Editor's note: THE FALL 1994 CIGO published a May 19, 1883, article concerning "A DANCING CYCLONE." The following material is extracted from a follow-up article which gives more details about the persons involved and closely pin points where the families lived. Note that the storm is now referred to as "deadly," not dancing. NEAR JACKSONVILLE - The cyclone in the vicinity of Jacksonville was terribly destructive to life and property. At the town of Literberry the spectacle is a sad one. The storm swept through and the residence and business portion of the town, and lasted one minute. In that brief period the Baptist and Christian churches and were both were completely demolished, four stone building were destroyed and contents blown away, and about 25 dwelling-houses leveled to the ground. The killed were JOHN TROTTER, age 75; MRS. JOHN TROTTER; AGNES GRIFFIN, age 22; MRS. MARY J. STEVENSON, age 65; Lilly Griffin, 6 months; The seriously wounded are DR. S. Griffin, who was unconscious up to Saturday night; MRS. DR. GRIFFIN, a leg broken, also unconscious; five members of the GRIFFIN family more or less injured, all of whom are in Jacksonville receiving attention. The others hurt were Mr. & Mrs.C. K. HUDSON, THOMAS HAMMOND and family of five, JAMES STEVENSON, MRS.GEORGE VAUGHN, DAVID CAMPBELL, MRS. E. FOSTERS three children, MRS.MARTHA RAY and daughter, MRS.FLEMING, GEO. FLEMING and daughter, HENRY and JAMES CRUM. The loss of property at Literberry is estimated at $100,000.00. South of Jacksonville the property of CHAS. WATERS, MARION EDWARDS, JOHN RAWLINS, JUDGE SAMUEL WOODS, at Woodlawn, JAMES OXLEY was destroyed. MRS. OXLEY is perhaps fatally injured, and little son had his collar bone and arm broken. MRS. OXLEY was about to become a mother. A tramp in JUDGE WOODS' barn was fearfully injured. In the vicinity of Roodhouse much damage was done. WESTROPE'S house took fire and was burned, and Charles Kelly. age 15 died from injuries received....JAMES GOOCHER'S dwelling went the way of the others....About Murrayville, in Morgan County, numerous houses were destroyed. REV. A. GUNN'S dwelling was demolished, and RILEY JAMES, J.W. STORY, SAM KENSHER, A.C. KIBLIN, JESSIE COVINGTON, JOSEPH WARCUP, and J.K. FANNING and their families are homeless. THE LOSS OF LIFE - Associated Press computed the loss of life in Illinois, given by counties and towns, as follows: DeWitt county, 4; Mason county, 3; Livingston county, 2; Near Graton, Jersey County, 3; Madison County, 1; Winnebago County, 5; Literberry, Morgan County, 7; Roodhouse, Green County, 8; Douglas, 1; Logan, 1; Macoupin, 6; Hillsboro, 2 Staunton & Mt. Olive, 6; Cayoga, 1; McHenry,5; Sangamon, 5, Buffalo Station, 2; Total, 61. (Central Illinois Gen.Qtly. XXX:4, Winter 1994, Decatur Genealogical Society, MaconCounty, IL) JAG&HS XXIII #1 March 1995. Mary Frances Alkire granted permission for me to copy " Cyclone article". Lorma