1930 — Nov 19, Tornado, Oklahoma County, especially Bethany, OK                     –22-23

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 1-24-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–23  AP. “23 Killed…Tornado…Bethany, Okla.” Miami Daily News-Record, OK. 11-19-1930, 1.[1]

–23  Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 411 and 839.

–23  NWSFO, Norman OK. Table of Tornadoes Which Have Occurred in the Oklahoma City.

–23  NWSFO, Norman OK. “Top Ten Deadliest Oklahoma Tornadoes (1882-2009).”

–23  The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City. “Bethany Woman Recalls Tornado.” 11-21-1994.

–22  AP. “Bethany to Begin Construction Work.” Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore, OK. 11-23-1930, 1

–17  AP. “Death List In Oklahoma Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, p. 2.

Blanchard: Out of sense of caution we note 22-23 deaths instead of 23 in that 22 is the highest death toll we could locate in our search of OK newspapers at the time. The teacher, Mary Proctor, whom Grazulis and the NWS Norman WFO reported as dead, certainly was not killed at the time – she talked to reporters in a hospital shortly afterwards. Indeed, she is noted as the author of an article published Nov 19 (Proctor, Mary. “Teacher Knows Tornado Coming.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, p. 2.) We show below a listing of eighteen fatalities, all that we could locate.

Narrative Information

NWS Forecast Office, Norman OK: 9:30 am, F4, 23 killed, 125 injured.  “Moved NNE from 3 miles W of the OKC limits, hitting the E part of Bethany. About 110 homes and 700 other buildings, or about a fourth of the town, were damaged or destroyed. Near the end of the damage path 3.5 miles NE of Wiley Post Airfield, the tornado hit the Camel Creek school. Buildings blew apart just as the students were falling to the floor and looking for shelter; five students and a teacher were killed. [Path width 150yd, length 7mi].”[2] (NWSFO, Norman OK. Table of Tornadoes Which Have Occurred in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Area Since 1890.)

 

National Weather Service, Norman WFO. “Top Ten Deadliest Oklahoma Tornadoes (1882-Present).” 

No. 10: “Betheny…11/19/1930…F4…23 [deaths]…150 [injuries].

 

“This rare tornado is only 1 of 3 violent tornadoes to have been documented to have occurred during the month of November in Oklahoma since 1900. Between 9:30 am and 9:58 am CST, it moved north-northeast from 3 miles west of the Oklahoma City limits and hit the eastern part of Bethany. About 110 homes and 700 other buildings, or about a fourth of the town, were damaged or destroyed. Near the end of the damage path, 3.5 miles northeast of Wiley Post Airfield, the tornado hit the Camel Creek school. Buildings blew apart just as the students were falling to the floor and looking for shelter, and 5 students and a teacher were killed. A total of 23 people were killed and another 150 injured, with 77 being seriously injured. Damage estimates were listed at $500,000.”

Newspapers

 

Nov 19: “Oklahoma City, Nov. 19. – (AP) – Striking suddenly during a heavy rain today, a tornado took a death toll of approximately 23 persons and injured 60 others in and near the little town of Bethany, seven miles from here. The downpour of rain continued several hours after the tornado twisted past, handicapping the efforts of relief workers. Over a foot of water stood in the town, in which 200 buildings were destroyed.

 

“Before the wind struck Bethany, it demolished a schoolhouse at Camel, a short distance away, killing two pupils and injuring the teacher and 12 other children in the building.

 

“As the rain subsided, Red Cross, Salvation Army and national guard relief workers were able to work faster in removing the dead and injured from the debris. They found the wind had virtually destroyed all the eastern section of the town. A survey made from the air showed the damage had been limited to the vicinity of Bethany.

 

“….Reporters at the scene said the death and injured toll would increase….

 

“Bethany is populated largely by members of the Nazarene church and denominational school, Bethany Peniel college, is located there. The town is about seven miles west of here. The surrounding area is thickly settled….” (Associated Press. “23 Killed, 60 Injured When Tornado Strikes Town of Bethany, Okla.” Miami Daily News-Record, OK. 11-19-1930, p. 1.)

 

Nov 21, Democrat-American, Sallisaw, OK: “Bethany, Nov. 20 – A tornado of terrific force Wednesday cut a swath of death and destruction through the little church colony of Bethany…Seventeen persons were killed. One hundred were injured and approximately the same number of buildings were destroyed. Several persons were injured so critically that they first were included in the death list….

 

“Dropping first a few miles south of Bethany, the twisting funnel of death wrecked the Camel Creek schoolhouse killing four pupils and injuring the teacher and 10 other children. Floyd Roettger, 12, one of the pupils described how Miss Mary Proctor, the teacher, attempted to save the children and how he himself called an ambulance and removed four dead from the ruins….‘I caried Delbert Sharp to the Zorline house. I knew he was dead. Then I found Marguerite Zorline, dead, and carried her to her mother.’

