1929 – Jan 18, Tornadoes and high winds, IL (3), IN (1), MO (3), KY (3) — 10
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 2-12-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–12 AP. “Tornado Death List Mounts to 12.” Racine Journal-News, WI. 1-19-1929, p. 1.[1]
–10 AP. “Twister Hits Four States: Ten Are Dead. Daily Illini, Champaign-Urbana, IL. 1-19-29, 1.
–10 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 497 and 822.
–3 Saline/Gallatin/White Counties, IL; Posey/Gibson Counties, IN. 11:20 F2.
–2 Maunie, White County, IL (children at school)
–1 Fort Branch, Gibson County, IN. (woman)
–3 Blodgett area, Scott County, MO. 11:30 F3. (woman and two children) –1 Johnston County, IL. 12:00 F2
–2 Near border, Green and Taylor Counties, KY. 16:00 F2.
–1 Sonora, Hardin County, KY. 16:00 F3.
Narrative Information
Jan 18, Centralia Evening Sentinel, IL. South Illinois Swept By Tornado: “Death Toll in 2 Storms Reaches 5. Cape Girardeau and the Carmi Area Are Stricken.
“Five persons were reported killed and nearly a score were injured today in a tornado which swept northeastward through Cape Girardeau, Mo., struck Maunie, Ill., near the Indiana line, and then dipped again at Fort Branch, Ind. The dead are:
Marjorie Hargrave, age 4 Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Buddie Hargrave, 3 year old, a brother. [Cape Girardeau, Mo.]
Dorothy MacHenry, 13, and [Maunie, Ill.]
Bernice Tucker, daughter of a minister, Maunie, Ill.
Mrs. Mary Dolen, Fort Branch, Indiana.
“Fifteen other school children were reported injured at Maunie when two school houses were torn down.
“No other casualties were reported at Cape Girardeau, but several farm buildings were wrecked.
“At Fort Branch, David Nolen and a five year old grand child were injured. Several houses and out buildings were blown down….” (Centralia Evening Sentinel, IL. “South Illinois Swept By Tornado.” 1-18-1929, p. 1.)
Jan 18, AP: “EVANSVILLE, Ind., Jan. 18 – (AP) Ten deaths and injuries to about 30 persons, mostly children, was the known toll tonight of a tornado which swept through four middle western states today, accompanied by heavy rain storms. Blowing out of the southwest up the Ohio and Wabash river valleys, the twister struck first 20 miles south of Cape Girardeau, Mo., where two children were killed at Maunie, Ill., where a school building collapsed; two children and a woman were killed and about 25 school children injured. Three persons were reported drowned along the Ohio river and as the storm turned north a woman was killed and her two grand children injured at Fort Branch, Ind.
“Tonight the storm was reported centered at Cleveland and the Lake Erie district with indications that it would pass up the St. Lawrence valley.
“The dead were: [We separate the names out of paragraph into separate lines.]
Dorothy May Handley, age 12, Maunie;
Bernice Tucker, 13, Maunie;
Mrs. Amos Newman, Maunie;
Marjorie Hargraves, 3;
Mrs. Mary Nolen, 65, Fort Branch, Ind.;
Roy Liter, 21, and [Not killed, found later on river bank]
Clinton Mahoney, 34, drowned in Ohio river when skiff capsized; [Found alive]
William Thrasher, 42, blown from Louisville bridge and drowned.
“Maunie appeared to be the heaviest sufferer from the storm. Half a dozen residences there were demolished as well as the school building. The death of Gleen Erwin, age nine, was reported in the school collapse, but could not be confirmed.
“Two homes were destroyed in Fort Branch…” (Associated Press. “Twister Hits Four States: Ten Are Dead. Daily Illini, Champaign-Urbana, IL. 1-19-1929, p.1.)
Jan 19, AP: “Tornado Death List Mounts to 12. Six States in Path of Storm.”
“Man Blown From Bridge Into River, Drowned, at Louisville, Ky.
“CHICAGO. – (AP) – A dozen deaths today marked the trail of winter’s worst storm as it swept violently across six states of the middle west yesterday.
“A drop in temperature accompanied the freakish weather. Rain and snow added to the misery in stricken areas where homes and buildings were demolished. Sections of Missouri, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio incurred the wrath of the ill-tempered elements, driven by a strong wind.
“In several places the storm, which moved northeastward from southern Missouri, across Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, was of tornadic violence, especially at Cape Girardeau, Mo., where two small children were killed, at Maunie, Ill., where there were three deaths, and at Fort Brancy, Ind., where one woman was killed.
“Unseasonal rains and high winds were reported over a wide area contiguous to the path of the principal storm, going as far south as Mississippi, where one man was killed. Two men drowned in the Ohio river when the storm capsized their skill, and another was blown from a bridge at Louisville, Ky. Victims of the storm were:
Dorothy May Handley, age 12, Maunie, Ill.
Bernice Tucker, aged 13, Maunie.
Mrs. Amos Newman, Maunie.
Marjorie Hargraves, aged 4, near Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Buddie Hargraves, aged 3, near Cape Girardeau
Mrs. Mary Nolen, aged 65, Fort Branch, Ind.
Roy Liter, aged 21, and [Liter and Mahoney were found alive on river bank.]
Clinton Mahoney, aged 24, drowned in Ohio river between Milton, Ky., and Madison, Ind.
William Thrasher, 43, blown from bridge at Louisville, Ky.
- G. Klosse, farmer of near Georgetown, Ky., crushed to death when his barn collapsed.
Mrs. Albert Stoodt, Mansfield, O., electrocuted when the storm blew a high tension wire
across a telephone line over which she was talking.
Elemia Feretti, about 65, Shelby, Miss.
“Two were believed to have been drowned near Bedford, Ky., but were found late last night exhausted but safe on the river bank.
“A Negro also was missing in the Shelby, Miss., storm and is believed to have been buried under wreckage of the three-story hardware store and Masonic lodge building…” (Associated Press. “Tornado Death List Mounts to 12.” Racine Journal-News, WI. 1-19-1929, p. 1.)
Sources
Associated Press. “Tornado Death List Mounts to 12.” Racine Journal-News, WI. 1-19-1929, p. 1. Accessed 2-12-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/racine-journal-news-jan-19-1929-p-1/
Associated Press. “Twister Hits Four States: Ten Are Dead. Daily Illini, Champaign-Urbana, IL. 1-19-1929, p.1. Accessed 2-12-2025 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/chicago-daily-illini-jan-19-1929-p-1/
Centralia Evening Sentinel, IL. “South Illinois Swept By Tornado.” 1-18-1929, p. 1. Accessed 2-12-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/centralia-evening-sentinel-jan-18-1929-p-1/
Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.
[1] Includes, however, two men noted as drowned when skiff capsized, but later found alive on river bank. Thus 10.