1909 tornado outbreak 1909 tornado outbreak

The village of Harms, five miles west of Fayetteville, was almost completely destroyed. It was around 10:15 p.m. when the first of these tornadoes came rolling out of Hickman County into the White Oak area, just across the county line. The Elk Cotton Mill was damaged about $5,000. C. H. Underhill had a considerable loss, but it is covered by insurance. At Leiper's Fork, in Williamson County, a mother and three children were killed in their home. From Conway eastward to the county line, and even beyond through Lincoln County a wide path of destruction and desolation was swept through a prosperous and happy farming community. The tornado is included here with an estimated F2 intensity and 2 injuries based on the destruction of the Bush Brown home south of McEwen. A third son died two days later as a result of injuries sustained during the tornado. Reports from farmers are that crops will have to be planted over again. Greatest damage and the most horrible loss of life occurred in the community between Bunker Hill and Bryson, but the destruction was by no means confined to one place. of those most seriously hurt: Esq. It next struck the farm of Judge B. C. Batts, near Sadlersville, blew down his barn, his shade trees and other valuable timber, striking next the farm of Jervy Grubbs, where it demolished his tobacco barn, fences and other buildings; then struck the farm of Tom Sanders and his residence, barns and other buildings were destroyed. Jack Pope's home was wrecked and he and his wife were killed. The old Henry Wade residence, a two-story frame buildings, was demolished, and also several cabins on the place. The several cashiers will take charge of same several cashiers will take charge of same and see to it that it is property and judiciously distributed among those who are destitute. This tornado likely continued into Logan County, Kentucky, but no information is available. Fayetteville, Tenn., April 30. 11, had his skull fractured by falling timbers. Damage: Franklin, Tenn., Apr. The path of the cyclone at this point is about 300 yards wide, and was accompanied by a heavy rain and thunder and electrical display. It traveled through the Conway Community, destroying the local public school, Lancaster explained. This week marks a decade since the "Super Outbreak" of tornadoes April 25-28, 2011, an unprecedented swarm of tornadoes that tore through the South. Although not specifically stated in the article, Mr. Henry Reed of Cross Roads died from his injuries per death certificate records. J. Many Lives and Much Property Lost in Giles County. The courthouse was unroofed, and sixteen of its beautiful shade trees uprooted. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, May 1 1909, PAGE 4, "RUTHERFORD COUNTY. The cyclone went from Primm's on to Centreville. Col. Pendergrass' residence was blown from its foundation. Ab Lane lost his barn and two mules. Mrs. Welch and son, Byron, sustained slight injuries, the former being hit on the head and the latter had a gash cut in his cheek. This list does not include F0 events. 6 Feb. 2021. J. M. Colston and wife, near Fayetteville. -92-93 Daily Journal, Stevens Point, WI. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Intensity was unclear but probably F2 based upon descriptions. The storm extended over many states inflicting damage on widely scattered communities from the Great Lakes to the Gulf. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 1 1909, PAGE 4, section Robertson County: SPRINGFIELD, Tenn., April 30 - A "twister", or cyclone, struck Montgomery County last night at Rudolphtown and plowed its way on through Montgomery County and the Seventeenth District of Robertson County into Kentucky, leaving devastation in its wake and entailing a loss of over $50,000. One person was killed near Nolensville and another near Walterhill. The clouds rolled like tremendous waves out of the southwest, and the thunder's crash was deafening, while the electric flashes played incessantly, lighting up the dark-canopied earth like a refulgent monster meteor. The total list of those killed in Giles County, so far as could be learned the day after the storm was eighteen white people and four negroes, making twenty two in all. The dwelling of Lon Dowell was unroofed, and the house of Will Hickman was blown fifty yards and caught fire and was consumed. P. M. Greenwood had a small house blown away. Ten homes were destroyed. Houses, barns and buildings generally were blown down or else badly wrecked. There is no information about the tornado path from Lascassas into Wilson County, so the tornado is estimated to have lifted somewhere southwest of Statesville. His entire family was wiped out of existence. National Weather Service. In Charlotte ten houses were completely wrecked, and thirty