1929 — Feb 25, Tornadoes, TX (4 deaths), MS (23, especially Duncan/21), AR (2)     –27-29

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 2-11-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–27-29  Blanchard. Accounts below agree for TX and AR. There were either 23 (AP) or 21

              (Grazulis) deaths in Duncan, MS, or so it appears. Thus the explanation for our      

              employment of a death toll range for all three states of 27-29.

–29  AP. “Three States in Storm’s Path, 29 Deaths Reported.” Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. 2-26-1929, 1.

            —  2  DeWitt area Arkansas.

–21  Duncan, Mississippi.

—  2  Elsewhere in Miss. such as Darling? (Speculating in that numbers total 27.)

—  4  Texas.

–27  Grazulis.  Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 822.

            —  2  Grand Prairie area, Dallas County, TX. 04:05 F2.

—  2  Cooper, Delta County, TX. 06:25 F2

–19  Duncan, Bolivar County, MS. 14:30 F4

—  2  Darling area, Quitman County, MS. 15:30 F2. Darling is 42 miles from Duncan.

—  2  Arkansas County, AR. 16:00 F2.

Duncan, MS

–21  AP. “Three States in Storm’s Path, 29 Deaths Reported.” Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. 2-26-1929, 1.

–21  Preservation in Mississippi. “Duncan, Mississippi after the 1929 Tornado, Part 1.” 2-3-2015.

–19  Grazulis.  Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 822.

–17  AP. “Relief Work Progressing After Storm.” Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. 2-27-1929, p. 1.

            –10  Black

—  4  Chinese

—  3  White

—>15  New York Times. “23 Dead, 47 Injured as Winds Ravage Southern Towns.” 2-26-1929, 1.

Narrative Information

Feb 25, AP: “Dallas, Tex., Feb. 25 – (AP) – Four persons were killed and at least seven seriously injured in severe windstorms which swooped town on two Northeast Texas communities today, flattening flimsy structures and twisting other of more stable construction.

“At Cooper, Mr. and Mrs. W. N. Jones were killed when a tornado, which swept through a path less than 200 feet wide and about half a mile long, crashed their house to ground….

“At Grand Prairie, ten miles from Dallas, another high wind took the lives of two negroes, Alfred Gibson, 46, and his wife, 22….Gibson was killed instantly when the wind leveled their small house, and his wife died while in an ambulance on the way to Dallas.

….

“The storm, which struck about 4:30 a.m., was felt over a wide area. Dallas and several points east reporting high winds and a heavy rain fall….” (Associated Press. “Four Killed In Texas Storms.” Brownwood Bulletin, TX. 2-25-1929, p. 1.)

Feb 26, AP: “Memphis, Feb. 26. – (AP) – Search of the ruins of Duncan, Miss., today revealed the bodies of seven additional victims of yesterday’s tornado, and increased the storm toll in the states of Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas to 29. Twenty-one were killed in Duncan.

“Most of the dead in Mississippi were negroes and Chinese while two white persons were killed in the collapse of a home near DeWitt, Arkansas, and two white persons and two negroes lost their lives in Texas.

“Rec Cross workers on duty at Duncan since shortly after the tornado struck, dispensed food and coffee to the destitute today, while national guardsmen guarded the debris blocked streets and highways to prevent looting.

“Officials estimated the damage to $250,000, and the damage to Texas approximately the same amount. The vicinities of Marks, Miss., and DeWitt, Ark., suffered to the extent of several thousand dollars.” (Associated Press. “Three States in Storm’s Path, 29 Deaths Reported.” Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. 2-26-1929, p.1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Four Killed In Texas Storms.” Brownwood Bulletin, TX. 2-25-1929, p. 1. Accessed 2-11-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brownwood-bulletin-feb-25-1929-p-1/

Associated Press. “Relief Work Progressing After Storm.” Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. 2-27-1929, p. 1. Accessed 2-11-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/biloxi-daily-herald-feb-27-1929-p-1/

Associated Press. “Three States in Storm’s Path, 29 Deaths Reported.” Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. 2-25-1929, p.1. Accessed 2-11-2025 at:

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.

New York Times. “23 Dead, 47 Injured as Winds Ravage Southern Towns.” 2-26-1929, p. 1. Accessed 2-11-2025 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1929/02/26/95883504.html?pageNumber=1

Preservation in Mississippi. “Duncan, Mississippi after the 1929 Tornado, Part 1.” 2-3-2015. Accessed 2-11-2025 at:

Duncan, Mississippi after the 1929 Tornado, Part 1