County Facility Inspection and Condemnation of the Jail 1921

This report of a visitation of public facilities in Jefferson County by the Jefferson County Board of Charities was a fairly typical report for one of the 92 counties. There was one exception, the succinct description of the jail as "a blot upon our civilization." Having visited the jail in a high school field trip about 1966, I'd agree. Unfortunately, the pre-Civil War facility was only replaced in the last few years.

Thirty-First Annual Report of the Board of State Charities of Indiana For the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 1920 To The Governor Fort Wayne Printing Company Contractors For Indiana State Printing And Binding Fort Wayne. Indiana

County Poor Asylum, Madison. Visited June 21, 1921. As usual, we found the patients well cared for physically, the building clean, and sanitary conditions good. The efficient superintendent and his wife should have as few handicaps as possible, and we recommend a hot water supply and two bath tubs, one for the superintendent's family and one for the women patients. We note with pleasure new windows throughout the building and a new floor and railing in the court.

County Jail, Madison. Our jail is a blot upon our civilization. We feel that the commissioners should employ a competent person to determine whether to build a modern jail or remodel the old building.

Dependent Children. We have assisted the Board of State Charities in finding real homes for our dependent and neglected children. A member of our board recently visited the Bartholomew County Orphans' Home, where are seven of our orphan children. They are in a large airy building, with an equipped playground and a garden that the children help cultivate. The matron is deeply interested in their welfare. Our colored orphans are cared for at an orphans' home in Indianapolis.

We have made all necessary arrangements to send to the School for Feeble-Minded Youth two young women at the county poor asylum, each of whom has given to the world a feeble-minded, illegitimate child. In a representative republic like ours, where heads, not brains, are counted, it is important that the civilization be of the highest character. We have spent thousands of dollars protecting our live stock against disease and teaching farmers how to raise pure bred cattle; yet we are permitting mental defectives to increase one and one-half times as fast as our normal population. When it is proposed to employ an all-time health officer and have our children examined regularly in the schools, in order to correct easily remedied defects that retard the child's development, a cry goes up against high taxes. May the time soon come when the public will insist upon sanitary homes, supervised playgrounds, swimming pools and community centers, and any social agency that will save the child from unsafe and adverse conditions that surround it.

(Signed) Mrs. EVA P. MeLELLAND, Chairman.
M. L. GUTHNECK, Secretary.

Manville Christian Church: 1834

The advent of the Disciples of Christ, also known as Campbellites, brought division to many churches in the 1830s. Among them was the Milton Baptist Church, which gave painful birth to the Manville Christian Church in 1831. For example, two messengers who represented Milton in 1830 at the annual meeting of the Coffee Creek Baptist Church, William Yates and John Lanham, were among the first members on the Manville Church roll. Although the first part of that list is undated, they were probably charter members. This letter, published in a denominational publication, hints at the bitterness.

The Christian Evangelist, April 7, 1834

“We esteem the word of God as living and effective and since we got rid of the Babylonians, thirteen of fourteen have been added to our number. Seven of the old folks remain obdurate; two of them were elders and one a Rabbi. We request that Travelling Brethren would call on us in Milton Township, Jefferson County, Ind., two miles from where the road from Madison to Lawrenceburg crosses Indian-Kentuck Creek'

The Slave Catcher Gets Expenses Paid: 1858

Jefferson County Sheriff Wright or Right Rea (spelled Ray here) was known for his slave-catching ability. In this act of the Kentucky legislature, authorized paying Wright and unnamed others for their role in the capture of Elijah Anderson. Anderson, who had lived in Madison, moved to Cleveland, Ohio, because of the threats stemming from his aiding slaves to escape. But he was convicted of slave-stealing in 1857 and sentenced to an eight-year term in a Kentucky Prison. He was found dead in his cell in 1861, supposedly from a heart attack.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY,
PASSED AT THE SESSION WHICH WAS BEGUN AND HELD IN THE CITY OF
FRANKFORT, ON MONDAY, THE 7TH OF DECEMBER, 1857, AND ENDED WEDNESDAY, 17TH OF FEBRUARY, 1868.


