of the path of of the storm-fiend the evidence of his power was visible in the shape of fragments of buildings, lumber, goods from the stores, household furniture, valuable papers, books, etc. Many of these were afterwards picked up but were found useless for any purpose, save some of the papers and books.

It is wonderful when we consider the terrible and swift destruction of buildings and other property by this tornado at Albany, that so few lives were lost, there being, as we have mentioned, only five out of a population of eight hundred. The storm gave no time for escape, not even to the cellar, a place to which many flee at times of fierce winds. Their buildings were crashing around their defenseless heads; timbers, stones, brick, and missiles of a hundred descriptions were being hurled along the ground and through the air, and yet nearly all of them escaped with their lives. Those killed were Duty Buck, Ed. Efner, Mr. Sweet, Mr. Riley, and one other whose name we have been unable to learn. All this destruction of property, injury to person, and death, was the work of only a minute or two, and then the destroyer passed on to other parts.

The news of this direful calamity was soon carried by telegraph and mail to all parts of the country, and created the most intense excitement, as well as awakening in every heart the deepest feelings of sympathy and commiseration for the sufferers. Open hands and warm hearts at once responded to their needs, the offerings coming up from far and near. These contributions were gratefully appreciated by the stricken ones at Albany, the remembrance of which remains yet green in the memory of those living.

The following is a list of those who suffered by the tornado, with the estimated loss of each, and was prepared and published at the time, and then pronounced as correct as could possibly be made:

William Slocumb $600
Foundry $800; Mrs. Crippin $400; M.E. Church $600 S.B. Myers $700; Mrs. Lusk $700;
Presbyterian Church $4,000 Steam Mill $8,000; Mrs. Yopts $100; W.W. Durant $1,100 Duty Buck $400;
Steam Planing Mill $2,000; Happer, Nevitt & Co Jos. Miller $150; Chas. Lusk $5,000; Chas. Nevitt $600
Mr. Bradley $800; Isaac Crosby $400; C.G. Nevitt $700 William Ewing $800; Walker Olds $500;
Anson Williams $600 D. McMahan $950; B.S. Quick $3,428; A. Slocumb $1,190
Mitchel & McMahan $2,500; Mrs. Stagg $400; G. Buckingham $300 Dr. A.T. Hudson $200;
Asa Langford; Crow's Tin Shop $1,000; S. porter $100 Rileys House $250; Mr. Bothwell $2,000; Ira Short $100 W.A. Chamberlin $3,500; E.H. Nevitt $2,000; Jno. Adams $500
Thos. Brewer $500; W.Y. Wetzell $2,000; E.G. Boyce $150 Mrs. Winans $150; S. Hospkins $600;
Mrs. Townley $175 Ed Efner $1,000; R.C.M. Black $400; S. Gillett $100 M.E. Parsonage $500; John Cook $50; John Q. Adams $300 Mr. Van Bebber $100; James Clough $300; Smith Cole $200 L.Sweet $500;
Boice, Ewing & Co. $7,000; G. Langford $200 Moses Bishop $150; Jas. Hugenin $300; John Slocumb $100 Cheney Olds $50; A. Mitchel $100; Mr. Robinson $100
Warren Olds $100; Henry Pease $500; Alfred Haines $200 Mrs. Darrow $50; W.S. Barnes $600; McIlvaine $70
Saml. Gilbert $400; Ezekiel Olds $150; T. Slaymaker $50 Cyrus Wilson $1,000; Thos. Stagg $250;
Happer & McIlvaine $1,500 Saml. Happer $600; J.D. McIlvaine $600; D.S. Efner $100 Stockton & Booth $500

Total damage to houses, barns, etc., $73,715; to personal property, $10,000; to fences, out buildings, etc., $6,000; to vegetables and fruit trees, $4,000. Total - $93,715.

After leaving Albany the tornado passed through the county in a course a little south of east, destroying trees and fences in its way, until it reached the; house of Mrs. Senior, on the Baird estate, in Garden Plain, the upper story of which it severed completely from the rest of the building, and scattered it in a thousand fragments. The next house struck was that of R. C. Adams, also om Garden Plain, which was lifted bodily from its foundation, and moved a distance of four or five feet, racking it considerably. From there it passed along without doing material damage to the line of Mt Pleasant and Lyndon township where it played the serious prank of hoisting the large two story frame residence of Thomas Smith from its moorings, turning it one-quarter around, unroofing it carrying it a rod from its foundation, and leaving it almost a wreck. There were seven persons in the house, but strange to say all escaped unhurt. The house of Draper Richmond further on met with a more serious fate. This s a frame building of medium size, and could not have been more badly scattered had a barrel of gunpowder been exploded within its walls. After the storm had passed Mrs. Richmond was found about twenty rods from the house so badly injured that she died in an hour afterwards. Mr.Richmond was also seriously hurt but recovered. George Digbys dwelling a little north of east of Richmond's was carried at first south a short distance, then taken north-east about fifty rods through a wheatfield, where it was lifted high in the air and whirled into fragments. An apple tree ten inches in diameter was torn from its roots stripped of its branches, and the body of the tree split into two nearly equal parts. The residence of Mr. Digby's father was partially destroyed. Further east the storm struck the house of Mr. Dow, removing it west several rods then raising it into the air shattered it to pieces, while the barn which stood near by, was taken about the same distance east, and disposed of in a similar manner. Neither of the families of these gentlemen suffered much injury, the wind storm being content to demolish their habitations. From here the tornado proceeded to the township of Montmorency, leaving only a few traces of its passage on the way. The residence of Alonzo Golder was the first one assailed in that township, and although not destroyed, considerable of it was badly punished. A great deal of the furniture was destroyed, and in the kitchen and dining-room nearly all of it. In the dining-room was a large, old fashioned mirror, which amid the wreck of the other furniture was found unbroken, although carried completely across the room. Some of Mr. Golder's family were injured, but not seriously. A little school house near Mr. Golder's was literally blown into fragments. On its track eastward from here it turned Joel Wood's house entirely around, besides unroofing and otherwise damaging it. It was left in such a condition that it had to be rebuilt. A. J. Goodrich's dwelling was blown entirely to pieces, as were also Mr. Pike's and Capt. Doty's. Levi Macomber's house was badly racked. At Mr. Pike's a young girl had her leg broken. Capt. Doty's son had his collar bone broken, and some of the rest of the family were slightly injured. Without doing further damage the tornado passed out of the county, and pursued its eastward way.

Many of the calamities caused by this terrible visitation never reached the public ear. The sufferers, whoever they were, either did not care to have their misfortune appear in print, or in the hurry and excitement of gathering facts were overlooked by the writers for the public press. Neither has there been, nor can there be, a full and adequate description written of the frightful scenes, the pain, the sorrow, and the loss occasioned by the ferocious storm as it sped on its way on that memorable evening. Seventeen years have passed since then, but its results remain. It is hoped that Whiteside county may never see the like again.

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