Affecting particularly the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys, it killed over 150 people, 60 of them in the U.S. state of Tennessee alone. April 29, 1909 Tornado Outbreak The home of Wilson Estes was also destroyed, together with the livery barn of Russell Estes, owner of Primm Springs Hotel. It is thought that the dead and injured list will be increased by further reports. - The heaviest rainfall in years, accompanied by high winds, has fallen here since midnight last night. Among the towns affected were Horn Lake, Mississippi, where about half of the fatalities were recorded, and Whitehaven, Tennessee, where the tornado damaged 30 homes. Much of the land was washed. A force of men from Scott and Morgan counties under the road overseers, cleared the road on May 3rd. As it moved into Williamson County it eventually passed just south of Franklin causing 8 deaths and 11 injuries. W. S. McLaurine's baby were also killed. Result of the Work of the Storm in Dickson County": DICKSON, Tenn., April 30. A total of 22 people were killed in that area (Giles County), and seven near "Millville" (Lincoln County). 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. Will Hudson, another farmer near Charlotte, lost his barn, and had several head of stock crippled by the storm. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 1 1909, PAGE 10, "AT WATERTOWN, TENN.". A number of small barns was blown down. Two people were killed and 20 injured in that second storm. One negro family, Nancy Smith and two children lost their lives in the wreckage of their little home, and one of Till Bledsoe's children was killed. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 4 1909, PAGE 5, "THREE CHURCHES DESTROYED": ALEXANDRIA, Tenn., May 3. Contributions may be sent direct to Mr. Young or to the Citizen and we will forward to the relief committee. The time of the tornado was adjusted to 8 PM and the path width added as 300 yards based on the newspaper articles in the Nashville American. So far as reported, no lives were lost, but on the farm of Mrs. Charles Ward all of the outhouses were blown away and a Mr. Gannon and his wife were injured. 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. NWS 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. This was the deadliest tornado outbreak in the U.S. since May 2011, when more than 170 people were killed. It began just before midnight and had destroyed three large sections of Zephyr by the early hours of the morning. December tornadoes among 20 billion-dollar disasters to strike U.S. in The most terrible cyclone in the history of Giles County struck with great fury between 11 and 12 o'clock Thursday night. About 75 homes were damaged or destroyed at Centerville, and losses totaled over $100,000. However, for several hours a strong gale blew, and there was more or less excitement in the town throughout the night. Telephone lines are a mass of wires and poles. Brave men bared their backs to the chilly rain to provide wraps for suffering women and children; and worked through the dreary hours till daylight, searching for the dead and endeavoring to relieve the suffering of survivors. Many Lives and Much Property Lost in Giles County. National Weather Service In town here a number of window panes were broken. The young son of J. L. Cox, who lives on Hervey Whitfield's farm in District No. A school was reportedly carried intact for two miles, touching the ground every 200-300 yards, leaving holes in the earth. Nashville, TN500 Weather Station RoadOld Hickory, TN 37138615-754-8500Comments? (Bud) Hardy, Mrs. Louie Gordon, who was living with her mother, Mrs. Eliza Wilkinson, was cut and bruised about the face and arm. 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. Both the Methodist and Christian churches are blown down; the homes of Will Tullass and James Marshall, both of which were beautiful country residences, are complete wrecks; the home of James Nolen is considerably damage, but not so bad as the others. The stock barn of Rural home Stock farm was torn to pieces, and there were many other houses, barns, and outhouses destroyed. Dive into the history of the Volunteer State. The missing are Mr. and Mrs. Bob Stevens, whose home was torn to pieces. 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. The lightning flashed incessantly, and all evidences indicated that a great storm was raging in the neighboring sections. 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. The timbers in front of the hotel were laid waste, some of which fell on the hotel, doing considerable damage to the building. It was the deadliest known tornado outbreak to affect Tennessee until March 21, 1952, when 64 people died statewide. - April 29, at 8:15 p.m., Charlotte was visited with an electrical storm and tornado about 300 yards wide, taking all in its path. - At Statesville, seven miles from here, the storm of Thursday night destroyed the three churches and the school building. -92-93 Daily Journal, Stevens Point, WI. Miss Jennie Kelso, Fayetteville; killed by live electric light wire. 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. The farms lying on the hillsides are washed in deep gullies and the low land is completely flooded. Elk River is higher than ever before. 