1840 LIBERTY SEATED H10C, NO DRAPERY PR65

As in recent news, it is evident that Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with and certainly an unpredictable one at that. This was also evident in 1840 when a sudden and deadly tornado struck the relatively popular port-town of Natchez, Mississippi on May 7th and took an estimated three-hundred seventeen lives. All was well on the morning of the 7th as residents prepared for their day, though it was apparent that there was a possibility for storm later that day. By one o’clock menacing storm clouds had gathered above the town, while the sky rumbled angrily, but this was still no cause for alarm. Not long after it was obvious that this storm was stronger than originally anticipated. At this point the clouds had culminated into “black masses” as recounted by a citizen, so much so that diners at a local eatery had to light candles in order to eat. Then, out of nowhere ten minutes after the two o’clock hour, the deadly tornado made landfall. The tornado landed approximately ten miles southwest of the town and ravaged its way across the Mississippi into Natchez. Its trek across the river is perhaps where the most damage and highest death rate occurred. As a port town on the Mississippi river that required minimal storage tax for boats, several owners and captains docked their ships there. When the tornado hit, several steam boats and one hundred-twenty flatboats were stored on location. In the end, one hundred sixteen flatboats had been sent to the bottom of the river while one steamboat sunk and others severely damaged. Approximately two-hundred people drowned from the port location alone, which clearly added a significant number to the toll. On top of that, the actually city was virtually leveled when the tornado hit, which racked up a total of $1,260,000 in 1840 (33 million dollars in 2016). Furthermore, most of the numbers are guesstimates of damages and death tolls since it was so long ago and few people could be identified since they were not from Natchez. While, the actual event was relatively short, only lasting three to five minutes, the effect truly remained for years after it struck and is still known as the second deadliest tornado in U.S. history.