Homes were reportedly damaged or destroyed. J. M. Colston and wife, near Fayetteville. - This place was visited Thursday night about 1 o'clock by a cyclone traveling in a southeasterly direction. SHAMBURGER (2016): The devastating and very large Decherd tornado, which was only given a few meager words in the book Significant Tornadoes by Tom Grazulis, began somewhere west of Owl Hollow in western Franklin County, then moved east-northeast passing about 1.3 miles north of Winchester, then plowing directly through Decherd. 30. This massive tornado then passed into Lincoln County through the northern suburbs of Fayetteville before lifting northeast of Fayetteville. The cyclone wrecked the house and killed Mrs. McGrew and six children, while Mr. McGrew, a son and a baby escaped with serious injuries. 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. Therefore a more accurate total of 6 deaths was used here, although the final number may have been even higher. Jim Cheat, a prosperous farmer near town, lost his barn, and had one very fine mule killed by the storm. And then coming through Bee Spring destroying homes and families and a local church here by the cemetery.. Col. Pendergrass' residence was blown from its foundation. 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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. The greatest damage was done in the Florence and Walter Hill sections. As soon as neighbors could be informed of the disaster, they hastened to the relief of the suffering. The cyclone went from Primm's on to Centreville. 11, had his skull fractured by falling timbers. Where Did The Tornado Touchdown In Tennessee? - PartyShopMaine Windows were blown from the residence of William H. Gregory, and the barn on his farm was blown down and numerous losses of a similar kind were the result. The most notable result was the destruction of the Web & Crawford Planing Mill. 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. SHAMBURGER (2016): This tornado was not included in Grazulis' book Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. These pictures show the damage in Centerville in Hickman County where there were 9 deaths and 32 injuries. Dickson was left to the right of the storm's pathway, and fortunately little damage was done here. Weather.gov > Nashville, TN > April 29, 1909 Tornado Outbreak . SHAMBURGER (2017): The path of this tornado, which touched down just south of where the Franklin tornado occluded near Clovercroft, was estimated to begin southwest of the Trinity Methodist Church southeast of Franklin. Mrs. Berry (sic) Prosser, near Fayetteville; fatally injured. The property loss will mount into the thousands. Robert Barnes and wife, near Fayetteville. A thorough reading of the Nashville American, Nashville Tennessean, and Pulaski Citizen newspaper articles for several days after the tornado outbreak indicates 22 deaths occurred in Giles County and 9 deaths occurred in Lincoln County, for a total of 31 deaths from this tornado. The village of Harms, five miles west of Fayetteville, was almost completely destroyed. A latter report comes in from Hillsboro, a small place northwest of here that several people had been killed, however, this is not authentic. Questions? 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. From that point, the storm moved into the Greenbrier section, where it destroyed two stores, several churches, and numerous farm houses, barns and outbuildings. 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. RUGBY. Tornado Outbreak of April 29, 1909 - National Weather Service From there, it crossed over to Columbia Avenue, where it completely wrecked everything along both sides of the pike, from Winstead Hill to the area just adjacent to Battle Ground Academy. 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. Tornado caused $60,000 in damage at Sidney. This tornado likely continued into Logan County, Kentucky, but no information is available. Henry Frate, colored, who lived on Finis Brown's farm, was so badly hurt that he may not recover. 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. 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. Spawned by the same thunderstorm that produced the Charleston tornado family. 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. Many Lives and Much Property Lost in Giles County. So one family that lived here in Bee Spring near the cemetery lost seven members of the family including the mother and six children. Besides the loss of property, which is now estimated at $100,000, seven known dead are reported, and injured. 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. But nowhere was the loss of life greater or the destruction of property more complete than in Giles County. 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. 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. In Charlotte ten houses were completely wrecked, and thirty in addition were damaged more or less. Two of the couple's sons were blown over a 20-foot bluff and into a nearby creek. These are some notable tornadoes, tornado outbreaks, and tornado outbreak sequences that have occurred in North America. The loss in timber alone in this section was placed at $100,000. The listing is U.S.-centric, with greater and more consistent information available for U.S. tornadoes. List of Upper Cumberland tornadoes | UCpedia Wiki | Fandom A large number of cattle and hogs were killed and telephonic communication south of the town has been entirely cut off. Fortunately no one was killed, but several were wounded. Many narrow escaped from death are reported, but only one person is known to have been injured, an old lady, Mrs. Upchurch, but the extent of her injuries is not known FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 1 1909, PAGE 4, "SMYRNA IS STRUCK": SMYRNA, Tenn., April 30. The property loss cannot be estimated. The damage in town is slight compared with the country. 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. John Lee's barn was blown over. The storm extended over many states inflicting damage on widely scattered communities from the Great Lakes to the Gulf. Will Hudson, another farmer near Charlotte, lost his barn, and had several head of stock crippled by the storm. 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. - 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. Tornadoes in the United States 1950-2019 These are some notable tornadoes, tornado outbreaks, and tornado outbreak sequences that have occurred in North America . Damage was noted 1 mile N of Franklin. 