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Tyler County
West Virginia Genealogy Trails
A part of the
Genealogy Trails History Group |
Tyler County Storms -
Pre-1900
"The following is an extract
of a letter from a gentleman on the spot, to a member of the
Legislature of Virginia, politely furnished for
publication:"
WHEELING, 14th Feb. 1832.
Dear Sir:--I now take the liberty to
inform you of the melancholy situation of the people on the Ohio
river, occasioned by the high waters. The very high rise of
the river commenced on the 9th inst.; the 10th, 11th and 12th it was
at the highest--and the river is yet out of its banks. To give
you some idea of the awful situation of those on the river, I
am told that a steam-boat passed through; and on the back side of
part of the town of Sistersville, the river swept from hill to
hill on each side, except the high banks or bottoms. All
stacks of hay, grain, and much of the corn is swept away; and
it is calculated that as many as 100 houses have been taken from
this part of the river, and of course, all the fences, bridges, and
every thing of the kind is gone--and goods, household furniture, and
property of every kind destroyed. I am not able at present to
give you an accurate account of the damage.
The visitation to the Valley of the Ohio, is the most
disastrous, destructive and awful, that I have ever seen, and I have
been well acquainted with this river for upwards of 50
years. The cry of people in one of the houses going down
was heard, but no relief could be given.
Would it not be
proper to request the Legislature to appropriate some of the taxes
of the counties bordering on the Ohio, toward building bridges, and
to assist those of the inhabitants who have lost their all.
The roads will be entirely ruined, and cannot be travelled.
The people must first build their fences and houses; so that it will
be impracticable to repair the roads. As early as I can, I
will advise you more of the particular situation of the
people.
"Sistersville is situate in
Tyler county, 50 miles below Wheeling."
[Richmond Enquirer (Virginia), February 14th, 1832.]
A Terrible Storm in
the Region About Sistersville
Special to the Register
Sistersville, W. Va., June
21-About 2 o'clock this afternoon a regular waterspout was
experienced by the people within a radius of twenty-five miles of
this city, which lasted for several hours. The water came down in
such large drops and so rapidly that is soon amounted to a minature
flood. Thunder and lightning belched forth at short intervals, and
it will be no suprise if a great deal of damage is reported after
the storm has passed. Telegraph and telephone lines were blown down
at several places. The rain must have been a general one, and
reached far out into the county. Slaughter House Run, a very small
rivulet, came out very rapidly, and it was a short time untill it
had overflowed its banks and was doing untold damage. It runs
through a sewer under the first trestle north of the Ohio River
Railroad depot here, and it came out with such force that it soon
choked the sewer up and the back water flooded over a dozen
dwellings north of the railroad, and washed out several out
buildings and one stable containing four horses, and it was thought
they would succumb to the rapidly rising waters, but they were
safely cared for. For a while it was thought that several of the
houses below the trestle, which are built over the branch, would
topple over, as the water playing havoc with the
foundations.
Down at Long Reach one bent was washed out of a
railroad trestle, which will indefinitely delay north and south
bound trains.
At Friendly another bent was washed out, and at
Cow House Run, a mile below this city, the entire trestle with the
track was completely washed out. This last branch flooded everything
in its path, and it is said that a dwelling house with its household
effects was carried out.
No report has been received of any
lives being lost.
[Wheeling
Register, June 25, 1896]
A Severe Storm
Visits
Sistersville, St. Mary's and Other Points down the River.
Special to the Register
Sistersville, W. Va., June
26 - This evening a terrific storm broke over this town, and in a
few minutes had done immense damage. At least fifty oil well
derricks were levelled in the Sistersville field, and reports from
other points in Tyler county are that fully as many more are down,
making an aggregate loss of thousands of dollars. The wires of the
Eureka Pipe Line Co. are down and no communication be
had.
Word received from St. Mary's is to the effect that the
storm there was very heavy. Trees were twisted off or uprooted,
house roofs lifted and chimneys blown down. A number of oil well
derricks were blown down in the field about St. Mary's. Several
persons are reported injured but none fatally.
The storm was
heavy at a number of points in this vicinity.
[Wheeling Register, June 27,
1894]
Transcribed by C. Anthony
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