Please Contact Us. The cyclone struck Primm Springs, a summer resort in Hickman County, and devastated the country. Striking the residence of Prof. W. H. Hooks it blew away all of his residence except the kitchen, his stable, outbuildings and shade trees. Fortunately no one was killed, but several were wounded. On May 30, 1909, the Zephyr tornado touched down close to the town of Zephyr. Jack Pope's home was wrecked and he and his wife were killed. The tornado destroyed homes on at least three farms and killed an elderly man and a child in separate homes. Tornado outbreak of late-April 1909 - Wikipedia FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 1 1909, PAGE 12, "PERHAPS FATALLY HURT": McEWEN, Tenn., April 30. At Bee Springs, five members of a family were killed in one home, and seven in another family died in a nearby home. - 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. At Leiper's Fork, in Williamson County, a mother and three children were killed in their home. It will amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Their bodies were recovered the next morning at about daylight. It cut a huge path over a mile wide through the area. A latter report comes in from Hillsboro, a small place northwest of here that several people had been killed, however, this is not authentic. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Marlin was completely demolished. Coming as it did near midnight, when the people generally were asleep, many barely escaped in their night clothes. 22 people were killed here in Giles County from this tornado. Much of the land was washed. Weather.gov > Nashville, TN > April 29, 1909 Tornado Outbreak . Homes were reportedly damaged or destroyed. Damage: 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 strongest tornado confirmed so far from. Reports from farmers are that crops will have to be planted over again. Please select one of the following: Nashville (KOHX) Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Hopkinsville, KY (KHPX) Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Hytop, AL (KHTX) Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Columbus, MS (KGWX) Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), National Radar Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Southern Mississippi Valley Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Central Great Lakes Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Southeast Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), State of Tennessee and Middle TN Daily Climate, Elkton Story Mapper - Bee Springs Tornado, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It left 10 people dead and 40 more with serious injuries. Several parties sustained slight injuries. ": Dickson, Tenn., Apr. In Charlotte ten houses were completely wrecked, and thirty in addition were damaged more or less. Intensity was unclear but probably F2 based upon descriptions. Dickson was left to the right of the storm's pathway, and fortunately little damage was done here. FROM THE PULASKI CITIZEN NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ON MAY 6, 1909: Centreville, Tenn., April 30. Near Cross Roads, one man was killed and two more people were severely injured (F2) before the tornado lifted somewhere northeast of that community, a distance of roughly 20 miles. Four people are known to be dead and two are missing, supposed to have been blown away as their home was demolished. All the houses there are damaged more or less, but no one was killed. Ten years ago today, the most prolific tornado outbreak on record swept across the southeastern United States. Affecting particularly the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys, it killed over 150 people, 60 of them in the U.S. state of Tennessee alone. The house of Judge Lewis was also destroyed and several other houses damaged beyond repair. The tornado likely began in Humphreys County based on the information by Grazulis and the Nashville American. P. M. Greenwood had a small house blown away. (Bud) Hardy, Mrs. Louie Gordon, who was living with her mother, Mrs. Eliza Wilkinson, was cut and bruised about the face and arm. December tornado record crushed by historic onslaught of storms - The All NOAA, (The following newspaper article was transcribed from The Pulaski Citizen of May 6, 1909.). A. C. Morgan's house was blown away and Mrs. Morgan was badly injured, but not fatally, it is thought. In its track, which was about half a mile in width, practically all timber was uprooted or twisted to the earth. Remembering the April 27, 2011, tornado super outbreak - Washington Post J. M. Colston and wife, near Fayetteville. M. Gilbert, 1909 Natural Disasters: 1909 Atlantic Hurricane Season, 1909 Earthquakes, Tornadoes Of 1909, Late-April 1909 Tornado Outbreak|LLC Books . The missing are Mr. and Mrs. Bob Stevens, whose home was torn to pieces. Ab Lane lost his barn and two mules. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Following is a partia (?) 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. 