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. 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. In town here a number of window panes were broken. [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. March sets record for most tornado reports - NBC News 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. Result of the Work of the Storm in Dickson County": DICKSON, Tenn., April 30. 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. Andy Beshear said Saturday. 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. This page was last edited on 12 March 2022, at 09:35. 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. C. H. Underhill had a considerable loss, but it is covered by insurance. Much of the land was washed. Late-April 1909 Tornado Outbreak - liquisearch.com 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. 63 people lost their lives, and more than 200 were injured from. Best athletic wear for kids joining baseball and, How to watch all the Oscar-nominated movies in style, Best smart home devices for older users, according, 5 reported dead after severe weather in Kentucky, Rollover crash cleared on I-65N, injuries reported, Man hit, killed after celebrating birthday in Nashville, Driver dead after MD tanker explosion, fire, Ja Morant investigated by NBA over Instagram post, More than 21K NES customers without power, Downed power lines cause road closure in Goodlettsville, 1 killed amid turbulence event on business jet, Straight line winds damage buildings in Waverly, Portions of Calif. home hang over cliff after landslide, BBB: Beware of Storm Chasers in Middle TN, WATCH: Carjacking suspect caught after wild chase, Man dies after being hit by metal carport in Kentucky, Highest wind speeds from Fridays severe storms, Parent threatens teacher over book assignments, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Will McGrew's family consisted of ten. It touched down during the dead of night between 10 and 11PM. A latter report comes in from Hillsboro, a small place northwest of here that several people had been killed, however, this is not authentic. A portion of the residence of Mrs. Alice Estes was blown away. One-half of the house where Attorney J. Houses, barns and buildings generally were blown down or else badly wrecked. Others are not expected to recover. The listing is U.S.-centric, with greater and more consistent information available for U.S. tornadoes. This tornado appears to be from the same long-track supercell which tracked from the Memphis area and later produced the tornadoes in Hickman, Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, DeKalb, Putnam, Fentress, and Scott Counties. Late-April 1909 Tornado Outbreak - Confirmed Tornadoes - April 29 Event The deadliest tornado touched down just south of the Tennessee-Mississippi state line in Desoto County and tracked east-northeast for about 125 miles (201km) across Shelby, Fayette, Hardeman, Chester, Henderson and Decatur Counties. You can see his full report here. 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. ": Dickson, Tenn., Apr. 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. 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. Web. A damage rating of at least F2 intensity seems likely based on the newspaper descriptions. April 29, 1909 Tornado Outbreak. Farther to the east, the homes of Mrs. Upchurch and Mr. McAdoo were damaged or destroyed northwest of Lascassas. With the exception of several street lights being burned out, the damage at McEwen was slight. April 29, 1909 Tornado Outbreak - National Weather Service The cyclone went from Primm's on to Centreville. The lightning flashed incessantly, and all evidences indicated that a great storm was raging in the neighboring sections. In that general area, at least 55 were killed by tornadoes. 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. National Weather Service 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. This massive tornado then passed into Lincoln County where much of Millville, Cyruston, Clardyville, and Harms were damaged or destroyed. The top of the house was blown off and Mrs. Cox was thrown by the wind into the garden a short distance away. The timbers in front of the hotel were laid waste, some of which fell on the hotel, doing considerable damage to the building. 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. All of the buildings belong to the Fentress Coal & Coke Company. Nashville, TN500 Weather Station RoadOld Hickory, TN 37138615-754-8500Comments? 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. GRAZULIS: The entire town of Statesville had severe downburst damage. Deadliest Days: Killer tornadoes in Middle Tennessee The missing are Mr. and Mrs. Bob Stevens, whose home was torn to pieces. Dr. Barger lost five of his six barns, and the merchants suffered much loss from their business houses being unroofed. - 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. One brick home was completely demolished. Damage: May 3, 1999 Oklahoma Tornado Outbreak | Full KWTV coverage M. Gilbert, 1909 Natural Disasters: 1909 Atlantic Hurricane Season, 1909 Earthquakes, Tornadoes Of 1909, Late-April 1909 Tornado Outbreak|LLC Books . Two more people may have died in rural areas near Fayetteville. Giles County 112 years after Middle Tennessee's deadliest tornado outbreak 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. For about one mile north of Florence the telegraph poles were twisted off and thrown across the N., C. & St. L. Railroad, which obstructed traffic for a considerable time last night. Mr. Parkes had a cow killed, fruit trees destroyed and barn blown down. A. C. Morgan's house was blown away and Mrs. Morgan was badly injured, but not fatally, it is thought. Did the tornado hit Gatlinburg Tennessee? Affecting particularly the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys, it killed over 150 people, 60 of them in the U.S. state of Tennessee alone. W. C. Greer lost his large barn and two mail hacks. - 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. How often do tornadoes hit Tennessee? Others moved to towns like Elkton, which is the closest incorporated town to the area, Lancaster said. Damage: Franklin, Tenn., Apr. 1909: A tornado moves the Algood Methodist Church off its foundation. 