22 people were killed here in Giles County from this tornado. - A terrific rain and wind storm swept this county last night and many reports of widespread damage and destruction are being received. A third son died two days later as a result of injuries sustained during the tornado. The old McGavock home is wrecked. This tornado was almost certainly produced by the same supercell that spawned the even worse Giles/Lincoln County tornado just to the west. SHAMBURGER (2016): Based on the reports in the Nashville American, the number of deaths and injuries cited by Grazulis is too low, and the reported 4 deaths and 50 injuries in Montgomery County were used here. Four houses are blown down in Franklin. Although not specifically stated in the article, Mr. Henry Reed of Cross Roads died from his injuries per death certificate records. The tornado outbreak of late-April 1909 was a deadly tornado outbreak that affected much of the central and Southern United States between April 29 and May 1, 1909. There were also numerous reports of livestock killed by flying debris. 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. The village of Harms, five miles west of Fayetteville, was almost completely destroyed. Many Nolensville residents said it was the worst storm to ever strike there -- even worse than the notorious cyclone of 1900, which had cut a path only a few hundred yards wide. (Bud) Hardy, Mrs. Louie Gordon, who was living with her mother, Mrs. Eliza Wilkinson, was cut and bruised about the face and arm. A large number of cattle and hogs were killed and telephonic communication south of the town has been entirely cut off. The rear flank downdraft of the parent supercell also caused significant damage up to 2 miles south of the tornado path, such as the numerous trees blown down across Winchester. Others are not expected to recover. All missing people in Kentucky have been accounted for, Gov. Two persons were killed outright, James Stafford, an aged white man, who was taken 200 yards from his residence and his neck snapped, and a small colored child. Owing to the fact that all telephone and telegraph lines are down it is impossible to get the details of the damage wrought. The most terrible cyclone in the history of Giles County struck with great fury between 11 and 12 o'clock Thursday night. - The windstorm in this county Thursday night was probably the worst in its history. 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. It is an old adage that he who gives quickly gives twice. A tornado destroyed a church and three homes. This massive tornado then passed into Lincoln County where much of Millville, Cyruston, Clardyville, and Harms were damaged or destroyed. Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. 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. Henry Frate, colored, who lived on Finis Brown's farm, was so badly hurt that he may not recover. Most of the land will have to be returned and planted. The Bee Spring community after the tornado was never quite the same and never really recovered. Rutherford County was visited last night by one of the most destructive storms of many years. Eight-year-old boy of Paulina Farris, colored, Centreville. The writer went across the country to Sulphur Fork, following it up, and through Charlotte, on the west side of town. It is reported that three white people are killed about two miles further down the trail of the cyclone, but this statement has not been authenticated. James Marshall, a young man of about 20, was blown from the bed in an upstairs room and lodged in a tree about twenty-five feet away but escaped without injury. This tornado appears to be the same tornado that struck Decaturville and Perryville in Decatur County, which crossed the Tennessee River before moving across central Perry County. A relief committee was organized with John W. Young, Elkton R. 1, as chairman, and in a little while enough funds were in hand to provide food and clothing to supply the immediate necessities of those who had lost everything. Coming as it did near midnight, when the people generally were asleep, many barely escaped in their night clothes. Homes were "obliterated" at "Bee Springs" and near "Millville." The tornado likely began in Humphreys County based on the information by Grazulis and the Nashville American. Part of a larger outbreak that started a few days earlier, the unrelenting barrage of . Therefore a more accurate total of 6 deaths was used here, although the final number may have been even higher. 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. Parts of the planning mill were blown through F. H. White's residence, some 200 yards away, and Mrs. White was slightly injured and their house considerably damaged. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The deadliest tornado outbreak ever in Middle Tennessee struck the region from the evening hours of April 29, 1909, through the night and into the next day on April. Will Ross Lackey, Jr., and Esq. Submit a Storm Report; Briefing Page; Outlooks; Hazardous Weather Outlook; Detailed Hazards; Local Storm Reports (Text) Local Storm Reports (Graphical) Severe Weather Mode; Current Conditions. One massive grave contains the remains of an entire family. And five days later, Mrs. Marlin died from her injuries at a Nashville hospital. Mr. Marlin was badly injured, too, but he survived, along with an infant child, a 16-year old son, and two young daughters. Tornado destroyed six homes at Moreland. BEE SPRING, Tenn. (WKRN) On April 29th and 30th in 1909, Middle Tennessee suffered its deadliest tornado outbreak in history. SHAMBURGER (2016): Although Grazulis states that a downburst caused the immense damage in Statesville, the severity of the damage across southeast Wilson County into DeKalb County - with three churches demolished, numerous homes and barns unroofed, and several injuries - strongly suggests this damage was from a strong tornado. 