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. The Elk Cotton Mill was damaged about $5,000. In addition to those killed outright many were more or less seriously injured. Please select one of the following: Nashville (KOHX) Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Hopkinsville, KY (KHPX) Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Hytop, AL (KHTX) Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Columbus, MS (KGWX) Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), National Radar Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Southern Mississippi Valley Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Central Great Lakes Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), Southeast Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), State of Tennessee and Middle TN Daily Climate, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks [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. Others moved to towns like Elkton, which is the closest incorporated town to the area, Lancaster said. - Dickson County was swept by a terrible storm last night, and as a result more than fifty houses lay wrecked today, and the damage to property will run far into the thousands of dollars. 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. One hundred trees were blown across the Rugby Pike, delaying the mails that day, for it was next to impossible to get through. The barn of Dr. Neely, representative from this county, was blown away. The property loss will mount into the thousands. 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. However, the party living in this was away. With the exception of several street lights being burned out, the damage at McEwen was slight. April 29, 1909 Tornado Outbreak. The residence of Rush Brown, four miles from town, was razed to the ground and Mrs. Brown dangerously injured by the falling of the roof. Two barns and one stable were wrecked, ,and his stock suffered considerably. C. H. Underhill had a considerable loss, but it is covered by insurance. After striking Nolensville, the storm moved into Rutherford County. 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 parent supercell thunderstorm continued on to produce additional tornadoes in Scott County. This large outbreak of tornadoes included an EF3 tornado that caused significant damage to homes, business, schools and infrastructure in Jacksboro, Texas. 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. FROM THE WILLIAMSON HERALD NEWSPAPER: The second tornado that night struck at 11:15 p.m. about four miles southwest of Nolensville. The deadliest January tornadoes on record. 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 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. 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. - A terrific cyclone passed through a portion of Maury, Giles, Hickman and Williamson Counties last night, and as a result thirty-five or forty known dead and a hundred or more injured, some seriously. But several hundred dollars will be needed for relief work and the more fortunate should respond liberally. Where Did The Tornado Touchdown In Tennessee? - PartyShopMaine It was the deadliest known tornado outbreak to affect Tennessee until March 21, 1952, when 64 . Others are not expected to recover. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The Elk Cotton Mill was damaged about $5,000. Nashville, TN500 Weather Station RoadOld Hickory, TN 37138615-754-8500Comments? The cyclone struck Primm Springs, a summer resort in Hickman County, and devastated the country. The courthouse was unroofed, and sixteen of its beautiful shade trees uprooted. National Weather Service. 1909 Oct 14, Tornado Outbreak, AL (11-21), AR (2), GA (1-2), TN (42 Many of the inhabitants here moved to Bryson, a few miles away, and that community grew a little bit larger. Monitoring The Outcomes Of Social Services ( An Urban Institute Paper The F-scale rating, location and path width are estimated from the reported damage. Current Hazards. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 1 1909, PAGE 10: ALGOOD, Tenn., April 30 - At this place, four miles east of Cookeville, the Southern Methodist church was demolished. His entire family was wiped out of existence. 30 - A heavy and disastrous cyclone passed through this section last night between the hours of eleven and twelve o'clock and struck one-quarter of a mile west of Franklin, killing an old negro woman and injuring three of her children, two of which may die. Due to the proximity to the county border, this tornado likely began in Overton County, but the article does not mention any damage to confirm this. Dickson was left to the right of the storm's pathway, and fortunately little damage was done here. The half-mile wide tornado moved across the Brewster Community causing two injuries (F2), then passed just south of Rugby into Scott County. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This tornado was almost certainly produced by the same supercell that spawned the even worse Giles/Lincoln County tornado just to the west. Just a few rods east of the McGrew place stood the home of Bud Guffey. Based on all this information, the path location was adjusted to the south of Franklin, with the path width added as 300 yards based on reports in the Nashville American. That tornado appears to have begun west of Aspen Hill, passing near Aspen Hill and Conway, where the school was destroyed, between Bunker Hill and Bryson, and through Bee Spring. The listing is U.S.-centric, with greater and more consistent information available for U.S. tornadoes. 