Storm, 1922

We sometimes forget that weather, especially storms, played an important part in the lives of early residents. Our ancestors were not blessed with the early morning weather report. They didn’t know what the temperature was going to be next Saturday, and they certainly weren’t warned hours ahead of time that a tornado might be forming. Storms were often devastating, especially in remote areas, and it might be several days before all of the damages were discovered and reported.

This is an account of a relatively minor twister. There have been major storms reported in Caddo as early as 1899. I’ve posted before about the twister of 1926 which killed Mr. and Mrs. Monroe Jackson near Voca and injured many more. It cleared a path 200 yards wide and sixteen miles long. A storm in 1927 demolished sixty buildings, and injured Mrs. J. W. Overstreet. A twister in that same storm system killed eleven people in the Hugo area.

We should feel very fortunate that so much of early Caddo is still standing, and that today we have so many early warning systems and shelters to protect us and our loved ones.

 

The Caddo Herald

April 28, 1922

Storm Wrecks Barn and Houses Monday

Monday afternoon, during a heavy thunderstorm, a little twister made itself felt three miles northwest of Caddo. It was not wide, neither did it stay on the ground very long, but while it was here it demonstrated what a cyclone could do if so minded.

The barn of John Gravitt was blown into kindling wood, being scattered over a square mile. The house on the Milton Pate place, occupied by Joe Boatman, was blown off its blocks. One or two other houses were damaged, but no lives were lost, so far as we have learned.

All of the Boatman’s chickens were killed and his household goods blown away. Sick children on a bed were not injured, though the house was blown away.

Monday night another heavy rain fell, which added to that of Sunday, made the precipitation very heavy for the week.

 

 

Comments

[Catherine]

I saw the following newspaper acct. I am wondering if you know the first name of J.W. Overstreet. My mother was an Overstreet.
Billings Gazette, Billings, Montana, Thurs. Apr 21, 1927
Morning Edition
New Tornado Hits
Caddo, Okla., April 20, (AP) A tornado wreaked 15
houses here late Wednesday. J.W. Overstreet was
reported to have been killed. G. A. Crockett, who lives
here, said the funnel-shaped cloud was seen approaching
for 15 minutes before it struck. Nearly all of the inhabitants
rushed to storm cellars, where they remained until after
the danger had passed. A torrential rain came after the
twister and was reported to have been general throughout
the country.