Rains Co.TX

1894, 1907 TORNADO NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

Submitted  by:Elaine Nall Bay

(info. obtained from a reprinted article in 18 June 1987 Rains County LEADER)

 
March 18, 1894 tornado

A destructive cyclone passed through Rains County on Saturday afternoon about 7:20 p.m.
Every business establishment in Emory suffered property damage, while the Baptist Church
and the Masonic Hall were completely destroyed along with many homes.  Judge Teague appointed
a committee composed of J.A. Cox, W.S. Carter, C.P. Ballew, J.F. Hooks and W.D. Peoples to
look after the interest of the storm suffered.  Besides the local physicians there were Garner,
Milner, Peake, Bridsong and Hawkins from Greenville; Patton, Jones and Hart from Mineola; Simms
and Coppage from Lone Oak; Hennon and Duran from Point; Smith from Alba; Duffy, McCrum,
Williams, Kimbrough, Gee and Swindell of Emory.

M.A. Merkovits was on his way from supper to his place of business when he was struck on
the head by a flying object; later he found himself in his store but didn't know how he got
there. Mr. Charles Beckenbach, saddler, had to grab a tree while making a break for clear
ground; he was found by his brother after the storm holding on for dear life.

Emory's tonsorial artist made a break for open ground, leaving Mr. Hooks in the chair with
his face covered with lather.  He was next heard of in Lone Oak 10 miles away.

Mr. Dement, one of society's young gentleman, made a break for the home of some of his lady
friends when the cyclone was heard nearing town at 80 miles per hour; he landed in a storm
house.

Mr. Campbell and family were domiciled at the Hotel d'Emory.

Mr. Tom Thornton gave $100 for the relief of the destitute.
 
 List of dead :
               Miss Ester Alexander, d/o I.C. Alexander
               W.B. Henry, who left a wife and 3 children
               G.T. Walker, who left a wife and 5 children
               small child of Will Murry

List of injured :
               Judge Lamb's wife - broken leg and other injuries
               Ernest Lamb
               Henry Lamb
               Marshall Lamb
               Deputy Sheriff McCord
               Fred Cooke
               Mrs. Ed Norris
               Gennie Norris
               Mrs. Callie Gray
               Mrs. W. Campbell and 3 children
               the mother and wife of M.S. Pierson
               Mary Pierson
               Mrs. Mollie Johnson
               A.B. Selt
               Oscar Dick
               Jim Allen
               Bessie Rodes, d/o County Attorney - arm broken
               Lon Williams, badly bruised; & his wife, arm broken
               J. W. Quarles, wife and 3 children, badly bruised & cut
               T.U. Parsons
               Gilbert Harvey's child, arm broken
               B.F. Herrin, wife, son & daughter

Property Damages :
               J.A. Quarles' residence & barn
               Mrs. Garey's house occupied by Ed Norris
               Mrs. Garey's residence
               A.M. Pay's residence
               tenement house of J.L. Cannon
               Sheriff Wm. Lamb's residence, barn & tenement house
               J.M. Clifton's residence and furniture
               Mrs. Montgomery's house occupied by Mrs. Mollie Johnson
               T.A. Williams' residence & furniture
               W.L. Green's residence & furniture & $300 cash
               County Judge W.H. Teague's residence
               Hon. W.R. Cochran's residence occupied by W.C. Campbell
               Dr. Geo. E. Kimbrough's residence & tenant house
               M.S. Pierson's residence
               J.C. Alexander's residence & barn
               Oscar Dick's residence
               H.C. Fout's residence, under construction

Business Property :
               G.W. Northcut & Co. - dry goods & groceries
               Henry & Peoples - general merchandise
               Dr. George R. Kimbrough - drugs & groceries
               M.S. Pierson - general merchandise
               J.F. Hooks & Co. - drugs & groceries
               Mrs. Kimbrough - milliner
               Mr. S. Pierson's warehouse
               O. Dick - saloon
               H.T. Proctor & Co. - furniture
               B.J. Wade - restaurant
               Masonic hall, 2-story building
               Baptist Church
               Methodist Church
               Academy building, 2-story
               M.S. Pierson - gin and grist mill
               T.M. Cain - gin and mill
               Sydnor Bilk, colored, lost all he had
               Missouri, Kansas & Texas depot
               M.A Markrits's store front awning
               Mr. Gilmore's residence roof
 

May 1907 Tornado

This cyclone passed through Rains County during the later part of May, killing 6, injuring 50,
and causing over $50,000 in property damage.  The cyclone came in the southwestern portion of
the county near the Dunbar community and passed out the northeastern portion, just east of the
Freedom school house.  The cyclone was preceded by about an hour's very heavy rain and hail.

As the cyclone progressed through Rains County, it covered an area of about 150 yards wide,
sweeping away everything in sight.

 

Scene of where the Buckner Fitzgerald's home after the tornado. (contributed by Bob & Mary Ann
Fowler Fitzgerald)

Scene where Mr Lonnie Fitzgerald lived after tornado. (contributed by Bob & Mary Ann Fowler
Fitzgerald)

List of dead :
               Walter Martin
               Mrs. Sallie Burkhalter
               Mr. Ivy
               8 year old son of John Littlejohn
               Ann Martin

List of injured :
               Miss Mollie Gary
               Mrs. J.H. Simmons
               Miss Flossie Simmons
               Miss Cora York
               Miss Della York
               Frank Cooke, wife and small child
               Mr. Buckner Fitzgerald
               Mrs. Walter Martin
               Aunt Lizzie White
               8 year old son of Bill Thornton
               8 year old daughter of Westley Woosley
               Cal Lee's wife and baby
               Aunt Emma Abernathy
               Joe Middleton and baby
 

Damage : house of Rev. G.A. Williams, abt 2-1/2 miles from river
               Davis farm
               John Brown's farm
               Ben Northcutt's place
               John Northcutt's place
               J.W. Pittitte's place
               I.N. Hair's place
               A.P. Ward's place
               Lonnie Farr's place
               Whit Chapman's house occupied by Mr. Giles and family
               vacant house owned by Mrs. Duffey
               vacant house owned by the Geo. Green heirs
               vacant house owned by Mr. Humphries
               vacant house owned by J.M. Clifton
               vacant house owned by V.H. Montgomery
               tenement houses on Capt. Cain's farms occupied by J.A. Baker, J. Rodden
                  & Edgar Rylant & wife
               A.M. Hays farm owned by Tackett & Allen, occupied by the Meyer brothers
                  and their sister, Miss Ophelia
               Sam Rylant farm and home
               Lonnie Fitzgerald farm and home
               J.H. Gunter farm and home
               John Shook farm and home
               J.H. Simmons farm and home
               Buckner Fitzgerald house
               J.F. Hooks house occupied by Mr. Ruther and his mother
               Uncle Tom Weatherly's house occupied by West Woosley & Bill Thornton
               Wolf City, a Negro settlement, was completely blown away with 11 houses
                  totally destroyed
               Ed Hebisen farm occupied by W.T. Plunk and family
               vacant house of Mr. Prescott's
               County Poor Farm occupied by Supt. Baker & family and Frank Cooke & family
               A.B. York's barn
               S.N. Tadlock's home
               Henry Chapel School was completely destroyed
               2 houses on Emma Henry's farm
               2 houses on W.D. Peeples farm
               3 houses on Mrs. Hiram Cates farm
 
 
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