in addition were damaged more or less. Six people were killed in Hickman County, along a track through Shipps Bend, Centerville, and Little Tot. The path length was extended from Grazulis' 15 miles to 20 miles and path width added as 1/4 mile based on the information in the Nashville American, along with the time being adjusted to 8 PM from 830 PM. Mrs. Will Adcock and her daughter are reported killed, but not verified. Please Contact Us. This historical footage of Oklahoma's worst-ever tornado outbreak was assembled using News 9's on-air broadcast along with storm tracker footage and some images/interviews with viewers. Historian John Lancaster with the Giles County Historical Society recalled that fateful night. Fayetteville, Tenn., April 30. Almost every dwelling was rendered unsafe. Coming as it did near midnight, when the people generally were asleep, many barely escaped in their night clothes. The description of the tornado path by Grazulis does not match the reports in the Nashville American and Williamson Herald, which indicate the tornado passed around 1 mile south of Franklin, not north as Grazulis wrote, with heavy damage in Hillsboro, Southall, on Carter's Creek Pike, between Winstead Hill and the Battleground Academy on Columbia Pike, at the Historic Carenton Plantation, and on Lewisburg Pike. This large tornado then passed 2 to 3 miles south of Nolensville, moved 1 mile northwest of Florence Station, passed over Wards Mill (also called Evans Mill or Nice Mill) around 4 miles southeast of Smyrna, then damaged homes and barns just south of Walter Hill. Great injury was done forests. Photos of the damage in the Hillsboro (Leiper's Fork) area from the Nashville American newspaper show extreme damage, with a home wiped off the foundation and a hillside forest completely destroyed, suggesting this tornado reached F4 intensity. W. S. McLaurine's baby were also killed. - A terrific rain and wind storm swept this county last night and many reports of widespread damage and destruction are being received. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Marlin was completely demolished. It is impossible to estimate the property loss, probably not less than a hundred thousand dollars. A horse owned by Rev. One brick home was completely demolished. The F-scale rating, path length, path width, and injuries are all estimated from the reported damage in the Nashville American, indicating the tornado began near Decaturville, moved through Perryville, and ended northeast of Linden. A portion of the residence of Mrs. Alice Estes was blown away. The home of Tobe Cunningham stands directly between the two churches and has withstood both storms without any especial damage. Tornado destroyed up to nine homes and hit buildings in. The large marble shaft erected to the memory of the Collier family, and in the private ground, was thrown to the ground. The second F3 tornado flattened structures near Covington and Medina. Please Contact Us. For several minutes it was as bright as the glare of a noonday sun with this setting, the wind terrific in force and volume halted at no obstacle, and in its path it left an imprint on everything it touched. The seriously injured are M. J. Farrar and daughter, of Gyruston, the former having a broken collarbone, and the latter a broken arm and leg; residence wrecked and burned. The missing are Mr. and Mrs. Bob Stevens, whose home was torn to pieces. 11 deaths were recorded in the Missouri storm, 5 near Texas City and 29 along the Alabama-Tennessee state line. Others moved to towns like Elkton, which is the closest incorporated town to the area, Lancaster said. Web. Ed Ragland's house was blown from its foundation. The Weather Service has confirmed 66 tornadoes from Dec. 10 to 11 and 79 tornadoes Dec. 15. On account of the destitution which is reported to exist in the stricken district, Mayor Northington has issued the following statement: "Reports having reached me of the destitution occasioned by Thursday night's storm, on account of which scored of persons have lost all of their means and been rendered homeless, it becomes my duty to make the fact known in our citizens officially. Jim Cheat, a prosperous farmer near town, lost his barn, and had one very fine mule killed by the storm. - A terrific wind and rainstorm passed through this section last night at about 10:30 o'clock, destroying property and damaging crops of the neighboring farmers to such an extent that it is probable that they will have to be replanted. It came from the northwest, traveling with great momentum. Here it blew away the barn in which Duff was sheltered at the time, breaking three of Duff's toes, but otherwise he was not injured. In Tennessee, the town of Locke was mostly destroyed by the first F3 tornado. We hear that considerable damage was done in the south part of