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. Many tenant houses and barns were wrecked on different places. A large oak tree was lifted bodily and blown across it, crushing in the roof. Following are some of the more serious losses: Lee Smith, house and barn; J. S. Bryan, house and barn; Werner Stevenson, house and barn; W. H. Watson, house and barn; Otha Young, house and barn; W. S. McLaurine, house and barn; Irby Scruggs, residence, outhouses and tenant houses; - barn escaped, Mrs. Eliza Wilkinson, residence; Hood Wilkinson, orchard, shop and barn, resident damaged, but not wrecked; T. J. Hardy, residence and barn; Ike Shapard, gin, The Scruggs' school house, near Conway, and the school house and church at Bee Spring were utterly swept away. The missing are Mr. and Mrs. Bob Stevens, whose home was torn to pieces. Robert Barnes and wife, near Fayetteville. 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. The Elk Cotton Mill was damaged about $5,000. This would be typical of damage reports all along the storm route that night. The old Henry Wade residence, a two-story frame buildings, was demolished, and also several cabins on the place. The cyclone struck Rudolphtown about 8 o'clock and traveled in a northeasterly course. At Trinity, about seven miles west of here, the damage is beyond description. The tornado touched down just outside of Aspen Hills, just a few miles west of here. From almost every section of Tennessee are reports of fatalities and property loss, while Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, and even Indiana and Illinois report touches of the cyclone. The emergency is one which as charitable, sympathetic people, we should take prompt steps to alleviate. 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. J. Ab Hays, of Nashville, who was visiting Joe Rosson's family, near Port Royal, was seriously hurt by timbers, and died this morning. - This section was visited by a cyclone last night at 11 o'clock, leaving suffering and destruction in its path. Many of the inhabitants here moved to Bryson, a few miles away, and that community grew a little bit larger. The most notable result was the destruction of the Web & Crawford Planing Mill. Web. There have been. 30. National Weather Service. Hardest-hit areas were in and around Pulaski, Bryson and Fayetteville. The path length was estimated based on a beginning point in the Bushtown area and end point just past Algood. Centreville, Tenn., April 30. Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. This tornado is estimated to have begun southwest of Statesville, then moved east-northeast into DeKalb County, passing 2 miles south of Alexandria before ending near Smith Fork - roughly around 15 miles. As the storm moved eastward, it cut a path into the Southall community, causing major damage and dealing additional death blows. 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. However, the party living in this was away. At least fifty other persons sustained more or less serious injuries, and the recovery of three is doubtful. List of Upper Cumberland tornadoes | UCpedia Wiki | Fandom Tornado outbreak of late-April 1909 - Wikipedia [3] However, the 1909 outbreak did not produce any F5 tornadoes on the Fujita scale; only one such event occurred in Tennessee on April 16, 1998. At this time it is impossible to ascertain the damage and loss of life to stock; no lives so far reported. Tri-State Tornado of 1925 was deadliest in U.S. history - The The Evans Mills, on Stones River, one mile north of Florence, were blown into the river and destroyed. The stock barn of Rural home Stock farm was torn to pieces, and there were many other houses, barns, and outhouses destroyed. The village of Harms, five miles west of Fayetteville, was almost completely destroyed. This page was last edited on 12 March 2022, at 09:35. The total damage cannot be accurately stated, but it will go into the thousands of dollars in this section. The timbers in front of the hotel were laid waste, some of which fell on the hotel, doing considerable damage to the building. In the end, this first tornado, an F3, cut a path 45-miles long through Hickman, Maury, and Williamson counties. W. S. McLaurine's baby were also killed. 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. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 4 1909, PAGE 5, "HEAVY DAMAGE AT CHARLOTTE": CHARLOTTE, Tenn., May 3. This massive tornado then passed into Lincoln County through the northern suburbs of Fayetteville before lifting northeast of Fayetteville. This tornado likely continued into Logan County, Kentucky, but no information is available. A portion of the residence of Mrs. Alice Estes was blown away. Some homes were reportedly destroyed in six counties further to the ENE, but tornadoes there are not confirmable. The horror of the storm was greatly increased especially were people were (sic) severely hurt by the darkness and torrents of rain, which followed. Thirty-six serious injuries were reported in the newspapers across both counties, with numerous other more minor injuries, so the total of 70 injuries shown by Grazulis was kept. As soon as neighbors could be informed of the disaster, they hastened to the relief of the suffering. Despite the significant damage, death and injuries, this tornado was not included in Grazulis' book Significant Tornadoes. In its course from Rudolphtown to the Robertson County line the storm put out the eyes of several mules and other stock at Hinton, blew down the residence and stable of Joe Rosson, blew away the residence of Mrs. Ella Rosson and blew her over 100 yards. 