Found this in the Virginia Gazette – July 18, 1766

Lighting Strikes!

In the room below the lightning passed along a shelf covered with pewter, where it melted part of some basons [basins] and spoons, and many plates.  A looking-glass on that end was broke into pieces, and some part of the frame dashed against the back of the chimney at the opposite end.  The lightning also went through a cask of beer, and tore out on each side part of a stave about twelve inches long and two inches broad.  The hoops were iron, and one of them was broke, but showed on particular mark of the cause.  Mary Smith, wife of the above mentioned James Smith, stood ironing some clothes at a table near the end which was struck, with her back toward the chimney, and a box iron in her hand.  She was knocked down and for half an hour showed no sign of life… The box iron which she was using showed no mark of lightening, but a pair of sleeve were no where to be found.  James Smith himself, sitting on the work board, was struck across his thighs, but no mark appeared, He felt he says as if ham strung… A young man who was lolling on a feather bed, near the wall where the lightening struck, with his legs resting on the work board, got a pretty large mark above one of his knees, like a bruise, A boy about 12 or 13 years of age, standing near the table above mentioned sifting meal. was knocked down, and appeared lifeless for at least a quarter of an hour… He wore at the time a pair of breeches of green plains, the left thigh of which was torn into pieces by the lightening; and two metal button, which were on the waistband, were torn off and only a small part of one of them could afterwards be found; the other entirely disappeared – This day James Smith and his wife, like pious Christians, publickly returned thanks to the Supreme Being for their wonderful escape.