page updated
May 21, 2009
page updated
May 21, 2009
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Peter Purman's home after the May 1918 tornado.
The Purman's and Hansel's were neighbors.
L-R: Peter Purman SR, his grandson Harry Purman and son Peter
Purman JR (Harry's father)
~photo contributed by Helen Jennings from her
personal collection
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The homes of Realto & Katie Hansel, before and after the great tornado of May 1918. |
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Pictured above left, is the first home of Realto & Katie Hansel located on Waymon Road near the Hansel Cemetery. The house was about three years old when it was taken by the 1918 twister. Realto had a large pile of lumber stacked near the house ready to build a new barn that the twister also destroyed. A little over three weeks before the storm on May 6, 1918, Katie gave birth to a son Alfred Vernon "Billy" Hansel. Realto & Katie had eight children at the time the storm took their home. Leo, Bertha, Naomi, Walter, Lucille, George, Elsie, and Billy. Another daughter Eunice was born later.
Their home didn't have a basement so the family went into a man-made cave located next to the house. Realto and the older children had to hang onto the cave door to keep it closed as the storm passed. When they came out of the cave they were covered with dirt probably from the change in wind pressure.
Realto and his brother Japen Hansel were married to sisters, Katie & Dora Feidt. Japen and Dora lived on a nearby farm that had been damaged by the storm, but the house was still intact. Realto, Katie and family walked in a heavy rain to Japen's home where they stayed until a new home (pictured on the right above) was built. This home still stands on Waymon road not far from the Hansel cemetery.
Realto and Katie's oldest son Leo Donald Hansel b. Dec. 12, 1903 had recently gotten his 8th grade diploma from the nearby Studebaker County School. After the storm someone from Wisconsin found his diploma which must have been carried across the Mississippi River, and it was returned to Leo.
Elsie (Hansel) Mallory, daughter of Katie & Realto, born August 7, 1916, was only two years old when the storm took their home. When the family went into the cave Elsie was wrapped in her quilted baby blanket that her mother Katie had made for her. Over the years Elsie treasured her blanket, and it was the only item she had from her early childhood.
~text by Judy Holthaus, daughter of Elsie (Hansel) Mallory
~the photos belonged to Elsie, who passed away July 17, 2008
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Realto Hansel farm after tornado in 1918. It was up Wayman out of Garber, and it took everything.
~photo contributed by Helen Jennings from her personal collection
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Pictured above are the Japen Hansel home and barn after the 1918 storm. Realto & Katie Hansel and their family stayed with Japen & Dora Hansel in this house after the storm. It was later the Gilbert Hansel home, and still is standing.
~text by Judy Holthaus, daughter of Elsie (Hansel) Mallory
~the photos belonged to Elsie
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Lyman Hansel farm after
the May 21, 1918 tornado.
The three men looking over the total destruction of all the buildings on the Lyman Hansel farm are Elmer Morley, Albert Hageman, and John Bals. Blanche Hansel Morley told us that a pile of recently acquired lumber was left untouched. She almost didn't make it to the cave, as she was trying desperately to round up her little chicks and ducks, none of which were ever seen again. She had fiance Elmer Morley's sweater with her and enough yarn to finish it. A trousseau pillow, stored in a big wooden cracker box, was found in a tree, badly stained with molasses from a crock that had stood next to it. The case was washed and the feathers replaced with new. It was absolutely dark in the cave.
May 23, 1918 "Tuesday evening (May 21) excitement reigned when a tornado did much damage on the farms in the vicinity. Alto Hansel had everything swept completely away; Lyman Hansel, every building demolished; William Dryer, the outbuildings destroyed, the house left standing but moved from its foundation and slightly damaged; Mrs. Alice Feidt, everything destroyed except the house; and App Lovett, outbuildings and a part of the house destroyed. Mr. George Ruegnitz, Sr., had his head cut, requiring several stitches; George Portwine had three ribs fractured. It is estimated that the loss to livestock and property will be nearly $100,000."
~text & photo on page 327 of the Garber history book by Mirian Vorwald, 1994
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