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. Four-year-old child of Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Thompson, Totty's Bend. 6 Feb. 2021. As soon as a message could be sent to Pulaski, local doctors and citizens hastened to the scene of disaster to aid as much as possible in the work of relief. BEE SPRING, Tenn. (WKRN) On April 29th and 30th in 1909, Middle Tennessee suffered its deadliest tornado outbreak in history. One brick home was completely demolished. The entire town of Statesville had severe downburst damage. NWS The tornado continued into Giles County where nine more people lost their lives. The courthouse roof was blown off. How often do tornadoes hit Tennessee? 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Mr. Parkes had a cow killed, fruit trees destroyed and barn blown down. J. M. Colston and wife, near Fayetteville. The property loss cannot be estimated. The damage reported in the far western and northern suburbs of Fayetteville along with the $5,000 damage to the Elk Cotton Mills north of Fayetteville indicates the tornado continued for several more miles before lifting northeast of Fayetteville, not 5 miles to the northwest as Grazulis stated. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 1 1909, PAGE 2, section "NUMBER OF HOUSES WRECKED - Cookeville and Surrounding Territory in the Path of the Storm": COOKEVILLE, Tenn., April 30 - A storm of cyclonic effects struck this city last night about 1 o'clock. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration However, descriptions of the damage appear to warrant at least an F2 rating, which was used here. The cyclone went from Primm's on to Centreville. At Rudolphtown, which lies between Port Royal and Clarksville, one man was killed whose name has not been ascertained here. At Cross Roads, Scott County, it demolished the home of Henry Reed, debris falling upon him and crushing his skull. GRAZULIS: Moved ENE from 4 miles SW of Nolensville, passing south of Smyrna, just north of Walterhill and ending near Statesville. after celebrating, Driver dead after Maryland tanker explosion, Ja Morant investigated by NBA after Instagram post, How NIL will affect local high school athletes, The right thing to do: College softball players, Forsberg, Giannis join Nashville SC ownership group, Ja Morant accused of making threatening statement, Arrest warrants issued for projected NFL draft pick. It touched down during the dead of night between 10 and 11PM. A. C. Morgan's house was blown away and Mrs. Morgan was badly injured, but not fatally, it is thought. The most lives were lost in the Bee Spring community of Giles County. The cyclone of the night of April 29th or morning of April 30th, did great damage near Rugby. But for the fact that the country is hilly and in places thinly settled the destruction would have been even greater. Great injury was done forests. of those most seriously hurt: Esq. Jim Cheat, a prosperous farmer near town, lost his barn, and had one very fine mule killed by the storm. But for the fact that the country is hilly and in places thinly settled the destruction would have been even greater. Three other tornadoes killed four people in the Memphis coverage area, including in St. Francis and Lee Counties in Arkansas and Haywood County in Tennessee. The deadliest January tornadoes on record. Will McGrew's family consisted of ten. Elam Tucker, who lives at the old Suttle place, near Aspen Hill, lost his barn, also Will Coon, Billy Widene, and D. Biles, and the tenant houses on the Phillips place, south of Tucker's, were wrecked. In addition to those killed outright many were more or less seriously injured. 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. Two more people may have died in rural areas near Fayetteville. Grazulis and some newspapers reported 4 deaths in Franklin County from Owl Hollow to Decherd, but newspaper articles indicate at least 2 more people died from their injuries several weeks later after the tornado, with other people still in critical condition. No fatalities have been reported as yet, but several are very painfully hurt. US Dept of Commerce This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Based on all of this information, the path start and end points were adjusted, path length increased to 30 miles, and path width increased to one mile. Miss Jennie Kelso, Fayetteville; killed by live electric light wire. - The most horrible catastrophe ever known in Lincoln County was the cyclone which passed through the county last night about midnight, wrecking homes, destroying lives and injuring a large number of citizens. The tornado destroyed homes on at least three farms and killed an elderly man and a child in separate homes. The dwelling of Lon Dowell was unroofed, and the house of Will Hickman was blown fifty yards and caught fire and was consumed. 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. A. Hickerson a house barn, buggies and fences. Coming into Robertson County the storm struck the barn of Mrs. Laban Warfield on the place occupied by Mr. Duff. 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. The cyclone struck Primm Springs, a summer resort in Hickman County, and devastated the country. Will McGrew's family consisted of ten. SHAMBURGER (2016): Based on the narrative by Grazulis and the reports in the Nashville American, the path of this tornado was adjusted to begin on the Humphreys County border around 9 miles west of Dickson, pass between Tennessee City and Dickson, go through Charlotte, and end between Charlotte and Bellsburg. Mrs. Brown was seriously if not fatally injured. - The most horrible catastrophe ever known in Lincoln County was the cyclone which passed through the county last night about midnight, wrecking homes, destroying lives and injuring a large number of citizens.