April-June 1858 was abnormally active for severe weather with abnormally high rainfall amounts from Missouri to Virginia to Pennsylvania & Maryland. +18" of rainfall fell in parts of Indiana April to May (from what observational data has been preserved & gathered), culminating to historic flooding in latter May to June over the state with the Wabash at Lafayette seeing some of the highest levels on record (even compared to today). +33" rainfall was recorded at one site April 1-July 31 in east-central Indiana.
The Wabash River in downtown Lafayette reached 28.0' on June 11, 1858 or just 4.9' shy of the great March 26, 1913 crest. The Wildcat was reportedly as its highest level since 1836 or 1837 (two other very wet Springs to Summers). The Wea was reportedly 5' higher than any other stage known to any settlers residing in that area.
Bouts of flooding in our area were commonplace latter April through May, reaching a peak in the first half of June. Amidst this, severe weather occurred, including a damaging likely EF2 tornado the went through where present-day West Lafayette is located, specifically just north of Chauncey Hill. These same severe weather day also had the deadly Ellison, Illinois tornado & the tornado in Edgar County, Illinois (near Paris) or south of Danville.
The floods & severe weather were the talk of local press at the time & also into Illinois:
Various sources indicated the active weather pattern that was damaging from a severe weather & flooding perspective. The 1858 flood in Lafayette was the worst since 1844, which was also a big flooding year. 1844 was similar to 1993 & 2003 in many respects. 1858 is slightly different in that the major flooding & storms seemingly shut off in late June & it was unusually dry & hot July-August, hampering a corn crop that was largely mudded in during mid to late June.
Timothy H. Ball in his Northwestern Indiana from 1800-1900 or A View of Our Region Through the Nineteenth Century wrote from his records:
1858. A wet spring and summer.......July 8 and 9, mercury 100 degrees..........
About half past 6 o’clock the wind began to blow from the northwest, where a dark, heavy cloud had been hanging for sometime. It continued to increase in intenseness for near a half hour, accompanied with torrents of rains and volleys of hail. A little past seven o’clock it lulled away, the rain in a measure ceased, but devastation and ruin were the visible traces of its angry visit.
“Notwithstanding the fierce wrath of the storm had found its crisis at about seven o’clock, had visited almost every habitation in our town with a destroyer’s merciless intent, leaving them more or less scored and bruised, yet the heavy clouds poured down their torrents of rain, the forked lightning hissed its fiery course in vivid awfulness athwart the sky, the winds howled about the dwellings, thrashing trees and shrubbery with destructive violence till between two and three o’clock Friday morning when a calm began gradually to reign over our storm-scathed village..............
...............".......storm appears to have extended over a territory of more than 25 miles in width,” the report says, “but where it commenced or where it ended in its devastating journey, we have no means of stating at our present writing. The dismay and suffering, loss of life and property, and the consequent lamentation, marks the progress of this sweeping tornado, as one that has scarcely, if ever been equaled in Illinois.
The heavy storm of Thursday last week seems to have swept with much greater violence over a scope of country fifteen or twenty miles south of here, than in this locality. Its effects were most severe in the range of Galesburg, Peoria, and Bloomington, in each of which cities a great destruction of property took place. The tornado seems to have crossed this State from northwest to southeast, with a terrible force, leveling the trees and unroofing and blowing down hundreds of houses , in its track. It crossed the Mississippi at Oquawka, at which point a large livery stable was blown down and entirely destroyed, and several horses killed. Two mills were also ruined and several houses unroofed.
At Galesburg, many buildings were blown down and houses unroofed. At Peoria much damage was done - Every church spire in the place was blown down, fifteen or twenty houses unroofed, one steamer had her cabin blown away, and three canal boats were sunk. A stiff, on the lake, containing Alderman Beesman, and his wife and three children, was capsized, and all except the father were drowned.
The Gas works were completely destroyed, and serious damage done to the railroad bridge over the river. The round house of the R.I.R.R. was partially blown down, and several engines damaged. Nearly every house in the city was more or less damaged, and the loss, it is estimated, cannot be short of $75,000. The following further particulars of the ravages of the tornado we glean from the "Peoria Transcript".
As the excitement in Peoria in relation to the great tornado wears away, a more definite estimate of the damage done can be arrived at. We think the amount of property destroyed has been greatly overestimated. Fifty or sixty thousand dollars will undoubtedly cover the entire loss in Peoria, but in the country surrounding, the damage is much more extensive.................