the county, that a large amount of timber was blown down near Gatewood Ford on Clear Fork and that the Tennessee Lumber and Coal Co.'s saw mill near the mouth of Crooked Creek was demolished. The tornado was a mile wide at times, and its winds reached 300 mph, putting it at the top of the Fujita scale for tornado intensity. You can see his full report here. This tornado is estimated to have touched down in Fentress County southwest of Gatewood Ford Road just west of the Morgan County border, then moved northeast to near where the Crooked Creek and Clear Fork meet destroying a sawmill (F1), and then on into Morgan County. The tornado likely began in Humphreys County based on the information by Grazulis and the Nashville American. The village of Harms, five miles west of Fayetteville, was almost completely destroyed. Houses and barns with their contents, orchards, fences and timber make up a large list of valuable property much of which was literally blown out of existence in a few seconds. The wind was from the southwest and first struck the west end of the city and blew down a number of houses in Bushtown, the negro part of the city. From the foot of the mountain, near Wonder Cave, half way to the top, two-thirds of the large trees are down. At least 695 . And five days later, Mrs. Marlin died from her injuries at a Nashville hospital. The tornado destroyed homes on at least three farms and killed an elderly man and a child in separate homes. After striking Nolensville, the storm moved into Rutherford County. Some North American outbreaks affecting the U.S. may only include tornado information from the U.S. Ab Hays, of Nashville, who was visiting Joe Rosson's family, near Port Royal, was seriously hurt by timbers, and died this morning. Until late this afternoon it has been impossible to communicate with other towns throughout the country. FROM THE PULASKI CITIZEN NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ON MAY 6, 1909: Centreville, Tenn., April 30. The lightning flashed incessantly, and all evidences indicated that a great storm was raging in the neighboring sections. The deadliest tornado outbreak ever in Middle Tennessee, and one of the worst tornado outbreaks in the history of the United States, struck the region from the evening hours on April 29, 1909, through the night and into the next day on April 30, 1909. One of the saddest stories was of two brothers in the Hillsboro/Leipers Fork area who were blown over a 20-foot bluff and into a nearby creek, according to the Nashville American newspaper. Just a few rods east of the McGrew place stood the home of Bud Guffey. A force of men from Scott and Morgan counties under the road overseers, cleared the road on May 3rd. Jeff Dunnivant, a tenant on Irby Scruggs' place and his family escaped from the wreckage of their home with only slight injuries, but not a fragment of anything was left to the family, except the night clothes in which they were sleeping. Four houses are blown down in Franklin. Will Hudson, another farmer near Charlotte, lost his barn, and had several head of stock crippled by the storm. These pictures show the damage in Centerville in Hickman County where there were 9 deaths and 32 injuries. Dive into the history of the Volunteer State. The most terrible cyclone in the history of Giles County struck with great fury between 11 and 12 o'clock Thursday night. North of Memphis, Tennessee, two F3 tornadoes killed a total of 22 from Crittenden County, Arkansas, to Carroll County, Tennessee. SHAMBURGER (2017): Based on the Fentress County Gazette article, this damage appears to be yet another tornado produced by the same long track supercell that spawned numerous tornadoes from southeast of Memphis to Cookeville. 22 people were killed here in Giles County from this tornado. - Following the trail of the storm which passed through Centreville April 9, the tornado last night between 10 and 11 o'clock was one of the most appalling that has visited this section probably in half a century. Damage: At this time it is impossible to ascertain the damage and loss of life to stock; no lives so far reported. On Lick Creek the house of Frank Hunter was badly wrecked and one member of his family blown for a short distance without serious injury. Only one member of this large family escaped unhurt. