Charles Landon Hibbard, ca 1900
One of the most dramatic stories that came from the Snyder tornado was that of Professor Charles Landon Hibbard, one of the town's educators. Hibbard's parents were visiting him. When it became apparent that a storm was coming, he gathered his four children, his wife and aged parents together and started for the cellar. His parents could not move swiftly, neither could the smaller children.. Lloyd, the 12 year old sonwas sent ahead to open the cellar door. The remainder of the family came on toward the cellar as the din of the approaching storm grew louder.
The professor, leading his father and mother, slowed his steps to match theirs, and his wife was close behid with the children.
The children began to whimper in fright, it was then that Lloyd could hear the voice of this father raised above the storm, quoting Shakespeare's Julius Caesar; " Cowards die many times before their death, the valiant never taste of death but once". He continued,
That was the last memory the boy had of his father. The entire family, except for Lloyd and a brother Ed, died before they reached shelter. Lloyd told the story next day to Nyra Deming, now Mrs. R. F. Trader. She thought then and does now (1975), that the professor must have been one of the bravest of brave men.
The professor and his family lie today in the Snyder cemetery. There is one stone for all, marked with the name HIBBARD. Martain (Martin), Nellie Bell, Charles Landon, Charles' wife, Charlie, Harold Hibbard all buried in one grave after the tornado.
