York County PA News
- Storms, Flooding and Weather Related Incidents

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Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
June 26 1822

York, Pa., June 18

Thunderstorm

Last Tuesday about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, this place was visited with a heavy shower of rain, accompanied with very severe thunder and lightning. There was a copious effusion of electric fluid, and many objects came in contact with it, yet the damage done is not very extensive, the destructive fluid having been discharged chiefly in the woods and fields. In a space of woods, of about 30 acres, three miles east of this place, between 15 and 20 trees have been splintered. The damage done of which we hear, and which is most essential, was near this place, where a house of P. J. King was struck. The explosion fell upon the chimney, from whence it branched off in three directions, one branch descending the chimney, and the other tow in opposite directions along the rafters, passing down to the wall, breaking through the wall, the house was filled with such a mass of the fluid, that it shattered the ceiling, and in escaping out, splintered the doors and broke every window in the house, carrying away the sashes in some of them.

Mr. Stough, who occupies the house, was sitting under the door, where one of the branches of lightning came down, and split the door case, and threw it against his feet, yet, he was not affected otherwise, than being slightly stunned. Nor did the rest of his family, who were near him, feel the effects any more than himself.

Some hemp on the garret was on fire, but the flame was extinguished before it did much damage.

In Windsor township, a new house of Mr. Wanbaugh, was struck by the lightning, some of the logs and the windows were shattered to pieces. Some yarn in the house was burnt, and the fluid passing through an almanac hanging in the house, left a hole in it as if a musket ball had been shot through it.

In Springgarden township, a mare of Mr. Abraham Heistand, and a cow of Mr. Fitzsimmons were killed. It is supposed the same body of fluid killed both these animals, although they were more than half a mile distant from each other. The ground of this supposition is, that from the place where the mare was struck the fluid passed on about 90 yards and struck a walnut tree, and thence proceeded to the cow, which being at a spot, placing the three objects in a straight line from each other. - Gazette.

Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
July 17 1822 Page 4

York Pa, July 9

Lightning  - On Sunday afternoon last, about 4 o'clock, a barn belonging to the heirs of the late Jacob Hoke, about 4 miles west of York, was struck by lightning, and consumed. It contained near 20 thousand sheaves of grain, the last of which had been gathered into it but the preceding day.  These occurrences happening often recently, will probably direct the attention of people to lightning rods - at least induce the trial whether they can avert the artillery of heaven and protect their property from destruction. - Gaz.

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
June 4 1823 Page 3

Frederick, May 28

Extract of a letter to the Editor of the Examiner, dated

Uniontown, May 21

"This village and neighborhood was visited last night by a severe storm of hail, wind and violent rain; accompanied with incessant end vivid lightnings. Many of our fields of rye are totally destroyed; great injury done to gardens and fruit trees. The plumbs, cherries and apricots, which had escaped the frost, have, in 1 hour, been beaten off and destroyed. Almost every house in the village has had glass broken. One house has had upwards of 60 panes of glass broken by the hail and upwards of 560 panes have been broken by the storm in this little village. The hail-stones were generally as large as hickory nuts, and of various shapes, and so numerous, that this morning, after sun-rise, they might be collected in handsfull, although the weather has continued remarkably sultry.

Storm Damaged Trees, Fences, Barns and Houses - One Person Killed

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) April 5, 1826

York, March 28

We experienced something of an equinoctial storm in this part of the country on Friday last which had done considerable damage in upsetting fences, trees, barns and houses. A house owned by Henry Etter, Esq., of Newbury township, York county, was blown down and one young woman killed and another much injured by the falling of the house. - Gazette.

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The Hanover Guardian states that "the new wooden bridge across the Little Conowago creek near Mr. Dellone's Mill was moved several inches from the abutments," by the storm on Friday the 24th ultimo; and mentions about a dozen of barns besides stables, sheds, &c. which were torn down or unroofed.

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) July 5, 1826

York, June 27

High Water

During nearly the whole of last week we had rainy weather by which the ground became completely saturated; yesterday morning it cleared off with repeated heavy showers which continued several hours. The Codorus soon began to rise and by five o'clock in the afternoon when it had attained its greatest height, it has risen within seven of eight feet of what it was in August 1817. Extensive damage must have been sustained by the destruction of fences, grass and grain. Within the borough the injury caused by the flood is probably not so much regarded as the inconvenience - but that alone is sufficiently disagreeable. - Recorder

Heavy Rains Fall in Northern Section

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania September 6, 1826

York, Pa., Aug. 29

On Sunday last, one of the heaviest rains ever known, fell in the northern section of this county along the Conowago river, while in this borough, not as much fell as to moisten the dust. The waters were swelled to such a height as to cause as much damage, if not more than the late flood, in fences, tanneries, bridges, &c. - Gazette.

Lightning Strikes Spire of Lutheran Church

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania December 7, 1826

Charles A. Barnitz, Esq., has been elected President of the York Bank, in the room of Jacob Hay, Esq., who declined a re-election. - York Record

The spire of the Lutheran Church, in this place, was struck by lightning during the gust on Sunday afternoon, the 26th ultimo. The fluid passed down the lightning rod without doing any injury to the building. - Ib.

Thunderstorm Produces Damaging Hail

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania May 9, 1827

During the thunder-gust, on Tuesday the 24th ultimo, much hail fell in several of the townships south-east of this borough. We regret to learn that the grape in the vineyard of Wm. Ness, Esq., were considerably injured thereby; and that the soil was greatly flooded and washed. - Ib.