During the 1860s and 1870s earthquakes in the Honey Lake Valley were a common occurrence. In 1874, Sylvester Daniels arrived from Iowa and spent time with his sister, Polly Parks, who resided just east of Buntingville. He kept a journal of his experiences that he wrote specifically for his daughter, Viroqua and the rest of his family who remained in Iowa. The following is his account of the first earthquake he experienced.
“Sunday, January 24, 1875 – Well, we are all alive yet. Now, I will tell you why I started as I did. You have heard of earthquakes I suppose. Well, I will tell on the sly that there was a live one came along here this morning early about 4 o’clock. It awoke me very suddenly, then such a crash. I thought the house was all breaking to pieces and it seemed to roll back and forth in bed. At any rate it shook things up pretty lively, while it lasted. But it was not near as long as I have written about. It seemed to roll back and forth and jar terribly. It seemed to pass towards the Mountain from the Valley.
“The hens flew and cackled and the pigs squealed. Polly Parks said it shook every bottle and everything in the house. She said the cream was disturbed on every pan. So you see there was quite a commotion for a time. All the damage that I have heard of as of yet, is some chimneys are slightly rent and some were frightened. I have not heard anyone express themselves to wish it repeated. Polly and Elisha Parks say they are not as near as afraid of them as they used to be of thunderstorms and tornadoes in the East.”