1909 tornado outbreak 1909 tornado outbreak

Its course was about a half mile wide and lay from Cross Roads into Scott Co., between the farms of William Cummings and Laban Riseden, just escaping both the homesteads, but tearing up all the timber in the neighborhood and bearing on southward below Rugby, carrying away the home of Young John Brewster and crushing in his shoulder and injuring his wife. It is miraculous that there was no more personal injuries, as this was the worst storm ever seen in this part of the State. GRAZULIS: Moved ENE from 4 miles SW of Nolensville, passing south of Smyrna, just north of Walterhill and ending near Statesville. Following is a partia (?) 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. The damage in town is slight compared with the country. Part of a larger outbreak that started a few days earlier, the unrelenting barrage of . 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. All NOAA, (The following newspaper article was transcribed from The Pulaski Citizen of May 6, 1909.). 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. 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. Multiple locations were found. Just a few rods east of the McGrew place stood the home of Bud Guffey. Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. Hardest-hit areas were in and around Pulaski, Bryson and Fayetteville. 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. It is impossible at this time to estimate the damage. SHAMBURGER (2016): Based on the locations of damage reported by Grazulis and in the Pulaski Citizen, the Nashville American, and the Nashville Tennessean newspapers, the path of this tornado as plotted by Grazulis is incorrect, and is certainly oriented more east-northeastward similar to the other tornadoes on this day. 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. His entire family was wiped out of existence. The horror of the storm was greatly increased especially were people were (sic) severely hurt by the darkness and torrents of rain, which followed. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coming into Robertson County the storm struck the barn of Mrs. Laban Warfield on the place occupied by Mr. Duff. The second F3 tornado flattened structures near Covington and Medina. The tornado appears to have begun west of Aspen Hill in Giles County, not in Limestone County, Alabama, as Grazulis stated, then passed near Aspen Hill where it damaged homes and barns, through Conway where the school was destroyed, between Bunker Hill and Bryson, and through Bee Springs destroying numerous homes and the Bee Springs Church on Bee Springs Road about 1/3 mile south of Stevenson Road. 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. The most terrible cyclone in the history of Giles County struck with great fury between 11 and 12 o'clock Thursday night. Reports from farmers are that crops will have to be planted over again. 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. 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. 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. Please try another search. The cyclone struck Primm Springs, a summer resort in Hickman County, and devastated the country. As soon as neighbors could be informed of the disaster, they hastened to the relief of the suffering. The loss in timber alone in this section was placed at $100,000. Gibbons, of this place, was killed while eating. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. CYCLONE BRINGS DEATH AND DESTRUCTION Many Lives and Much Property Lost in Giles County. 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. Homes were reportedly damaged or destroyed. However, descriptions of the damage appear to warrant at least an F2 rating, which was used here. The barn of William Gillam was blown down and his house twisted. Damage: A school was reportedly carried intact for two miles, touching the ground every 200-300 yards, leaving holes in the earth. - This section was visited by a cyclone last night at 11 o'clock, leaving suffering and destruction in its path. The worst damage to houses is the home of Prof. J. M. Goulson, a good two-story house, completely ruined, but no loss of life, though to look at the ruins seems marvelous that the family escaped. 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. Dickson was left to the right of the storm's pathway, and fortunately little damage was done here. - 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. 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. Mrs. Reed was also found unconscious, but has recovered. 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. NWS "Some splendid homes were turned to rubbish.". SHAMBURGER (2016): This tornado was not included in Grazulis' book Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. Ab Hays, of Nashville, who was visiting Joe Rosson's family, near Port Royal, was seriously hurt by timbers, and died this morning. C. H. Whitney's barn, in the track of the storm, was blown down and Rural Carrier Morgan's horse was killed in the barn. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 1 1909, PAGE 10, "FROM MURFREESBORO, TENN.": MURFREESBORO, Tenn., April 30. The village of Harms, five miles west of Fayetteville, was almost completely destroyed. In addition, the "old negro woman" killed "one-quarter mile west of Franklin" according to the Pulaski Citizen newspaper was actually killed, along with one of her children, on Carter's Creek Pike southwest of Franklin per the Nashville American newspaper. Damage: Homes were destroyed in Marion, Arkansas, resulting in five deaths in Arkansas. And five days later, Mrs. Marlin died from her injuries at a Nashville hospital. The house of Mr. Harvey, near town, was turned bottom side up without serious injury to the occupants. As soon as neighbors could be informed of the disaster, they hastened to the relief of the suffering. [2], The April 1909 outbreak was part of an active and deadly year nationally for tornadoes. FROM THE NASHVILLE AMERICAN, MAY 2 1909, PAGE 4, section FOUR DEATHS IN MONTGOMERY: CLARKSVILLE, Tenn., May 1. At Trinity, about seven miles west of here, the damage is beyond description. As it moved into Williamson County it eventually passed just south of Franklin causing 8 deaths and 11 injuries. Elk River is higher than ever before. Ed Ragland's house was blown from its foundation. Four people are known to be dead and two are missing, supposed to have been blown away as their home was demolished. This is the first storm of the kind that ever visited this section, although in 1878 much timber was blown down. Although not specifically stated in the article, Mr. Henry Reed of Cross Roads died from his injuries per death certificate records. The Elk Cotton Mill was damaged about $5,000. The property loss cannot be estimated. 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. Jim Cheat, a prosperous farmer near town, lost his barn, and had one very fine mule killed by the storm. In that general area, at least 55 were killed by tornadoes. 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 path of the cyclone at this point is about 300 yards wide, and was accompanied by a heavy rain and thunder and electrical display. A. Hickerson a house barn, buggies and fences. It is thought that the dead and injured list will be increased by further reports. 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. It is impossible to estimate the property loss, probably not less than a hundred thousand dollars. This list does not include F0 events. Web. The barn of Dr. Neely, representative from this county, was blown away. The greatest damage was done in the Florence and Walter Hill sections. The parent supercell thunderstorm continued on to produce additional tornadoes in Scott County. Prof. J. M. Coulson's residence destroyed and a number of other buildings greatly damaged.