Tornado of Redbank Valley

On the morning of May 30, 1860, a tornado swept up the valley on the northern side of the Redbank Creek, leveling houses and barns and causing considerable loss of life. In appearance it was a large storm cloud of dense blackness, discharging little water except along its borders where there were heavy showers of rain and hail accompanied by continuous flashes of lightning.

It varied in width from thirty miles to one half mile. Where it was narrowest the force was the greatest.

It took its rise on the farm of Christopher Foster in Sugar Creek Township, Armstrong County, ricocheted northeasterly over Madison Township and crossed the Redbank near the mouth of Leatherwood Creek. Its dire force was first felt at the store of J. B. Hassen, which it wrecked. It passed up the valley of the small tributary of Leatherwood in a northeast by east direction. Mr. William Shoemaker's house was swept away with the exception of the rafters and the lower floor. Mr. Shoemaker had both legs broken; and infant was saved by being lowered through an opening in the floor. Neither the cradle in which the child had been sleeping nor any part of the house, barn or springhouse were ever found. The orchard was up-rooted, carried off and stones driven into the stumps. Flying embers from ruined houses set fire to barns and hay stacks. These firey conflagrations were caught up by the cyclone and shot through the air in many places blasting vegetation and burning woodwork. The awe-stricken people mistook these fiery meteors for electric flames and this added to their terror.

Another peculiarity of the storm was that as a rule where it passed a few feet above the ground, groves of trees were snapped off and wrenched around to make it appear that the tornado had come from the opposite direction.

Another peculiarity of the storm was that as a rule where it passed a few feet above the ground, groves of trees were snapped off and wrenched around to make it appear that the tornado had come from the opposite direction.

Another victim of the rage was Valentine Miller. The superstructure of his log house was blown away but the family, huddled about the chimney, escaped unhurt. The daughter of Thomas Dougherty, about sixteen years of age, was killed by a falling log in attempting to escape from her father's house. The homes of J. M. Henry, Joseph Smith and John McMillen were leveled wounding the occupants. Here the storm deflected slightly to the south, destroying Charles Stewart's house and burning the barn. As the storm approached it burst the door open. Mrs. Stewart attempted to close the door, but the full fury of the tornado then fell on the house and moved it some distance from its foundation. She was found lying between two rafters and beneath a heavy oak timber. She was fatally injured. Her child, with its cradle, was dropped into the cellar and was unharmed. Others of the family were hurled about but not seriously injured. Stewart's barn was ignited "by what appeared to be a flint two feet thick borne along by a dark cloud."

John Hilliard's house and barn were destroyed. The family escaped death by taking refuge under a bed and were rescued from the ruins of a stone chimney which had tumbled around them. The tornado appears to have leaped to John Mohney's farm two miles distant as there was no trace of disaster in the interval. Mr. and Mrs. Mohney were away. The children gathered in the cellar, the house was torn away from their heads and they escaped injury. A wheelbarrow was found lodged, unbroken, in the top of a maple tree seventy-five rods away.  John Shick and his horses were blown over and over through the field without serious harm. Jacob Hartzell's barn was raised and his house to the first story. The storm then hit Maysville, continued up the valley of Redbank, passed three miles south of Brookville and through to Clearfield County. The damage to property in Clarion County was estimated at $125,000.00.