Battle of the Elements. On Saturday evening last, about 4 P. M., the quiet of our usually peace-loving community was most suddenly and strikingly dissipated by a tremendous Hail-storm, which swept over us in its rapid and furious career like the incarnation of desolating wrath. The heat of the morning, and the gathering forces of black clouds gradually darkening the heavens, had portended a storm, but the hail was an unanticipated addition. Our first intimation of its approach was in the shape of a hail-stone about the size of a hen’s egg, which crashed through a pane of glass and fell at our feet. Then followed with terrific celerity the cannonading of Hail, the total annihilation of window-glass, whose shivered fragments strewed the floor in all directions; while the bending trees with broken branches and flying leaves, attested the fury of the gale. The heavens seemed blotted out, the whole sky filled with descending hail-stones, and the Angel of the Tempest seemingly exulting in this awful conflict of contending j elements. Scarcely a house has escaped injury..........
May 18:About 2 P. M., today another storm of hail and rain, heralded by most vivid lightning, and accompanied the roll of “the Thunder Drum of Heaven,” fell upon us with its furious blast and deluged us again with its descending flood. As we write the rain pours down in torrents. The hail has ceased.
Reconstructions show the above normal rainfall rates in our area & the cooler air here & north & hotter air west & southwest with a likely pseudo-stationary front focusing the rainfall between the two airmasses.
Just a sampling of Indiana flood & severe weather accounts I have uncovered & transcribed from Spring to early Summer 1858. This does include articles from the viewing area. Unfortunately, exact weather records & measurements for this period are unavailable in the viewing area, but an observer in east-central Indiana at the time did keep accurate records. This showed 12.00" rainfall in May after 8.12" in April, then 8.62" fell in June (see below).
Tornado in Northern Orange County in 1858
About the year 1858 a terrific cyclone passed over a portion of this township [Northwest Township 1], and a young woman named Proctor was killed. The family was living in a log house which was utterly demolished, but the balance of the persons in it were almost miraculously preserved from injury. The storm did great damage along it entire path by destroying homes, fences and other property.
History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington Counties, Indiana 1884 Page 390
1 From the Editor from previous paragraph in the text
Multiple Severe Weather Episodes May-June 1858
Our Illinois exchanges five further details of the damages by the late storm. It extended also into Indiana.We see it states that at Newport, on the Wabash, there was a perfect tornado, with a heavy rain and hailstorm. Several yoke of oxen, horses, etc., were lifted up, blown into the river, and drowned. Dwellings, mills, barns, etc., were blown down or unroofed. At Montezuma, a large number of hogs, cattle, and horses were killed, and the buildings seriously damaged.
The Yeoman Frankfort, Kentucky May 22, 1858 Page 2
In a storm on June 9, train overturned at Baker's Corner (near Stockwell) south of Lafayette. It killed engineer Patrick Mahon & fireman McLaughlin from Lafayette.
....wind, hail and rain storms came from the southwest up the Wabash river and switched over towards the northeast along the line of the old canal. The Wild Cat Valley seemed to be their objective point......
Lafayette Journal Lafayette, Indiana June 1858 Page 1
In the storm of 1858 the tin roof of the Salem street depot was blown off, rolled up like a scroll, carried two hundred feet away and deposited in the commons. The roof was also take off the Wild Cat bridge. In the second storm named, the east span of the Main street bridge was blown away and the ice house of George W. Burroughs totally demolished. In the second storm named, the east span of the Main street bridge was blown away and the ice house of George W. Burroughs was totally demolished.
Past and Present of Tippecanoe County By Richard Patten DeHart 1909 Page 397-398
The Storms.
Tornadoes were very much the “rage” for the few days last week. Some portions of Illinois suffered the most severely. A general idea of that occurred in that direction was given in our last. It was only greater and more general that that account might lead one to suppose. It was certainly a severeer visitation of the kind than any thing our country has been accustomed. Some portions of Ohio also had their storms.
We here of quite a number of casualties, too, from lightning. Among others, one that is a little singular, is that of Mr. Votaw, of Jay county, who lost a valuable lots of hogs that were situated near his house at the time-no other harm done. The necessity of attaching lightning rods to pig-sties had probably not been much thought of. We “read of” a man's having his horse killed by the same agent while rising him, himself passing unscathed. But it would make a long article to relate all the circ*mstances of the kind that have come to our knowledge in a few days. It is hoped that a preeminent calm had taken possession of the elements at last.
Since writing the above the “calm” has not been disturbed. It continues to rain ascalmlyand as unmitigately as ever before since the great deluge.
