KIRKSVILLE TORNADO

submitted by Paulette Haynes, Anderson, Indiana

I found these articles in two Kansas newspapers.  You will notice discrepancies  in the two lists of dead. 
Timely, since tornado season is approaching - I will always remember Palm Sunday in our part of the country. 
There was also a third article with details about the injuries and deaths but it is pretty gruesome.

The Rooks County Journal, May 4, 1899

KIRKSVILLE IN RUINS.
Many Lives Lost
Newton, Missouri also Torn In Pieces and Fifteen Persons Killed.

A gathering storm that had been threatening all afternoon broke upon Kirksville, Mo., in all the fury of a cyclone.  A path a quarter of a mile wide and as clean as the prairie was swept thru the eastern portion of the city and four hundred buildings, homes and mercantile houses, were leveled to the ground in scattered ruins.

The list of killed so far as known are as follows:

William B. Howells, student American School of Osteopathy.
Mrs. W. H. Sherburn, wife of student School Osteopathy.
Jas. Weaver, Sr., retired contractor
Theodore Brigham, merchant
Ed. Beeman, boy.
Mrs. W. W. Green and daughter, Miss Bessie.
Mrs. Henry Billington
Mr. A. W. Galsee
Mrs. A. W. Galsee
Mrs. Ben Green
Mrs. John Larkin Sr.
Mr. C. A. Gibbs
Mrs. C. A. Gibbs
A. C. Beal
James Cunningham
Mrs. Mitchell
Mrs. T. Mahaffey
Mrs. C. Woods
Mr. A. Little
Mrs. A. Little
Mr. Joe  Woods
Mrs. Joe Woods
Mr. A. W. Rainschott
Mrs. A. W. Rainschott

A large number were injured.

Intense darkness prevailed after the cyclone and the rescuers were at a disadvantage for a short time until fire broke out in a dozen places in the ruins and shed light over the scene.  No attempts were made to extinguish the fires, partly because the rescuers had no time and partly because of the need of light.

On both sides of the storm's path the debris was piled high and burned fiercely.  In all probability a number of bodies have been cremated.

The storm first struck the eastern portion of the city, near that part occupied by the boarding house of the students of the American School of Osteopathy, the State Normal school and McWard's seminary.  It was just supper time for the students, and it is thought very probable the list of dead will be well filed with students, as a large number of these boarding houses were demolished.

As far as known tonight these three institutions of learning escaped the storm.  The storm then went northwest and wiped out Patterson's nursery, pulling the trees out of the ground and hurling them through the city.

A second edition of the cyclone followed the first, twenty minutes later.  It came as an inky black cloud, widely distributed, and covered the whole town, but passed above the houses doing no material damage and gathering fury as it went.  It undoubtedly struck the ground a few miles out of Kirksville.
The Logan Republic (Phillips County KS) Thursday, May 4, 1899

THIRTY-ONE ARE DEAD
Awful Havoc at Kirksville, Mo., by a Tornado
Ninety-four Badly Injured

Kirksville, Mo., May 1 - The corrected list of those killed in the tornado of Thursday night places the number officially at 31.  The list follows:

Theo Brigham, a retired merchant
Mrs. A. R. Bowman
Son and daughter of Rev. Mr. Albert Burr
Bab Billington
Seth Feathers, 8 year old boy
A. J. Glasee and wife.
Mrs. W. W. Green
Miss Bessie Green
W. B. Howells, student of osteopathy
Three children of Henry Lowe.
J. B. Larkin, retired merchant
Georgia Lane
Mrs. Cal Little
Mrs. John Mahaffey, Sr.
Mrs. Ora Millen
Miss Zara Millen
Miss Ann Miller, aged 98 years
Mrs. Blue Panschott and baby.
Mrs. Mary Rorabaugh
Mrs. H. K. Sherburne
John C. Weaver
Miss Leona Whaley
Mrs. Joe Wood
Miss Wood
The number of injured now reaches ninety-four, and some of them are so badly injured that they will in all probability die.  The search among the ruins still continues.
Those known to be missing are:
J. F. Ashworth
John Elliott
Mrs. John Johnson
---- Johnson
Mayor Noonan has made a list of 100 families, including about 500 persons, who have lost everything and are in need.  All the hungry have been fed through the efforts of the citizens, who are co-operating with Mayor Noonan.

The annual encampment of the G.A.R. of Missouri is scheduled to meet in Kirksville May 10 for a two days convention.  This will be declared off.

 

Kirksville Tornado of April 27, 1899

1899 Tornado Kirksville Picture 1
1899 Tornado Kirksville Picture 2
1899 Tornado Kirksville Picture 3
1899 Tornado Kirksville Picture 4
1899 Tornado Kirksville Picture 5
1899 Tornado Kirksville Picture 6
1899 Tornado Kirksville Picture 7
1899 Tornado Kirksville Picture 8
1899 Tornado Kirksville Picture 9
Bessi E. Green and Mother Perished
1899 Tornado Kirksville Picture 10
Mr. shensley Daughter Perished
Tornado Kirksville Picture 11

Kirksville Ice Storm 1911

South Sixth Steet Picture 1
Pierce & 5th Street Picture 2
Ostopaty & Pierce Street Picture 3
Main Street Picture 4
Ice Storm 1911 Picture 5