Simpson Chapel - Putnam

Postponed – the dedication of Simpson Chapel will take place on the 29th inst, instead of the 22d as advertised – the change being made to meet the arrangements of Bishop Simpson who is to preach the dedicatory sermon

SIMPSON Chapel – The congregation of Simpson Chapel are undismayed at the disaster that has befallen their church and are busily working to repair damages. They expect to get the roof on this week so as to be able to worship in the lower room next Sabbath.  Last Sabbath by invitation of Rev. Mr. Green they attended services at Roberts’ Chapel where a very interesting sermon was delivered by Prof. Wiley.

Thanks to Larry Slavens, we discover the disaster -- Weik's History of Putnam County – Only two casualties worth of record – neither of them attended by a single death have ever visited Greencastle. The first was a tornado – or cyclone as it is now called – which struck the city at 8 o’clock in the evening Nov 8, 1867. The current issue of the Banner contains a detailed account of the disaster which is too elaborate for insertion here. The storm, which came from the southwest after blowing over dwellings, barns and everything else in its path, “next struck Asbury University, smashing in the windows, tearing the bricks from the walls and starting the immense roof, which for a wonder it did not carry off. Had the roof gone, 200 students who were in the building at the time would have been buried beneath the ruins. Simpson Chapel and the Old Seminary were next struck and almost entirely unroofed and parts of the walls carried away. The upper room in Simpson Chapel was a complete wreck – furniture, chandeliers, everything in fact, broken to pieces. The roof was precipitated into the yard of Mr. Westerfield, doing considerable damage. The old Seminary is injured beyond repair. A part of it was carried across the street and landed in the yard of JF Duckworth… The Baptist Church was then struck and entirely destroyed. It was a brick building, erected only a few year since at a cost of $5700.  It seems impossible that a building apparently so strong could be so utterly destroyed – the walls torn down within a few feet of the ground … as near as can be gathered the loss will exceed $1300.