AN ACT for the benefit of Wright Ray, and others. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky 1858. State of Indiana, for the sum of twenty-five dollars each, for expenses incurred in attending in Kentucky as witnesses against Elijah Anderson a negro thief, to be paid out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated§

2. That this act shall take effect from its passage. Approved February 9, 1858.

Anti-Slavery Petitions from Jefferson County

The fight against slavery and policies that supported it became the subject of numerous petitions from residents of the north, including Jefferson County. The extracts listed here are very typical in opposing the slave trade, the slave trade in the District of Columbia, the annexation of Texas (which became a slave state) and for the recognition of Haiti. The latter, governed by blacks, was staunchly opposed by the south. The one not very typical item here was the petition of Sept. 26, 1837 by free black citizens of Jefferson County. Unfortunately, as with most other petitions, names weren't provided. The South was successful in passing a rule that no anti-slavery petitions would be accepted, also the subject of a petition here. The hero of this effort was Representative and former President John Quincy Adams who read these into the record despite the official rules.



March 1 1836

Petitions and memorials, praying that slavery and the slave trade may he abolished in the District of Columbia, were presented as follows, viz

By Mr. Carr: A petition of citizens of Jefferson, in the State of Indiana.

Sept. 25, 1837

Petitions and memorials, praying for the abolition of slavery and for the prohibition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia and in the District of Columbia and the Territories of the United States, were presented by Mr. John Quincy Adams, as follows, viz:

* Of James Matthews and 80 inhabitants of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana;
* Of Jane Phillips and 78 females of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana;

Sept. 25, 1837
Mr. John Quincy Adams presented memorials remonstrating against the annexation of Texas to the Union of these States, as follows, viz:

Memorials praying for the abolition of slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia, or in the District of Columbia and in the Territories of the United States, were presented as follows, to wit:

Of citizens of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana;
Of free colored people of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana


Feb. 14, 1838

Memorials praying the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia were presented as follows, viz: By Mr. W. Graham, of Indiana: Of citizens, male and female, of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana;

April 9, 1838
Memorials praying the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia were presented as follows, viz: Of Sarah Reed and 26 other women of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana.


Monday, Feb. 4, 1839.

Also, the petition of 204 citizens of Jefferson and Scott counties, Indiana, praying the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, and the Territories of the United States; to regulate the slave, trade among the States, and against the annexation of Texas to the United States. Also, the petition of 57 citizens of Jefferson county, Indiana, protesting against the admission of any new State into the Union whose constitution tolerates domestic slavery, and against the annexation of Texas. Also, the petition of 28 inhabitants of Jefferson county, Indiana, praying Congress to regulate the slave trade among the States. Also, the petition of 28 inhabitants of Jefferson county, Indiana, praying the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. Also, the petition of 29 inhabitants of Jefferson county, Indiana, protesting against the admission of any new State into this Union whose constitution tolerates slavery ,and against the annexation of Texas to the United Suits. Also, the petition of 43 inhabitants of Jefferson county, Indiana, praying the immediate abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. Also, the petition of 4 inhabitants of Jefferson county, Indiana, praying the immediate abolition of traffic in slaves.


February 18, 1839

Petitions praying for the abolition of Slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia, were presented by Mr. John Quincy Adams, as follows, viz:


Of Eli H. Higgins and 72 others, of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana;


Feb. 1, 1840.

The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Finance, and printed.

Mr. Smith, of Indiana, presented two petitions from citizens of Jefferson county, Indiana, praying the abolition of slavery and the slavetrade in the District of Columbia; two petitions from citizens of the same county, praying the abolition of the domestic slavetrade; also, two petitions from the same, praying the abolition of slavery and the slavetrade in the Territory of Florida; also, two petitions from the same, praying the rejection of all applications for the annexation of Texas to the Union; also, a petition praying that no State, whose constitution tolerates domestic slavery, may be admitted into the Union; and, also, a petition from the same, praying the recognition of the independence of Hayti, and the establishment of commercial regulations with that Government.


March 30, 1840.

A petition of J. C. Tibbetts and others, voters in Jefferson and Jennings counties, in the State of Indiana, praying the House of Representatives to rescind the resolution passed on the 12th day of December, 1838, in relation to petitions touching slavery; which was laid on the table.

Farming in Jefferson County: 1848

This 1848 letter from John Craig, a Scottish immigrant who probably lived just north of Madison, not far from North Madison, is the most detailed description of early farming in Jefferson County that I have seen. The fact that he boasts about his results on under seven acres of cropland and needed four or five hand during harvest says much about the typical farm in that era.

