Dallas Morning News
May 3, 1891

Special To The News
McKinney, Tex. - In The News of recent date D.B. Keiper gives his reminiscences of the famous April (1857) norther on the coast in Jackson county, Texas.  I write to corroborate and give my experience in Collin County and make a slight correction in his date.  He puts it April 9. I quote from my diary which puts it April 6.

April 4, 1857, rained a little.  I rode with George Wilson and others across Sister and Pilot Grove creeks hunting cattle.  Cleared off and we camped, and did well till 2 a.m. 

April 5, when a rain and norther struck us and we had to build a fire.  It snowed a little and we came home through a whizzing norther.

April 6: Ice from half to three-quarters of an inch thick; wheat over knee high and heading, all fell flat before night; corn (most of it) had been plowed over) was killed, and leaves and tender stems on timber all killed.

April 8: Cold norther and I wore my blanket over my coat dropping corn.

April 9: Light frost this morning.

April 11: Cold disagreeable day.  I rode to McKinney.  Snowed most all day; three to four inches day.  The boys rolled a snowball 5 feet in diameter in front of the court house door and piled others on top of it till it was over 10 feet high.

April 12: Clear and frost on snow. The sun was an hour and a half high before the snow melted any, but by noon it was all gone.

As a proof of the truth of this story, any one cutting down a thrifty ash or pecan old enough and counting the growth in from the bark to 1857 will find a black streak there. --- C.B. Moore