George Hight, who lives three miles east of Upola, while harrowing in the field last Thursday, was struck by lightning. Mr. Hight was almost stripped of his clothing and was badly burned. His cap was found 15 feet from where he laid and one of the soles of his shoes three feet away. He could hear nothing and was in great distress for several days, but his hearing has now returned and the doctor has hopes of saving his life. The team he was driving was knocked down but soon recovered.
Published in Elk County Citizen, dated May 11, 1904
My grandfather was struck by lightening sitting in the kitchen of the sod dugout house. The lightening came down the stove pipe. He was sitting by the stove and it jumped and went down his leg. I don't remember the details of the story...but Grandad always just laughed and said........"It was a great shock." Grandma was not amused. I do remember that he yelled and was thrown to the floor.
The sad family event surrounding lightening, happened long ago. My greataunt Bessie's brother was struck and killed by lightening out on the prairie in Western Kansas, when he was just 16. His father demanded that he go out in the storm to get the cattle. Aunt Bessie's mother begged her husband to not make him go, but he wouldn't listen to her. The boy of course was killed. Aunt Bessie's mother never spoke to her husband again, although they lived together until he died many years later. I remember her mother from my early childhood. I never ever saw her smile.
That was truly a family tragedy!
On May 30, 1932, Archie L. Young, living near Busby, was struck and instantly killed by lightning in his pasture about a half mile from his home. There was no witness to the incident. He had walked away from his home, where he lived with his mother and young children, and when he did not return at the noon hour, nor at evening, his mother notified the neighbors and a search was made for him. The search was continued all night and early the next morning his body was found. He was lying on his face, his head badly burned and unrecognizable, his clothing almost stripped from his body. Death had been instantaneous.
Dr. Harner, coroner, and Sheriff Rader went out and took notes, but it was not deemed necessary to hold an inquest. Mr. Young was a World War soldier and Legionnaire, his wife died some time ago, and he leaves his mother and three young children. His mother kept house for him.
Charlie Hill, a farmer living about six miles southwest of Severy, was struck by lightning and killed on April 24, 1901. Hill had seen the storm coming and had unhitched, and was starting towards the house when the storm caught him. A strike of lightning hit him in the middle of the forehead, burned his head and face, went down the right side of his body burning his clothes and killing him instantly. Hill, 35, had been married only a few weeks.
An electrical storm which visited this area on June 10, 1911, was the cause of the death of Rachel Aletha Gray, 6 yrs. old, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Roy Gray, living about five miles southwest of Severy. As the rain storm came up, Mrs. Gray and Aletha went to the chicken house to look after some young turkeys. They had finished their work and had started toward the house when a bolt of lightning struck the child, killing her instantly, and knocked her mother down, stunning her slightly, but she did see her daughter jump off the ground and fall over dead. Mr. Gray was on his way to Severy when the lightning struck and neighbors phoned and told him of the terrible death.
Hazel Noakes, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. George Noakes, was killed by lightning on July 27, 1938, during a thunderstorm at her home one mile southwest of Fiat. The lightning also killed a team belonging to Mr. Noakes and struck his barn. The fire, however, was put out before much damage was done.
I'm curious.
Why did more people get struck by lightening back then than now? You hardly ever hear of someone being struck.
I have been out in lots of storms , but never really thought about getting hit.
I just wondered... ???
I was just wondering that very same thing..... ???
I found this on "Google."
"Lightning—The Underrated Killer
In the United States, there are an estimated 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes each year. Lightning can be fascinating to watch, but it is also extremely dangerous. During the past 30 years, lightning killed an average of 67 people per year in the United States based on documented cases. This is more than the average of 65 deaths per year caused by tornadoes and the average of 16 deaths per year caused by hurricanes. However, because lightning usually claims only one or two victims at a time, and because lightning does not cause the mass destruction left in the wake of tornadoes or hurricanes, lightning generally receives much less attention than the more destructive weather-related killers. While documented lightning injuries in the United States average about 300 per year, undocumented injuries caused by lightning are likely much higher."
Well!
I'll be darned!
Now I know.
;D
when middle daughter was going to high school, she worked after school at Twilight Manor and I would come down to Howard to get her at the end of her shift which I think was 10:00. This would have been in the late 70's. One particular night it was really storming, but had to come get her so did. On the way back to Severy, just as we started around the first curve of the S curve, there was a horrible loud loud crash, and everything went bright red, could see absolutely nothing and the sound was ear drum busting. I was driving a one ton with a flat bed and it stood absolutely still (I think). When I could see again, I realized we had been struck by lightening. I was scared stiff and so was Kelly, and afraid to touch anything metal in the truck. The motor was still running so we went on home. I was told that the tires would ground the pick-up, anyhow we got out when we got home, fully expecting to be elecrocuted when we touched the door handle. The next morning Lewis discovered the radio antenna was completely burned and black and nothing electric ever worked in the truck again, including the windshield wipers and radio. The wiring had been melted, I guess. Orvan Preston, who was living at that curve at the time, told Lewis he heard some tires squeel and he and Pat went up to the highway expecting to find an accident, but found nothing. And that's my one and only encounter with lightening and believe me, I do not go outside during a lightening storm. Once is definately enough.
I too am a lightening strike survivor. :P Not nice!!!
Well??? You gonna tell us the story or are you gonna to whistle Dixie.. LOL
Jeese Diane.. you dropped the crumb and now I want the whole slice of bread.
Cough it up girl and tell. :)
OK, the summer I was 14, 1959, my girl friend from Chicago was visiting for a couple of weeks. It was late July and the gardens were in full tilt. We had been picking beans and such most of the afternoon. We had also picked several large metal buckets of peaches. A big thunderstorm was brewing and Barbara headed for the house. I quickly finished the filling the bucket I had and began to run too. She made it up on the front porch and into the front door with me running about 50 feet behind her. There was this sudden incredible explosion with extremely bright, blinding, electric blue light everywhere and the strong smell of ozone. The hair all over my body stood up like some science experiment and my feet were knocked out from under me. The bucket, with a big dent in its side, went flying across the yard, tossing peaches in all directions. I was stunned and Barb thought I was dead. I remember one moment of all over pain. I remember hard rain hitting me in the face then, and I remember being in the dining room, but have no memory of how I got there. I was deaf as a post for several hours, but seemed to have no burns or other damage. Mom called our family doctor who said I would probably be alright but to let him know if my hearing didn't come back. We think it was probably a deflected strike from our lightening rods and the bucket took the worst of it, but we'll never know for sure. I sure said extra prayers of thanks that night!
Wow.. no wonder you are "lightening shy" :o
Holy Buckets You were one lucky girl, that is for sure - And I am so glad you were --- I TRULY like to read your posts. Guess I have adopted you too, Diane.