The Randolph Journal Winchester, Indiana May 27, 1858 Page 2
Hail Storm.
Yesterday Evening, (Friday) we were visited with quite a hail storm, lasting some three or five minutes, which completely covered the ground with hail-stones, about the size hazlenuts.
Rochester Gazette Rochester, Indiana May 15, 1858 Page 2
The Late Storms—Suggestion.
Many portions of Ohio and Iowa, as well as of Indiana and Illinois, suffered to a greater or less extent from the late tornadoes. This is something rather new for our part of the country. Nothing coming very nearly up to the late storms in severity has ever occurred, we believe, in our country since its settlement and its forecasts ever indicated its being a hurricane country. That the destruction of these forests should make some difference in the freedom and strength of our winds, it is not difficult to believe; and it would perhaps not be out of the way for us to let the result of the late storms influence us to some extent in our architecture.
Randolph Journal Winchester, Indiana May 27, 1858 Page 3
The storm of Friday evening was mostly remarkable here for the tremendous torrents of rain that fell. The wind did but little more harm than to drive the rain right through roofs, windows and walls. It was a terrible wetting our town received on that evening-but it is getting used to such things and bears them remarkably well.
We learn that a Mr. Smith, of Cabin creek, had two valuable horses killed by lightning during the storm of Friday evening. The stable was “struck” but not fired and only one post shivered a little and a single board forced off. There were none, or very slightly marks of injury about the animals. The casualty efforts rather a knock down argument in favor of lightning rods.
Randolph County Journal Winchester, Indiana May 20, 1858 Page 3
"Terrific Hail Storm" In Marshall County: June 19, 1858
Terrific Hail Storm!
Our town and vicinity was visited on Saturday afternoon last, about 2 o'clock, by a terrible hail storm, accompanied by a fierce wind and the hardest rain we ever saw fall, together with frequent exceedingly loud claps of thunder, preceded by keen and vivid flashes of lightning. The storm lasted nearly half an hour, breaking a considerable number of window panes, and doing great damage to the gardens. Some of the hail stones measured six and seven inches in circumference, or about as large as a common size hen egg. We noticed a number as they fell that looked as large as a hulled walnut. The copious rain that fell after the hail ceased melted it all in a very short time, except where it drifted in heaps. The storm came from the northeast and passed off in the southwest direction. But we were here just in the southern edge of the storm. A mile north it raged with much greater fury than it did here; the hail not only fell in much greater quantity, we learn, but the stones were generally larger, destroying the wheat, rye and oats crops, in its track, most effectually, and seriously injuring the corn and other growing crops, as well as the fruit and trees, and breaking the glass in the windows of the dwelling houses. We have been able to ascertain the names of only a few of the sufferers, as follows, Mr. John L. Woodward, H. B. Pershing, Jos. Trowbridge, Jere. King, Jos. Evans and A. Keshing.
All others in its track must have been damaged more or less. We have no data by which to estimate the aggregate loss in the county, but it must amount to thousands of dollars. We have read of more terrific and destructive storms, but have no desire to witness a more terrible one than that of Saturday.
The storm was from two to two and a half miles wide and in some places, while in others, we hear it stated, it contracted to half a mile in width. How far west it extended we have not been able to learn. Soon after the storm commenced the county jail was struck by lightning, but fortunately it was not damaged any of consequence. As we said above, we never saw the rain fall faster, it came down in torrents, and in incalcuable short space of time the streets were flooded, and presented the appearance of a miniature river.
Hail was picked up Monday on Mr. Pershing's farm, in places where it had drifted in piles.
Marshall County Republican Plymouth, Indiana June 24, 1858 Page 3
Flood of 1858
Rumors reaching the city this morning of an unprecedented flood in the Wea creek, and great destruction of property.........the timbers of the N.A. & S. R. R. bridge, which crosses the Wea creek, some distance above, came floating down, and lodging against the Valley Road bridge, below the mill. The heavy structure, already partially undermined, yielding to the immense pressure, came down with a terrific crash. The aqueduct of the Wabash & Erie Canal, was swept away soon after.
The creek has not been so high within the memory of the oldest inhabitants. The farms above and below have been greatly damaged in the loss of fences and the washing out of what little corn has been planted in the bottoms during the past week.