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, May 1 1909, PAGE 4, "NOLENSVILLE SECTION": NOLENSVILLE, April 30. Damage: These are some notable tornadoes, tornado outbreaks, and tornado outbreak sequences that have occurred in North America. A thorough reading of newspaper articles came up with a total of 17 deaths and 43 injuries, with 9 deaths and 32 injuries in Hickman County and 8 deaths and 11 injuries in Williamson County. It is impossible at this time to estimate the damage. Mail service over Route No. Contributions may be sent direct to Mr. Young or to the Citizen and we will forward to the relief committee. of those most seriously hurt: Esq. On March 21-22, there were 108 tornadoes that impacted several states most focused across Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Alabama. Several negro families lost their homes. The creeks are out of banks and all the farm work of the spring is practically lost. The storm struck the county line just opposite Perryville, and traveled a northeast course, passing about five miles to the north of Linden. The Bee Springs tornado touched down in northernmost Limestone County, Alabama, before crossing the into Lincoln and Giles Counties in Tennessee. and Mrs. W. S. McLaurine, Mrs. Ella King, widow of the late Mit King, collar bone broken, Hiram Usselton's baby, seriously, perhaps fatally hurt, George Hardy, son of T. J. [4], List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks, "Tornadoes, with Special Reference to Those That Have Occurred in Tennessee", "A tornado climatology of middle Tennessee (1830-2003)", "The Forgotten F5: The Lawrence County Supercell During the Middle Tennessee Tornado Outbreak of 16 April 1998", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tornado_outbreak_of_late-April_1909&oldid=1076670277, Tornado destroyed two homes about 7mi (11km) south of, Tornado transported a tank weighing 1,300. The Bee Spring Church was destroyed and many graves in the cemetery are the resting places of those killed that fateful day. It touched down during the dead of night between 10 and 11as it moved into Williamson County. The town of Statesville, six miles from here, was struck last night by a tornado. Mr. Brinkley's house was carried from its foundations, as was a newly completed house of J. At Cross Roads, Scott County, it demolished the home of Henry Reed, debris falling upon him and crushing his skull. Mr. McNutt, wife and three children, near Fayetteville. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, 5 reported dead after severe weather in Kentucky,, Rollover crash on I-65N in Davidson County leads, Man hit, killed on Old Hickory Blvd. This particular cyclone began its work of destruction in the neighborhood of Conway, though several barns and tenant houses were blown down west of that place. [1] Mrs. Speight, one mile from Charlotte, suffered a severe loss. Gibbons, of this place, was killed while eating. The path length was estimated based on a beginning point in the Bushtown area and end point just past Algood. Damage: [2], The April 1909 outbreak was part of an active and deadly year nationally for tornadoes. As soon as neighbors could be informed of the disaster, they hastened to the relief of the suffering. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Therefore, the Franklin County damage (at least F2) and Grundy County damage (F1) were combined into this entry and added to the NWS Nashville tornado database. Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. The late-April 1909 tornado outbreak was a deadly tornado outbreak that affected much of the central and Southern United States between April 29 and May 1, 1909. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The strongest, an F-4 with winds 207 mph or higher traveled for 30 miles across Giles and Lincoln counties killing 31 people in all. One hundred trees were blown across the Rugby Pike, delaying the mails that day, for it was next to impossible to get through. - The little town of Smyrna was close to the path of a terrific storm that swept through this section last night, causing much damage to property, and it was miraculous that no lives were lost. The listing is U.S.-centric, with greater and more consistent information available for U.S. tornadoes. In addition to those killed outright many were more or less seriously injured. The majority of the 34 deaths caused by this F4 tornado were in the residential areas of the east and south areas of the town. The second largest was the Super Outbreak of April 3-4, 1974, which was credited with producing 148 tornadoes in the central and southern United States (though 4 of these were later . One of the strange things of it all is that both the Christian and Methodist churches at Trinity were blown down about ten years ago, and both rebuilt on the same foundation to be blown away again last night. W. S. McLaurine's baby were also killed. The old McGavock home is wrecked. Just like the previous storm, it caused widespread property damage. The cyclone struck Primm Springs, a summer resort in Hickman County, and devastated the country. The missing are Mr. and Mrs. Bob Stevens, whose home was torn to pieces. 20th Century 1909 Oct 14, Tornado Outbreak, AL (11-21), AR (2), GA (1-2), TN (42-50) -56-75 lornajarrettblanchard October 14, 1909 95 Daily Telegraph, Atlantic, IA.