The Cultivator a Monthly Journal, Devoted To And To Domestic Aid Rural Economy. New Series—Vol. V. Albany, New-York: Published By Luther Tucker, 407 Broadway. Office in New-York City, at M.H. Newman & Co.'s Bookstore, No. 190 Broadway, from the press of Van Benhuysen 1848


IRA HOPKINS having stated in the November number of the Cultivator, (1848.) how thirty bushels of wheat could be raised to the acre. I have concluded to tell you how I raised one hundred bushels on three acres, and eighty-four bushels on three acres and eighty-nine rods, the past season, on land that produced but thirteen bushels to the acre in 1839, which was one of the best wheat seasons in this neighborhood, we had been favored with for the last ten years.

In the spring of 1847, I plowed three acres of clover and timothy sod, as deep as possible. On the 16th April, harrowed, cross plowed, harrowed again, made drills about two feet eight inches asunder, manured the drills liberally, dropped potato sets in the drills, about nine inches apart, covered by running the plow both ways in each drill. Some days after, pulled a little off the top of each drill with a hoe. When the plants were 8 or 10 inches high, plowed the soil from each side of the drills, run a cultivator between to level and pulverise; run the plow both ways, and threw back the soil to the plants.

On the 14th September, commenced raising the potatoes with the plow, by taking eight or ten drills at a time, and plowing round them, the first furrow turned one side off the two outside drills, the next throw out the middle, the next turned over the other side, the next furrow turned up the space between the drills; thus plowing all the ground thoroughly, and so deep as to turn up a little of the subsoil. Used hoes after the plow, and when all was plowed, harrowed both ways. Then plowed the ground as deep as possible into lands, 2 rods wide. Sowed one rod at a round, and on the 30th of September, sowed one and a half bushels of Mediterranean wheat to the acre.

We may let the wheat grow till I tell you of the produce of the potato crop; but I cannot tell you this exactly, though I can tell enough to show that a medium potato crop produces move value than a good corn or wheat crop. I sold 350 bushels at 25 to 30 cents per bushel — $92.07. Kept 101 bushels of the middle-sized for seed. Gave the small ones to the cows, and supplied a family of thirteen persons eleven months, besides a man half of the time, and four or five hands a month in harvest.

I may say that potatoes, last season, did not produce half' as much, as they took the rot during a very wet time in August. When the weather changed the rot ceased, and none have rotted in the cellar. This is the first appearance of the potato disease I have seen, except the two previous years, the end attached to the stem, rotted in a few instances.

You will observe the number of plowings this piece of ground got. From conversing with an Englishman and reading the Commissioner of Patents' Report for 1847, I find that the English and Germans, generally plow the ground twice at least, before sowing wheat.

The three acres eighty-nine rods, was clover and timothy sod also, and was manured in the winter of 1845 and 1846, with 80 two-horse wagon-loads of barn-yard manure, plowed deep and harrowed, and planted in corn. The cultivator was run four times through the corn, but the plow never. I think it produced 60 bushels to the acre. I did not measure it, but I measured another field the same season. The spring of 1847, sowed it with barley, and it produced only seventeen bushels to the acre, and never got more than this of spring barley to the acre.

After harvest, I scraped up all the manure I could get, and scattered it over the stubble, plowed it down, and on the 11th September sowed six bushels of what is called red-chaff wheat, on the furrow, and harrowed it both ways. Reaped on the 22nd June, got it thrashed by a machine, on the 6th September, and had 84 bushels bright plump wheat, rather over 63 lbs. per bushel.

I delayed forwarding this, till I had got out some barley, the produce of three acres and 157 rods, on which I sowed 11 bushels, or 2 3/4 bushels to the acre, which is half a bushel more than I ever sowed before. It was highly manured in the spring of 1847, and planted in corn and pumpkins, and brought about 60 bushels corn to the acre, and an immense quantity of pumpkins. The produce is 70 struck bushels, weighing rather less than 48 lbs. per bushel, which is the legal weight of barley in Indiana. In 1847, I sowed eight bushels on three acres eighty-nine rods, or about 2 1/4 bushels to the acre, and had 61 1/42bushels, weighing 49 pounds per bushel— each producing about 17 or 18 bushels per acre. In 1846, I sowed 11 bushels on 5 1/2 acres or two bushels to the acre, and had but 77 bushels, or 14 bushels per acre. Part of this land was rather flat and wet, and I suppose all my land is too heavy for barley — it bakes very hard alter rain.

JOHN J. CRAIG. Madison, Indiana, January 16, 1849.