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. April 29, 1909 Tornado Outbreak 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. That tornado alone caused an estimated $100 million in damage and the loss of 33 lives, which was only a fraction of the total damage caused by the Super Outbreak. GRAZULIS: Twenty-three homes were destroyed, and a hotel and depot were unroofed at Decherd. Thousands of trees were downed and cattle were killed. The farms lying on the hillsides are washed in deep gullies and the low land is completely flooded. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. F. H. Hickerson, in the mercantile business, suffered quite a loss. Result of the Work of the Storm in Dickson County": DICKSON, Tenn., April 30. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 1 1909, PAGE 10, "FROM MURFREESBORO, TENN.": MURFREESBORO, Tenn., April 30. Fayetteville, Tenn., April 30. Fayetteville was not in the pathway of the cyclone, but was near it. At Walter Hill the residence of Mrs. Upchurch was totally destroyed and she herself was fatally injured. Tornado destroyed six homes at Moreland. Shade trees and orchards suffered greatly. A path about 100 yards wide was swept clear of timber. The storm seems to have entered the county from the southern side, passing between this place and Tennessee City. Dickson, Tenn., Apr. The most notable result was the destruction of the Web & Crawford Planing Mill. 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. In town here a number of window panes were broken. "April 29, 1909 Tornado Outbreak." Undated. 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. Tornado destroyed up to nine homes and hit buildings in. Tornadoes in the United States 1950-2019 These are some notable tornadoes, tornado outbreaks, and tornado outbreak sequences that have occurred in North America . Will Hudson, another farmer near Charlotte, lost his barn, and had several head of stock crippled by the storm. 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 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. The path of the storm was through a section about one mile southeast of Smyrna, where several homes were converted into wreckage and much farm property was destroyed. But nowhere was the loss of life greater or the destruction of property more complete than in Giles County. 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 . Miss Jennie Kelso, Fayetteville; killed by live electric light wire. Here is an opportunity in my judgement, for an exhibition of true Christian benevolence. A force of men from Scott and Morgan counties under the road overseers, cleared the road on May 3rd. 30. The young son of J. L. Cox, who lives on Hervey Whitfield's farm in District No. 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. - Dickson County was swept by a terrible storm last night, and as a result more than fifty houses lay wrecked today, and the damage to property will run far into the thousands of dollars. Here is information to know, understand and remember; The annual average number of tornadoes reported in Tennessee grew from 11.3 for the 20-year period of 1980-1999 to 18.1 for 2000-2019. One massive grave contains the remains of an entire family. Between the Wilson turnpike and Nolensville Pike for a distance of seven miles and half mile wide a number of houses are destroyed. All of the buildings belong to the Fentress Coal & Coke Company. Twenty-two others lost their lives that fateful night across Middle Tennessee in tornadoes that struck Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Wilson, Grundy, and Fentress Counties. For a strip more than two miles in width along the railroad between here and Tennessee City, and on through that portion of the county traversed by the storm, scarcely a tree is left standing, but all lie as flat as if rolled over by some immense road roller. Affecting particularly the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys, it killed over 150 people, 60 of them in the U.S. state of Tennessee alone. Late-April 1909 Tornado Outbreak - liquisearch.com The next place in Tennessee was the farm of Mrs. Kate Wall, where all the fences and outbuildings were blown away and considerable other damage wrought. A colored child on W. R. Anderson's farm was killed, making the fourth death so far reported. Show. 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. Bud Guffey, his wife, and two chidlren. At the same time and place, Mrs. Thad Reese, who was a sister of Mrs. Guffey, with her two children, lost their lives, making seven deaths at this one house. At this time it is impossible to ascertain the damage and loss of life to stock; no lives so far reported. The Bee Spring Church was destroyed and many graves in the cemetery are the resting places of those killed that fateful day. One of the saddest stories was of two brothers who 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 tornado touched down just outside of Aspen Hills, just a few miles west of here. However, descriptions of the damage appear to warrant at least an F2 rating, which was used 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. Part of a larger outbreak that started a few days earlier, the unrelenting barrage of . Did the tornado hit Gatlinburg Tennessee? Thousands of dollars worth of property completely ruined. 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. 