Shelby County
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Shelby county, since its settlement by white men, has experienced at least three tornadoes and there have been numerous storms of that character of very limited area, such as the one that about ten years ago destroyed the Ryan school house in Greeley township, smashing it into kindling wood, but doing no other damage in that vicinity, and that which absolutely demolished a new house in Center township belonging to Peter Carl in, which destruction occurred perhaps twenty to twenty-five years ago. The first real tornado, however, observed by residents of this county, occurred in June, 1866.

This tornado passed over practically the same course as that of 1913. The damage, of course, was not so great, owing to the fact that but little of the path of the storm was then occupied by settlers. It tore the house of I. P. Wyland into kindling wood. He then lived on what is now known as the Dan Terrill place in Center township. On the Jonathan Wyland farm, where T. J. Wyland now resides in Douglas township, the house was moved eighteen inches off the foundation, hut otherwise not damaged. The house of C. J. Wyland. then living on what is now known as the old Boner place in Center township, was moved almost fifty or sixty feet and set over a spring. Fortunately no lives were lost in this storm.

On May 17, 1877, a very destructive tornado originated in Shelby county, about four miles north of Shelby, running thence in a northeasterly direction.

The Harlan Herald of May 24, 1877, George D. Ross, editor, described the destruction caused by this tornado as follows: "Last Thursday evening, about six o'clock, we were visited by one of the most terrific storms that ever passed over this county. The day had been quite pleasant and every one was hoping that the weather was reallv settled, as it had been raining more or less for a week or two. The wind, which had been in the south, shifted to the southwest and a great black cloud made its appearance which threatened us with a fearful drenching, and we were not disappointed, as the rain soon commenced pouring down in torrents, literally covering the ground to the depth of three or four inches on the level land, the earth appearing as one vast sheet of water. We have never seen so much water fall in the same length of time." The storm lasted perhaps an hour.

Word then reached Harlan that a terrible tornado had passed to the south of town. The two physicians of Harlan, Dr. R. M. Smith (father of W. T. Smith, of Harlan) and Dr. F. A. Raver, with many other citizens, went to the scene of the storm. The editor of the Herald visited the scene of disaster the next morning and obtained information from the heads of the families that were in the path of the storm. From the information obtained, the Herald states that the storm began about four miles north of Shelby Station (now the town of Shelby) and bore to the north, later passing east, and that the path of the storm was about a quarter of a mile in width. The first damage done was on the premises of C. J. Byam, where corn cribs, fencing, etc., were destroyed. Passing to the east, the storm became more violent, where it next struck the residence of J. O. Ramsey, situated on the northeast quarter of section 36, township 79 north, range 39 west (Lincoln township), about two and a half miles south and one-half mile west of Harlan. Mr. Ramsey, who was then occupying his home with his wife and three children, had come from Maryland about four years before. He was at the barn milking when he saw the storm approaching and had barely time to reach the house when the storm struck it.

Continuing, the Herald says: "With the aid of his wife, he (Ramsey) succeeded in getting the door barred when the house was lifted from its foundation and carried into the air: this is the last recollection any of the family have until Edith Alena, the eldest daughter, being the least injured (her right arm slightly hurt), found herself several rods from where the house had stood. She says that she discovered her father, unconscious, about ten rods from the house lying on a log with his hands over his face. When she went to him he came to, but he doesn't recollect anything that transpired for some time, but Edith said he went to his wife, who was farther down the hill and still insensible, picked her up and carried her to the pump and washed the blood from her face. The other two children were found and all started for Mr. Casey's house, half a mile west. Mr. Ramsey was severely bruised about the face, but not seriously hurt. Mrs. Ramsey had her face badly cut, arm hurt, three ribs broken, and the physician says he fears she is injured internally, and is at present in a critical condition, but hopes are entertained of her recovery. Evelyn, a little girl eight years old, received an unsightly cut above the left eye. The little boy, James, aged seven years, was cut on the top and side of the head and had one arm severely sprained.