Smallpox in Madison: 1907

Even though smallpox was now longer the massive killer in had been, it still stirred concern when it struck in the early 1900s. This account details the efforts to contain it and also references the condemnation of three city schools. Although not mentioned here, those were the Walnut Street, Fulton and Upper Seminary Schools. This report was issued by J.N. Hurty, the board secretary, who seems to have been much more than simply a recording secretary.

Twenty-Sixth Annual Report State Board of Health of Indiana Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 1907. Statistical Year Ending December 31, 1907. To The Governor. Indianapolis: Wm. B. Burford, Contractor For Sтaте Printing And Binding. 1907

Madison—On November 2d I visited Madison on account of smallpox. The disease had again taken hold of that city and I found twenty-three cases in the school houses and four cases under quarantine in houses in the city. Only five of these cases were at all severe; others varied from very mild indeed to moderately severe.

As is usual in these epidemics, certain physicians had denied that smallpox existed, and it was this fact that led to the complication With a few of the physicians pulling one way and a few another, the local authorities did not know what to do.

After visiting the pest houses and examining all the patients there, and also visiting and examining all of the patients in houses under quarantine, I met with the public health committee of the council. The conclusions of the conference were that the conference would meet and commence a vigorous campaign against the disease. They promised to purchase fresh vaccine and offer free vaccination and to rigidly enforce quarantine measures.

I took occasion to visit the new school building which is being erected and which is the result of condemnation by this Board of three old dilapidated structures. The new building will be completed by the last of January and the plan showed that every required sanitary feature will be incorporated.

A Letter to Scotland: 1821

Timothy Flint published two sections about the Caledonia Scottish settlement in eastern Jefferson County, following his visit in 182.. In one, he described how recent immigrants had fared. He also published this letter in which on man, who had come to the area in1819, described his own experience to a relative.

From Mr. A. M. to a Relation in Scotland.
Jefferson County, (Indiana,) Oct. 4, 1821.

"You will wish to know how we come on in this land of liberty. Tolerably well, although not altogether so well as we expected. If we have not got quit of all our grievances, we have got a change of some of them.

What improvements we now make are our own, and these are considerable. We have got forty acres of land cleared of all the timber under eighteen inches in diameter, and the remaining large trees well deadened, which, I think, average six trees to an acre. After they stand deadened two or three seasons, by felling them to the ground, they can be consumed by fire without the trouble of rolling them together. We have it all in good fence and in crop.

We have also cleared eight acres and built a neat cabin on another quarter section, half a mile distant, in which R. G. and his wife live at present. Our stocking consists of one horse, four cows and calves, three year .old queys, and thirty hogs. We do not intend to buy any more stock except a mare or two for breeding, as we think it better to raise them for ourselves, and as they do not find a quick market. Horses are not much cheaper here than with you, but cows are sold at only from twelve to twenty dollars each.

This season we have removed all our houses, in the notion of having them in a better situation. Wooden houses are easily raised here, and they are very well adapted to the purposes of farming offices, but are not the most comfortable dwellings. However, we have plenty of stones, lime, and sand, of which materials we intend to build a house soon; and we think the time is at no great distance when we shall have an elegant farm, with good houses, orchard, and well stocked with all kinds of cattle.

Our soil and climate are capable of producing a great variety of vegetables, from the tall grape-vine to the most diminutive of plants. The garden-stuffs that we raise, almost without any trouble, would be a feast for your eyes could we present them to your view. We wish that all our poor friends were here:— How easily we could supply them with the necessaries of life! * * *

Congress, in their last session, passed a bill for the relief of those who are indebted for the price of public lands, allowing eight years for the payment of arrears, at equal annual instalments, or 37£ per cent. discount on prompt payments. All public lands to be sold hereafter must be paid in ready money, at the rate of one dollar and twenty.five cents per acre, which is fixed as a minimum price.

I have just finished the building of a stonehouse, containing three rooms, a kitchen, and a cellar, for one of our neighbours. I worked by the day, and had only one dollar for each, with bed and board, and was paid in money about one third part below specie value. You must know that times have taken a very adverse turn in respect of earning money. Since we came here, (not quite three years ago,) it was easier to earn two dollars than it is to procure one now.

We keep our health well, and consider this to be a healthy place. This settlement has never suffered from any prevalent sickness. Several towns along the river and other low- lying districts are said to be sickly; but according to the best information I can get, I would not exchange this place for any other in America in "point of healthiness. Three months in spring, and three in autumn, I think, excel the climate of Scotland in pleasant weather. The summer is a little too hot and the winter a little too cold."

