Washington County PA News
Storms and Weather Events

Transcribed by Nancy Piper unless otherwise stated

Lightning Strikes Col. Daniel M'Gugin's Home

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) April 13 1825

Washington, Pa., April 4.

Lightning

On Wednesday evening last, a little before sunset, the house of Col. Daniel M'Gugin, of West-Middletown, Washington county Pa., was struck with lightning, and vey considerably shattered and otherwise injured. It is supposed the lightning was attracted by the chimney, though it divided into three branches, one of which passed down the corner of the house, which was a frame, and split the corner post from top to bottom; another branch struck the roof a considerable distance from the chimney and split two of the rafters and passed down through the cornice, on the back part of the house, into a room on the second story, burnt out the studding and weatherboarding, leaving a very large interstice; it then passed down to the lower story, to a room between the back room and kitchen; this door and the frame around it were torn to pieces, as were the doors of a cupboard in the room, and nearly every article of china and other ware in the cupboard was broken. A brass clock in the room was stopped, and a watch, which had been for some time dumb, commenced motion. In this room and the adjoining kitchen, were eight of the Colonel's children, and domestics, who all escaped unhurt, with the exception of one boy, his second son, who received a slight wound on the face by some piece of the door frame, or other piece of timber. The other branch of the lightning passed down between the stacks of the chimney as far as the floor of the second story, which is much injured and entered the front room below and shivered the mantelpiece into atoms.

By this time all was consternation - the cry of fire being raised, in consequence of the appearance of smoke, dust, &c. issuing from the doors and windows. A quantity of flax on the garret had taken fire, but was immediately extinguished by the timely exertions of the citizens; on the whole, the residence of Col. M'Gugin, presented a singular and awfully grand, though very frightful appearance. From the roof down to the understory, the furniture and plastering is much injured, and nearly every window broken. His loss is considerable, though he consoles himself in witnessing so merciful a display of Omnipotence, in the preservation of so many lives, who for a moment appeared to be in the midst of death. - Reporter.

1825 Hail Storm

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) May 25 1825

Washington, Pa., May 16

Hail Storm

On Tuesday evening last, the inhabitants of this borough and a strip of country East and West of this were visited with a considerable storm of wind, rain and hail. In Washington there were, perhaps 1500 lights of glass broke with hail. In the neighborhood several mill dams were swept away and many cornfields severely washed, carrying off the seed on hill sides. -- Reporter

1826 Severe Wind Storm - Neal Gunn and James Love Carried by Wind

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania October 11 1826

Cross Creek, Washington County, Pa

September 2, 1826

On Wednesday evening last, a little before sundown, this neighborhood was visited with the most frightful hurricane of wind, hail and rain that we have had for many years. It commenced near Gen. Patterson's mills and passed in a south east course across six plantations, leveling as it went every fence that stood in its way. A part of the roof of one barn is taken off and a number of cabin buildings totally uncovered. Several corn fields are stripped of the blades and many of the stalks broke down and in some places the green timber is much torn to pieces. But the most appalling occurrence took place at the plantation of Mr. Johnston.

Being engaged in erecting a tread grist mill, a large open shed had been made to shield the workmen from the sun and rain and covered with loose boards. The first gust of wind worried the wood covering away and carried along with it, Mr. Neal Gunn, one of the millwrights and threw him on his head and face in the bottom of an empty water course at the distance of 75 feet from where he was taken. The fall and bruise on his head stunned him so much that he could not rise and he lay in nearly a state of insensibility, exposed to the pelting of the hail, until the flood produced by the rain on the high ground came down and aroused him.

James Love, a carpenter was in the second story of the main house, a frame not weather boarded. The same blast blew him and a number of loose boards out of the house. As he passed the corner post of the frame, he attempted to support himself by it; but not getting a good hand, was forced out and came to the ground on his feet, 13 feet from the house. At that instant a second blast with increased fury, met him and carried him across a piece of row ground, a distance of 130 feet and set him again on his feet beside a green tree; around which he threw his arms and supported himself until the wind somewhat abated. He then let go his hold and to a moment the wind whirled around and took him back about 70 feet, nearly on a line to the main house; and a third time dripped him on his feet, so nearly balanced that he did not fall off them. In a timeless tug from place to place, with the fury of a whirlwind, he escaped without receiving any injury.

Both of these men say they are not conscious of having touched the ground in all the distance they were carried in any other way than the toes of their shoes rubbing it, once or twice as they were borne along by the wind. Every circumstance confirms the belief that they are not mistaken. James Love was twice taken cross a water course, 5 or 6 feet wide & 2 or 3 deep; had he been forced by the wind to stumble along with his feet on the ground, it is not at all probable he could have escaped being thrown into it and severely bruised. Some doubts were entertained at first, that Mr. Gunn's skull might be fractured; but having gained his senses so speedily and perfectly, induces the hope that he had only received a severe bruise on the head and face and that he will be able in a few days to resume his business as formerly.

The providential preservation of the lives of those two men; who were in such imminent danger of receiving a death wound from a stroke of the boards and lumber that were hurled in the air along with them as well as from the violence of the storm dashing them upon the ground or against the surrounding trees must strike every reflecting mind with amazement and inspire the most profound reverence and awe of that Omnipotent Being who controls the raging elements and "gathers the wind in his fist" - Washington Examiner

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