Lafayette Journal June 10, 1858 Page 1
Another railroad catastrophe, similar to that which occurred on the New York Central, though less destructive to human life, occurred on Friday night. May 30th, on the Lafayette and Indianapolis Railroad, about twenty-two miles east of Lafayette, Indiana. The Cincinnati Night Express was crossing abridge at that point, the abutments of which had been undermined by a freshet, when the whole structure gave way just as the engine had crossed, and the train was precipitated into the water. Three persons only — the conductor, the engineer, and the fireman- were killed, and the passengers, most wonderfully, all escaped without injury.
Daily Alta California San Francisco, California June 15, 1858
The third big flood was in 1858. In 1875 came two nearly equal to that of 1847, the first in May, the next in August, both reaching about the same height. But for the levees then built along the west bank for a mile and more the whole the county west of the river to the bluff of the "bottom" would have been drowned. In the early part of February of this year (1883) the highest flood ever known, except possibly that of 1847 and that of 1828, occurred, filled a large number of houses in Indianola, driving out the occupants and damaging walls and furniture, and sweep clear over the National road for the first time since 1847. It was more than a foot higher than either flood of 1875. Levees now protect the west side-the only one endangered by floods to any extent within the limits of costly improvement-for nearly three miles south of the Vandalia Railroad to a point opposite the mouth of Pleasant Run. These will be extended in time parallel with the levee on the east side below Pleasant Run. These are the chief levees on the river. Some small ones have been made along the south bank of Fall Creek at the northern limit of the city site.
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS
Made at Chester, Wayne County, Indiana
By John Valentine
SUMMARY FOR MARCH, 1858
Least height of the thermometer..............................-3 deg.
Greatest height of thermometer..............................70 deg.
Monthly range...........................................73 deg.
Least daily variation......................................5 deg.
Greatest daily variation.................................34 deg.
Mean temperature of month.......................37.5 deg.
Coldest day the 2d-mean temperature..................9.2 deg.
Warmest day the 16th-mean temperature........................61.8 deg.
Number of days on which snow fell......................5
Number of day on which rain fell...............5
Number of days on which water fell................10
Depth of snow.....................1.22 inches
Depth of rain.............2.50"
Depth of water in month..............1.42"
The sky was clear one day, nearly so ten, cloudy five, nearly so one, variable fourteen.
The wind was north-east three days, south-east two, south-west nine, west two, north-west six, and variable nine.
MEMORANDA.-This month was much warmer than for past two years, and above the average of the past six, but below that for 1852 and 1854. It was very cold till the tenth, after which date there was but little frost, but continued chilly winds kept back vegetation. The amount of rain is about half the usual average, but the ground kept very wet from the heavy rains last fall, and the roads were worse than for five years past.
___________________
SUMMARY FOR APRIL, 1858
Least hight of the thermometer..............................23 deg.
Greatest hight of thermometer..............................79 deg.
Monthly range...........................................56 deg.
Least daily variation......................................5 deg.
Greatest daily variation.................................40 deg.
Mean temperature of month.......................48.8 deg.
Coldest day the 26th-mean temperature..................34 deg.
Warmest day the 29th-mean temperature........................66 deg.
Number of days on which rain fell......................16
Number of days on which snow fell................5
Number of days on which water fell...................20
Depth of rain....................8.12 inches
Depth of snow.....................0.50"
Depth of water in month.............8.12"
The sky was clear on no day in the month, nearly clear three, cloudy eight, nearly so two, variable seventeen.
The wind was north-east five days, south-east two, south-west five, west one, north-west five, and variable twelve.
MEMORANDA.-This has been the most disagreeable April in my recollection. The quantity of rain is three times greater than the average of the past six years. Many farmers have not plowed a furrow, and there was little hope of a crop this year. From the 23d to the 28th it was very cold, and on the 27th, the mercury sunk nine degrees below the freezing point, destroying fruit of all kinds.
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SUMMARY FOR MAY, 1858
Least height of the thermometer..............................32 deg.
Greatest height of thermometer..............................82 deg.
Monthly range...........................................52 deg.
Least daily variation......................................5 deg.
Greatest daily variation.................................38 deg.
Mean temperature of month.......................57 deg.
Coldest day the 11th-mean temperature..................43 deg.
Warmest day the 23d -mean temperature........................70 deg.
Number of days on which rain fell......................22
Depth of rain....................12 inches
The sky was entirely clear on no day of the month, nearly clear four, cloudy seven, nearly so five, and variable fifteen.
The wind was north-east four days, south-east four, south-west five, west one, north-west six, and variable eleven.