"The storm next struck the bouse occupied by C. O. Ashmore, which was situated across the road about twenty rods north of where Mr. Ramsey's stood. In this family were Mr. Ashmore and wife, son and daughter, both grown up. They discovered the storm approaching in time to repair to the cellar. After the house had been carried away they remained uncovered and a wagon, which had been standing a few rods east of the cellar and which was swinging around the circle, tumbled down on them, falling in such a manner as to imprison young Ashmore and his sister, who were only released by the united efforts of their parents. Mr. Ashmore escaped unhurt; Mrs. Ashmore was quite severely hurt on the back and side by the falling debris. The son and daughter were slightly injured. Mr. Ashmore is a poor, hard-working man on the shady side of fifty; he came to this country from Kansas a year or two ago. The property he was occupying belonged to A. S. Livingston--hence the report that Livingston's house was destroyed. The stabling was also demolished and some stock injured. Mr. Ashmore had some money in a valise, he says he don't know just how much, but less than fifty dollars. The satchel was found next day about one hundred and fifty yards from where the house had stood. It had been cut open and the money taken out. Now we have a reasonable amount of contempt for a thief; but a galoot that would steal the last dollar from a man who had no home but that tendered by the cold charities of the world, ought to be sent to hell a-fluking.

"The storm crossed the 'Botna about two miles south of town. The river here is fringed with a narrow belt of timber, through which a gap was made; many large trees were uprooted, while others were twisted and broken in pieces. The next house in its course was owned by our postmaster, B. I. Kinsey, and occupied by Michael Headley. There were in the house at the time the storm struck it Mrs. Headley, with her four children, Miss Lizzie Forest and a boy, Clarence Caleb, who was working for Mr. Headley. Mrs. Headley was in bed with her infant which was only three days old--born Tuesday morning. Mr. Headley was at the barn and when he discovered the storm coming attempted to reach the house, but was unable to do so. This house, like the others mentioned, was torn into a thousand fragments. Mrs. Headley was found lying on her bed a few feet from the side of the building with her three children standing near her. It appears that the feather bed had, by some mysterious means, got out from under her and left her on the straw tick. Mr. Headley made his appearance as soon as he could extricate himself from a stack of hay that had been blown on him and asked his wife if she was hurt, she replied, "No, not much, but where is my baby?" She was carried to a hay stack and covered with hay, and as soon as possible was taken to Mr. Forest's, a short distance away. Upon examination, the three children were found to be all right except a few slight bruises. Miss Forest escaped unhurt. The boy, Caleb, received a severe cut in the shoulder with glass. Search was at once instituted for the baby, which was not found until the next morning about six o'clock. James Forest, Jr., found the little thing lying in a furrow, about seventy-five yards from where the house had stood. It was covered with mud and trash and had received several ugly cuts and bruises which in all probability caused its death. One of the pillows which were on the same bed with the baby was picked up two and a half miles away.

"Mrs. Headley has been removed to town and is now stopping at Mr. Kinsey's; she is getting along finely, able to sit up and write letters. Mr. Headley came to Shelby county three years ago from Ohio.

"From the Headleys' to the next and last place where we learn of much damage being done is an open prairie and about one mile north and two east it struck P. G. Errett's buildings. This family saw the storm approaching in time for the most of them to get into the cellar. Mr. Errett has nine children, eight of whom were at home. Freddie, a little boy about two years old, was sleeping upstairs, and had, it seems, been forgotten, when the elder daughter, Sarah, started to get him. She was starting down stairs with him in her arms when the house was picked up by the wind, carried over the tops of some trees near by and torn to pieces about fifty feet from where it had stood. Two other little boys were standing on the cellar steps and were carried with the house, but, strange to say, none of them were injured to any great extent. The rest of the family were left in the cellar uninjured. Mr. Errett is one among our best citizens.

"Here the course of the storm seemed to turn to the east and no damage is reported, except to fencing, for about four miles, where it struck Alex. Philson's house, but whether it had lost its force or only the edge of the whirlwind struck it we are unable to learn. It moved his house a few inches on the foundation. The four houses which were torn in pieces were used about in the same style and a description of one would suffice for all. To illustrate the force of the storm, we might mention that a piece of sill of Mr. Errett's house was driven into the hard prairie soil about ten feet. Household goods and pieces of buildings were scattered promiscuously along the course of the storm. The furniture in all the houses was completely demolished; in fact, everything was destroyed but the families, and their escape seems almost providential."

O. P. Wyland tells me that he was told by his father, I. P. Wyland, that when they came to Bowman's grove in the late fifties, there was a strip of land running southwest to northeast through the timber of that grove slightly north of what was later known as the J. J. Miller farm, where the old trees were torn down and lying on the ground, and a growth of new trees had sprung up. This tornado undoubtedly came through the county at a time when there were no white men here.

Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, November, 2019 from the Past and Present of Shelby County, Iowa, by Edward S. White, P.A., LL. B.,Volume 1, Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Co., 1915, pp. 57-61.

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