1845 A Universalist Preacher's Visit

George Rogers was extremely successful in organizing Universalist churches in Indiana and during his efforts in Switzerland County and Jefferson county he organized societies at Patriot and Madison. Here he describes a reaction to his effort to distribute a denominational publication that epitomizes

Memoranda of the Experience, Labors, And Travels of a Unversalist Preacher. Written By Himself. Cincinnati: John A. Gurley, Publisher. 1845.

Dec. 8. Rode to Madison, twenty-four miles: arrived there between three and four o'clock ; called on the agent for the Sentinel, Mr. Wellington, by whose active co-operation I was enabled to get up a meeting in the Court House that evening, a bell-man having been employed to cry the appointment through the town.

Madison is a brisk and rapidly growing place, handsomely situated on the river : present population four thousand. Lectured there two evenings, to pretty good congregations; nothing short of a good degree of anxiety to hear the gospel

would have induced those to attend who composed my audience on that evening. I have hopes of Madison, ardent hopes; it is a moral and religious place; and in such a place I can operate with pleasure and hope; but save me from places which are characterized by an infidel indifference to all religion ! Too many such on these western, waters. I believe

I entered every store and shop in Madison, soliciting subscriptions for the Sentinel: it would amuse the reader were I to report many of the answers I obtained.

"Where is it published ?'' inquired one. " At Cincinnati," I replied. "Thank God it is so for off," he rejoined. "Subscribe to a Universalist paper!" exclaimed a second : " I would subscribe to have it burnt." "The deuce!" rather angrily responded another — " Think I'll support a paper that I know to be lies from end to end." etc., etc

Crooked Creek Flood 1847

The Crooked Creek flood on Sept. 3, 1847 is a fairly well-known calamity. This account was original published in the Louisville Courier Journal and was reprinted in New York. Since Eagle Hollow Creek flows into the Ohio River, not Crooked Creek, the mention of it here could mean it was also affected by the flood--or this was simply an error

New York Municipal Gazette May 28, 1847

Terrible Flood And Loss of Property.—A terrible storm of rain occurred at Madison, Ind., on the 3d of September. An extra from the Banner gives full particulars of this destructive calamity.

Crooked Creek, a very small stream running parallel with the Ohio river, between the high hills in the rear of the city, rose above its banks; and the “bottom,” or "commons,” between the Michigan road and the high ground upon which the city is built, was soon converted into a lake or broad river. The culvert under the railroad embankment, across the hollow at the lower end of the city, was choked up with properly, houses, &c. The waters dammed up to a great depth, and there broke through the artificial hill, producing a terrible flood.

All the bridges Across Crooked Creek were swept off, and nearly all the property in the immediate vicinity of its banks was either entirely destroyed or greatly injured. Messrs. Jacob Shuh, Whitney & Hendricks, and Mitchell & McNaughten are among the greatest sufferers. The loss of property is estimated by some at $100,000, and by others at less. The worst remains to be told.

It is certain that nine persons lost their lives by this flood, viz: Mr. Walker and child, drowned in “Eagle Hollow;” Mrs. Judge and two children, in “Irish Hollow;” Mrs. Scott, (daughter of Mr. Cotton,) swept off from the dwelling between Mulberry and West streets: and three colored people—Charlotte, Edward and Israel. It is described as an awful and sublime spectacle. Houses, animals, fences, barrels, and all kinds of household furniture, came whirling along as though they were mere bubbles, or feathers, floating in the air.

The Louisville Journal of Saturday says, the mail boat reports that fourteen lives were lost by the freshet at Madison, on Thursday. Eleven bodies have been found. The amount of property destroyed had not been fully ascertained.—Jour. Com. Sept. 11.

1864: A Black Man Says Why He Fights

Black soldiers were key to the North's victory in the Civil War. Several Madison soldiers were part of the 28th U.S. Colored Troops. They were among several black units who were sacrificed in the fiasco at the "Crater" at Petersburg, Va. One of them, Osbury Allums, died in the battle, which is the subject of the movie, "Cold Mountain. In a letter to a friend Charles, written on Dec. 3, 1846, Madisonian Morgan Carter gave his reasons for serving in the army.

From a private collection at Fort Ward Museum Historical Park, Alexandra, Va., and reprinted in The Black Civil War Soldiers of Illinois: the Story of the Twenty-Ninth U.S Colored infantry. University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, S.C. Edward A. Miller, 1998.