MEMORANDA.-This month has been unparalleled for rain, the amount exceeding the average at least three-fold. The ground has been too wet to plow, and the prospect is gloomy for farmers, crops have been much injured, and not half of the usual quantity of corn has been planted; many farmers have not yet plowed for the corn crop. Rain has fallen on forty-two days of the last two months. The mean temperature of the month has been below the average.
___________________
SUMMARY FOR JUNE, 1858
Least height of the thermometer..............................42 deg.
Greatest height of thermometer..............................92 deg.
Monthly range...........................................50 deg.
Least daily variation......................................4 deg.
Greatest daily variation.................................30 deg.
Mean temperature of month.......................69 deg.
Coldest day the 12th-mean temperature..................51 deg.
Warmest day the 27th -mean temperature........................79 deg.
Number of days on which rain fell......................20
Depth of rain....................8.62 inches
The sky was clear one day, nearly so six, cloudy four, nearly so one, variable eighteen. The wind was north-east seven days, east one, south-east two, south-west ten, variable ten.
MEMORANDA.-The marked feature of this, as of the past two months, is the great quantity of rain; more than doubling the average for the past six years, and even exceeding the amount in June, 1855. Crops have been much injured. The mean temperature is above the average, but the mercury, as in the last two months, has not run so high or sunk so low as it generally does. The wet weather of the last three months has not been marked by very great variations in temperature.
________________
SUMMARY FOR JULY, 1858
Least height of the thermometer..............................49 deg.
Greatest height of thermometer..............................91 deg.*
Monthly range...........................................42 deg.
Least daily variation......................................6 deg.
Greatest daily variation.................................32 deg.
Mean temperature of month.......................71 deg.
Coldest day the 24th-mean temperature..................62 deg.
Warmest day the 7th -mean temperature........................77 deg.
Number of days on which rain fell......................14
Depth of rain....................4.90 inches**
The sky was clear on no day of the month, nearly clear eleven, cloudy two, variable eighteen.
The wind was north-east four days, east one, south-east four, south west five, north-west three, and variable fourteen.
MEMORANDA-The mean temperature of this month is a fraction below the average; but the weather has been regularly warm; more rain than the average, but still four inches less than in July 1855. The weather was very dry from the 11th to the 26th, and the crops suffered very much, having before been drenched with water. Wheat is injured by rust and weevil; oats are a failure, and corn on low ground very backward.
Annual Report of the Indiana State Board of Agriculture: Containing the Transactions of the Board and Reports of County Societies, for 1857 by Ignatius Brown, Secretary of the Board 1858 Pages 745, 748 & 751
It [1858 flood 1] was probably equaled by that of 1828 and 1847, and very closely approached that of February of this year (1883)
1 From the me
* this seems low for July when other locations in Indiana & Illinois reached 98-101 as soils very rapidly dried & an apparent intense upper ridge expanded northeastward.
** this rainfall is higher than what other locations indicate. This recording spot may have just been wetter & therefore cooler than other areas.
-Me (Chad)
History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana By Barry Robinson Sulgrove 1884 Pages 57 & 131-132
May 14.-Very wet time. 23d to 30th-Unusual showers, with thunder. 24th-Very wet till June 4th.
June 10-Flood of rain. Cold afterward.
July 8th and 9th.-Mercury 100*
Lake County, Indiana 1834-1872 by Timothy Horton Ball 1873 Page 226
The river at midnight was on a stand, having reached a point forty-one inches by measurement above the high water mark of 1844, and thirty-one inches above the highest mark of the flood of 1828.
The rise in the river night before last, was astonishing as an incident will illustrate. A valuable cow belonging to a widow lady, was hemmed in by water on the opposite side of the river, and was with great difficulty rescued, and brought to the shore. The animals was placed in an enclosure, near Hogeland's Factory, and during the night the water rose to a sufficient depth to drown her.
Lafayette Journal Lafayette, Indiana June 12, 1858 Page 1
TWO DAYS.-Two Days have passed and we have actually had no rain. This is certainly remarkable for this year.......
HIGH WATER.-The rain on last Saturday and Saturday night has caused the river to rise again. It is now thought impossible to produce anything on the bottom lands in this county.
Washington Telegraph Washington, Indiana June 10, 1858 Page 3
Goshen Tornado & Elkhart County Storm June 1858
June, 1858, a rain storm swept over the county which did much damage to buildings and crops. The Hawk's block in the town of Goshen suffered most, the tornado causing the abutments to give way.
History of Elkhart County, Indiana By Anthony Deahl 1905 Page 887
