1860 Tornado

Taken from Cedar Rapids paper, "The Cedar Valley Times", June 7, 1860.  

Iowa experienced terrible loss from tornados on Sunday, June 3, 1860.  Below is the portion that tells of the tornado in the Ely area.  It was located at the Cedar Rapids Library newspaper archives.


"The cloud to the southward passed over the town of Shueyville, about 9 miles south of this city [Cedar Rapids], destroying 2 dwellings; and then passed on through Banner Valley, unroofing the Lutheran church.  No lives were lost at either of the above places.

It then took a southeasterly [should be northeasterly] direction towards the Cedar River, passing through the Roger's settlement, seven miles from Cedar Rapids, on the west side of the river, destroying the dwellings of Mr. Thompson and Mr. Carns.  Mr. Carns' son was instantly killed.  A child 7 years old was carried by the storm a distance of 2 miles over the Cedar River.  The destroying fiend then took a jump, and the next we noticed of its work was at St. Marys, a small hamlet 2 miles south of Mt. Vernon.

If you wish to read the full article, click here to download the .pdf file.