“Feale a little down but [I] soon rally when i think in what principal i am fighting which is for the benefit of my race,” Carter wrote. “[i] have been in a good many veary close places but by the Lords will I have escaped with my life so far.

i have been wounded twice once by a piece of shell on the long to be Remember [ed] field of blood shed and slaughter of 30 of July. there many a poor fell [low] lost theare life for thear country and theare people. But Poor fellows they died a noble death. and in the course if it is necessary i Will give up my life most willingly to Benefit the Collored Race

you youre self [know] that we have bin trampled under the white mans heal for years and now we have a chance to Ellivate oure selfs and oure race and what little I can do towards it will do so most willingly if i should die before i Receive the benefit of it i will have to consolation of noing that generations to come will Receive the blessing of it.

and i think it the duty of all the men [of] our Race to do so when they can.”

1845: Abolition Face Off on the Ohio

There were a number of showdowns over fugitive slaves in Jefferson County. This one, reported on national basis, has an interesting legal question that the showdown left unanswered. Since the boat, the Importer, was on the river, it was in Kentucky and the Jefferson County sheriff would have had not authority.

Niles National Register, May 24, 1845,

Abolition fracas at Madison, Ia.

The circumstances we learn from the clerk of the Importer are these: sometime since a free mulatto stole several free negroes from Harrodsburg, in this state and carried them to Indiana. On a demand from the governor of this state from the governor of Indiana to deliver the kidnapper to the authorities of Kentucky, Gov. Whitcomb issued a warrant for his arrest.

He was accordingly arrested by the sheriff of Jefferson county, Indiana, and delivered to Mr. Blackstone and officer from this state, who took him on board the Importer from yesterday morning, at Madison, for the purpose of bringing him here. While the Importer was lying at that place, the abolitionists managed to have a write of habeas corpus issued to bring him before a court.

The sheriff sent three of his deputies on board with the writ who were about breaking the door of the state room open, which Mr. Blackstone and the negro occupied, when the captain of the boat told them not to do it. Mr. Blackstone then opened the door, holding a pistol in each hand, and told the deputies that if they wanted to take the prisoner, they must take him over his body.

The deputies seeing Mr. Blackstone so determined, desisted and the prisoner was brought here last night and lodged in jail. Louisville Courier-Journal April 26

Hanover Tornado-1837

This letter was printed in the New York Plain Dealer describing a tornado that damaged Hanover and Hanover College, an event that has been written about several times in Indiana histories. But this is the most detailed first-hand account I have seen. It also gives some details about Hanover besides the campus.

The Plain Dealer, New York July 15, 1837

Destructive Tornado.—An extract of a letter, from South Hanover, in Indiana, dated the 6th instant, is published in the Cincinnati Gazette, giving an account of a most appalling and destructive tornado which passed over that place on the previous day.

The letter says: " I sit down in haste lo give you some account of a scene the most terrifick and appalling I have ever witnessed! Our village, that yesterday was peaceful and cheerful is now in ruins. Yesterday evening about six o clock, the heavens wore the appearance of a coming storm, and in one hour a most fearful tornado burst upon us.

The scene was terrific beyond my powers of' description. The boarding house here has the whole one gable end torn out. Mr. Young's store, a substantial brick building, is a heap of ruins—Dr. Matthews' house is taken off at the eves—the house in which Mr. Bishop lived, on the hill, is torn to fragments—one end of Colonel Morrow's house is torn to the ground—Mr. Chever's house is torn to pieces—the college roof is riddled, and the wing level almost with the ground, and about one-fourth of the eastern wall of the main building lying scattered over the earth—Professor Niles' house is torn up from its very foundation, the very floors and sills are carried away —all the furniture and the professor's library are totally lost. Mr. Butler occupied the house, but fortunately there were none of them at home. The new steam saw mill is destroyed.

These are but some of the principal losses: some ten or fifteen other buildings dwellings, out-houses, shops &c. are destroyed. Trees of all sizes and kinds are torn up and dashed to atoms. There are but few buildings in the place, especially in the northern and central parts of it, where all the most important buildings were, that are not racked and seriously injured. The streets are covered with fragments.

This was the work of certainly less than five minutes —yet wonderful as it appears, amidst the crash of falling buildings, the fury of the bursting tempest, the peals of thunder, and the livid glare of lighting, not a soul in Hanover or its vicinity was either killed or seriously injured.