 

“….Yates Hoover, an ambulance driver, found the body of his father where their home once stood. Unable to find his mother, he removed his father to the morgue and then rushed back in search of her.

 

“….The path of the tornado was very clearly defined from one mile east of Wheatland and straight north through Bethany to a point two miles north and west of Curtis-Wright airport at Oklahoma City. In a streak sometimes two blocks wide and sometimes three through the east side of Bethany everything appeared to have been blown away….From Wheatland north to Bethany the storm appeared to be five telephone poles wide and parallel to the section line. On the other side of the damaged city the force of the storm apparently was son spent.

 

“….City policemen, firemen, deputies and national guardsmen with drawn guns were posted to protect property.” (Democrat-American, Sallisaw, OK. “Tornado Takes Heavy Toll in Church Colony.” 11-21-1930, p. 1.)

 

Nov 22, AP: “Bethany, Nov. 22 – (AP) – Construction of new homes and business houses in the desolate path of the tornado which claimed 22 lives and seriously injured 47 persons, will be started Monday, officials of the Red Cross and cooperating agencies said tonight. A check by the Red Cross today showed 198 families, representing between 600 and 650 persons would have to be cared for in the permanent relief program.

 

“Within 10 of the 47 seriously hurt still in critical condition today, the death toll was raised to 22 by the death of a baby and another man. Bobby Wayne Gill died in an Oklahoma City hospital, leaving his mother, Mrs. B. M. Gill, and two small brothers still confined to the hospital.

 

“Jim Cole, 32, also died in an Oklahoma City hospital.” (Associated Press. “Bethany to Begin Construction Work.” The Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore, OK. 11-23-1930, p. 1.)

 

Names of Individuals Named in the Press as Fatalities.

 

  1. Cole, Jim, 32. AP. “Bethany to Begin Construction Work.” Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore, OK. 11-23-1930, 1.
  2. Davis, Mrs. R. E., 31. “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  3. Dixon, E. K., 19 or 69[3] “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  4. Dobbs, William M., 50. “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  5. Douglas, Mrs. John “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  6. Hoover, E. L.                 “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  7. Manning, Mrs. Jim, 35. “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  8. Murphy, Mrs. I. E.        “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  9. Murphy, Marvin, 22. “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  10. Reynolds baby “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  11. Robinson, Richard, 1. “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  12. Sharp, Delbert, 12 or 13. “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express. 11-20-1930, 2.
  13. Sharp, Clyde, 9. “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  14. Sharp, Helen, 9.          “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  15. Stephens, Mrs. Jim, 35. “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  16. Wright, Roxie, 17. “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  17. Wright, Mrs. Fleta “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.
  18. Zurline, Marguerite, 14. “Death List In [OK] Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, 2.

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “23 Killed, 60 Injured When Tornado Strikes Town of Bethany, Okla.” Miami Daily News-Record, OK. 11-19-1930, p. 1. Accessed 1-24-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/miami-daily-news-record-nov-19-1930-p-1/

 

Associated Press. “Bethany to Begin Construction Work.” The Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore, OK. 11-23-1930, p. 1. Accessed 1-24-2025 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/ardmore-daily-ardmoreite-nov-23-1930-p-2/

 

Associated Press. “Death List In Oklahoma Storm.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, p. 2. Accessed 1-24-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-express-nov-20-1930-p-2/

 

Dallas Morning News, TX. “17 Killed and 100 Injured as Tornado Hits Oklahoma.” 11-20-1930, pp. 1-2. Accessed 1-24-2025 at: http://genealogytrails.com/oka/oklahoma/news_weather.html

 

Democrat-American, Sallisaw, OK. “Tornado Takes Heavy Toll in Church Colony.” 11-21-1930, p. 1. Accessed 1-24-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/democrat-american-nov-21-1930-p-1/

 

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

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Norman, OK. Table of Tornadoes Which Have Occurred in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Area Since 1890. 12-22-2008 update.  Accessed at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/tornadodata/okc/table.php

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Norman, OK. “Top Ten Deadliest Oklahoma Tornadoes (1882-Present).”  NWS, NOAA. Accessed 1-24-2025 at:  https://www.weather.gov/oun/tornadodata-ok-deadliest

 

Proctor, Mary. “Teacher Knows Tornado Coming.” San Antonio Express, TX. 11-20-1930, p. 2. Accessed 1-24-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-express-nov-20-1930-p-2/

 

The Oklahoman (Allison Day), Oklahoma City. “Bethany Woman Recalls Tornado.” 11-21-1994. Accessed 1-24-2025 at: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1994/11/21/bethany-woman-recalls-tornado/62407996007/

 

 

 

 

 

[1] This was incorrect, at least at the time. A Nov 21 newspaper report, noting 17 deaths, stated: “Several persons were injured so critically that they first were included in the death list….”

[2] Exact same wording as in Grazulis, p. 839.

[3] Dallas Morning News, TX. “17 Killed and 100 Injured as Tornado Hits Oklahoma.” 11-20-1930, pp. 1-2.