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 storm was about two miles south of Alexandria, and the following farmers had their barns demolished entirely or unroofed: James Dinwiddle, J. S. Turner, J. D. Griffith, Oby Jenkins, G. G. Gibbs, Vick Groom, Bob Vannatta, John Midgett (two), Mort Foutch, and Hanison Self. The Evans Mills, on Stones River, one mile north of Florence, were blown into the river and destroyed. To this day, the 1909 outbreak remains the second-deadliest on record in Tennesseeeven the April 34, 1974 Super Outbreak and the February 56, 2008, Super Tuesday outbreak produced just 45 and 31 deaths each in the state.[1]. The night of the 29th was one of severe wind and rain, with heavy thunder and lightning the cyclone coming at 2 a.m. Friday morning with a low terrible rumbling heard by those awake at Rugby. In addition to those killed outright many were more or less seriously injured. BEE SPRING, Tenn. (WKRN) On April 29th and 30th in 1909, Middle Tennessee suffered its deadliest tornado outbreak in history. Fayetteville was not in the pathway of the cyclone, but was near it. The total damage cannot be accurately stated, but it will go into the thousands of dollars in this section. The cyclone followed the course of Dog Creek, a small stream close to the springs, and followed it until it came to the mouth of the hollow, when it entered the hollow and laid waste everything in its path. 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. The missing are Mr. and Mrs. Bob Stevens, whose home was torn to pieces. A portion of the residence of Mrs. Alice Estes was blown away. 63 people lost their lives, and more than 200 were injured from a total of 12 tornadoes. Only two houses were left standing. Four houses are blown down in Franklin. A few barns and other outhouses were totally destroyed, and a dwelling occupied by Sol Bates, near Linden, was utterly demolished, several members of his family being more or less hurt and one child was killed. SHAMBURGER (2016): Despite the death of the child and significant damage to the two homes in Perry County, this tornado was not included in Grazulis' book Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. The greatest damage was done in the Florence and Walter Hill sections. Until late this afternoon it has been impossible to communicate with other towns throughout the country. - At Statesville, seven miles from here, the storm of Thursday night destroyed the three churches and the school building. of those most seriously hurt: Esq. Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. Although not specifically stated in the article, Mr. Henry Reed of Cross Roads died from his injuries per death certificate records. However, for several hours a strong gale blew, and there was more or less excitement in the town throughout the night. 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. More than 320 died in the twister barrage . Andy Beshear said Saturday. The cyclone followed the course of Dog Creek, a small stream close to the springs, and followed it until it came to the mouth of the hollow, when it entered the hollow and laid waste everything in its path. The property loss cannot be estimated. 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 timber for 250 yards wide in the path of this tornado is down for many miles. A school was reportedly carried intact for two miles, touching the ground every 200-300 yards, leaving holes in the earth. The damage in town is slight compared with the country. This massive tornado then passed into Lincoln County where much of Millville, Cyruston, Clardyville, and Harms were damaged or destroyed. The McConnico Church southeast of Franklin was also heavily damaged. CYCLONE BRINGS DEATH AND DESTRUCTION Many Lives and Much Property Lost in Giles County. Several other houses were blown down and a number of people injured. Contributions may be sent direct to Mr. Young or to the Citizen and we will forward to the relief committee. It went on record as an F2 tornado. 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. A large warehouse and storehouse were wrecked. Columbia, Tenn., April 20. The tornado proceeded over across the Lewisburg Pike area, out Murfreesboro Road, and by 11 p.m. struck for a final time, near Clovercroft. Another strong tornado struck Franklin County near Decherd. This tornado was reported to occur over 2 hours after the Dickson County tornado, so it does not appear they are part of the same tornado or were produced by the same supercell, although that is certainly possible if the reported time is incorrect. His mother, who was seriously injured, and a little boy were rescued with much difficulty from the ruins. 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. A list of the top 10 worst tornadoes in Texas history And those individuals are buried in the Bee Spring Cemetery that you see here today.. The most frightful wreckage and loss of life occurred in the little valley through which passes the road from Bunker Hill to Bryson, and in which were located the homes of Bud Guffey, Will McGrew, Lee Smith, J. S. Bryson and others. 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. These pictures show the damage in Centerville in Hickman County where there were nine deaths and 32 injuries. The large marble shaft erected to the memory of the Collier family, and in the private ground, was thrown to the ground. Numbers of barns completely wrecked, and several houses ruined.