Pictured above is the larger of Hildry Campbell’s two barns that were destroyed by the tornado which swept through Adams County last Thursday night.
April 15, 1965
A tornado swept through Liberty township on Thursday night of last week leaving barns and buildings piled up and causing thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.
The storm struck at 8:45 p.m. and residents of the area stated that it lasted only a few seconds while the rain and hail continued quite a while longer. It was said the lights went out caused by power failure at 8:40 and the storm struck about five minutes later.
Hit the hardest was Hildry Campbell whose loss will range between $15,000 and $20,000. This includes the total destruction to two barns, two garages, a double corn crib, a smoke house, twisted the dwelling on its foundation, tore off portions of the roof and broke out windows. They also had a combine that was damaged. Their two children, Joan, 13, and John, 15, were at home at the time.
Glenn Messer, who resides near the Campbell’s, had a 52×50 foot barn leveled, roof on another barn damaged and two farm wagons destroyed. His loss was between $4,000 and $5,000.
Robert Brewer, also of Liberty Township, had a shed torn off one barn, a barn twisted and minor damages to their dwellings and a milk house. His listed damages are around $750.
The end of a barn at the Leo Riffle farm, in the same neighborhood, was destroyed.
At the Albert McClanahan farm a large elm tree was blown over and the roof of the dwelling buckled, roof taken off a corn crib and a barn damaged. There was no estimate of the loss.
Barry McFarland, owner of Barry’s Motor Sales, West Union, reported damage to some of the new cars he had on his lot. He stated that hail stones dented the tops and hoods of some of the cars. West Union residents reported that hail stones (as large as golf balls) fell for a short time. Some of the local residents ventured out and gathered some of the stones and kept them refrigerated for a while.
There were several power lines reported damaged and a power failure because of the damages around 30 minutes.
Insurance agents reported they had received numerous claims for roof damages and windows blown out by the high winds.
The rain caused some of the highways to be blocked because of high water. Route 41 near Bradyville was made impassable for a while and smaller creeks running out across major highways blocked travel.
