Just over 100 years ago, a hurricane in October of 1916 tore through the Virgin Islands with a vengeance—leaving a path of destruction similar to hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. 🌧
The damage was of historic proportions for its time and it left a lasting impression on the generation that endured it.
Ignacia Baa
Francesca Baa, our great-grandmother, was a seamstress and mother of two young children, Leon, ten years of age and Rita, a baby.
She huddled with her family and twin sister, Ignacia, in their wooden-crafted home on Frenchman’s Hill.
Her neighborhood would turn out to be one of the hardest hit on St. Thomas.
The morning of the ninth opened with a drizzling, disagreeable rain, with slight winds that rose and fell throughout the day.
Nothing that would indicate impending danger.
The Barometer Drops!
When the barometer started dropping, the winds picked up.
Almost before the storm shutters could be closed, heavy gusts of wind and veritable downpours of rain began.
The wind speed was reckoned at approximately 125 to 140 miles per hour!
The Storm’s Fury
St. Thomas after the hurricane
Later that evening, the storm returned in all its fury from the southeast, bending, breaking, smashing everything in its track.
Much that escaped in its first pass, was being demolished on its second.
The only consolation Francesca had was to know that each blast would be weaker and weaker, as the barometer rose.
By daylight, the monster storm was a thing of the past.
Complete Devastation
Francesca Baa’s Account
Francesca Baa
Francesca told family members that “she lifted her son up onto a trunk” to keep him from being swept away by all the water that was pouring into her home.
Besides Frenchman’s Hill, the neighborhood of Savan was also hardest hit.
Her granddaughter, Lorraine remembered that years later, when the red flag on Hassel Island was raised to warn of another impending hurricane, Gran would start to cry.
When she asked her why, she said that during the earlier storm, she saw what seemed like a tsunami come ashore.
The water went out and came rushing back in and for days later, people were picking dead fish from the trees.
A few deaths were reported; the captain of the sloop, Faith and the two crewmen on board the Spider, which was captained by a distant relative, William Creque.
Like all disasters, out of the chaos that ensues unsung heroes emerge to help their neighbors.
All that changed after Hurricane Maria walloped the islands for the second time.
Nevertheless, their generosity will always be remembered.
Just as the islands were grateful for the lifelines that Valkyrien extended 100 years ago, we are very grateful to the people of St. Croix and Puerto Rico.
In honor of all the helping hands, past and present, Thank You!👏🏼 👏🏼