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. It was the deadliest known tornado outbreak to affect Tennessee until March 21, 1952, when 64 people died statewide. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 2 1909, PAGE 5, "FALLING TIMBER": WILDER, Tenn., May 1. of those most seriously hurt: Esq. The horror of the storm was greatly increased especially were people were (sic) severely hurt by the darkness and torrents of rain, which followed. It is reported that one man is dead, but his name cannot be ascertained. Tennessee 225: Dive into the history of the Volunteer State. A tornado destroyed a church and three homes. Another strong tornado struck Franklin County near Decherd. Homes were "obliterated" at "Bee Springs" and near "Millville." 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. The Elk Cotton Mill was damaged about $5,000. 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 barn of William Gillam was blown down and his house twisted. WATERTOWN, Tenn., April 30. The Bee Spring community after the tornado was never quite the same and never really recovered. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The strongest tornado confirmed so far from. 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. Damage: The F-scale rating, location and path width are estimated from the reported damage. 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. Another (not counted) indirect death occurred in Lincoln County due to a Miss Jennie Kelso interacting with a live electrical wire. The house of Mr. Harvey, near town, was turned bottom side up without serious injury to the occupants. This was the deadliest tornado outbreak in the U.S. since May 2011, when more than 170 people were killed. As soon as neighbors could be informed of the disaster, they hastened to the relief of the suffering. - 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. 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. 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 large warehouse and storehouse were wrecked. Large trees were torn and twisted from the roots, and in some places scarcely a tree was left uninjured in a whole forest. The house of Judge Lewis was also destroyed and several other houses damaged beyond repair. It is seldom our mountain country has such a cyclone. Most of the land will have to be returned and planted. The storm extended over many states inflicting damage on widely scattered communities from the Great Lakes to the Gulf. Striking the residence of Prof. W. H. Hooks it blew away all of his residence except the kitchen, his stable, outbuildings and shade trees. Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. Mrs. Berry (sic) Prosser, near Fayetteville; fatally injured. It is impossible to obtain details, as the wires are all down. Telephone lines are a mass of wires and poles. Ab Hays, of Nashville, who was visiting Joe Rosson's family, near Port Royal, was seriously hurt by timbers, and died this morning. It traveled through the Conway Community, destroying the local public school, Lancaster explained. P. M. Greenwood had a small house blown away. US Dept of Commerce Tri-State Tornado of 1925 was deadliest in U.S. history - The The storm seems to have entered the county from the southern side, passing between this place and Tennessee City. 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. One of the saddest stories took place at Leiper's Fork. Will Ross Lackey, Jr., and Esq. Jack Pope's home was wrecked and he and his wife were killed. Although not specifically stated in the article, Mr. Henry Reed of Cross Roads died from his injuries per death certificate records. 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. - M. C. NORTHINGTON, Mayor.". The dwelling of Lon Dowell was unroofed, and the house of Will Hickman was blown fifty yards and caught fire and was consumed. Nashville, TN500 Weather Station RoadOld Hickory, TN 37138615-754-8500Comments? National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Reports from farmers are that crops will have to be planted over again. The tornado destroyed homes on at least three farms and killed an elderly man and a child in separate homes. Tornado - Occurrence in the United States | Britannica US Dept of Commerce - A terrific rain and wind storm swept this county last night and many reports of widespread damage and destruction are being received. B. Barnes'. In its track, which was about half a mile in width, practically all timber was uprooted or twisted to the earth. - This section was visited by a cyclone last night at 11 o'clock, leaving suffering and destruction in its path. This list does not include F0 events. A path about 100 yards wide was swept clear of timber. 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. This is a list of significant tornadoes that have touched down in Maury County since 1900. 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]. Until late this afternoon it has been impossible to communicate with other towns throughout the country. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Marlin was completely demolished. Dickson was left to the right of the storm's pathway, and fortunately little damage was done here. 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. All missing people in Kentucky have been accounted for, Gov. A special thanks to the Nashville National Weather Service office and Lead Forecaster Sam Shamburger for his research on this tornado outbreak. List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks The courthouse roof was blown off. After striking Nolensville, the storm moved into Rutherford County. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Ward's Mill, one of the oldest country mills in the country, was blown bodily into Stones River. Homes were destroyed in Marion, Arkansas, resulting in five deaths in Arkansas. 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. In Tennessee, the town of Locke was mostly destroyed by the first F3 tornado. A number of residences were badly damaged and business houses unroofed, the rain destroying almost the entire stock of John Jewell. 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. Show. 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. Tornado destroyed six homes at Moreland. The Elk Cotton Mill was damaged about $5,000. All NOAA, (The following newspaper article was transcribed from The Pulaski Citizen of May 6, 1909.). At Bee Springs, five members of a family were killed in one home, and seven in another family died in a nearby home.