1963 — Sep 2, Two-Car Collision, Texas State Highway 146 near Dayton, TX — 10

–10 Brazosport Facts, TX. “Brazorians’ family hit by tragedy.” 9-4-1963, p. 1.
–10 Long Beach Independent, CA. “10 Killed in Texas Collision,” Sep 3, 1963, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Sep 3, United Press International: “Dayton, Tex. (UPI)—An automobile skidded broadside into another car on a rain-slick Texas highway Monday and 10 persons died in the worst single Labor Day accident reported in the country. An 11th person was injured critically.

“There were 11 persons in both cars….the highway – State Highway 146, a mile south of Dayton. One of the automobiles involved was from Lufkin, in East Texas. The other was from Mont Belvieu, in south-east Texas. The car from Lufkin, evidently traveling fast, skidded on wet asphalt broadside into the car from Mont Belvieu. The car from Lufkin was split almost in two….Seven were riding in the [Mont Belvieu] car. The others were riding in the car coming from Lufkin.” (Long Beach Independent, CA. “10 Killed in Texas Collision,” 3 Sep 1963, 1.)

Sep 4: “Brazoria – Mr. and Mrs. William Grant Josserand of Brazoria were attending funeral services today for their daughter and her family, except for one son, who were killed in the nation’s world Labor Day holiday car crash. Funeral services for Mrs. Rowena Odom, 34; her husband, Carl E. Odom 33; daughter, Peggy, 12; and son, Keith, six, were set for 11 a.m. today in the Mont Belvieu First Baptist Church.

“The Odoms’ son Troy, was injured in the two-car crash and is a patient at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. Troy was the only survivor of the head-on collision two miles south of Dayton on Monday.

“Ten persons died as a result of the wreck which, in terms of lives lost, equals the worst passenger car accident in Texas history….The family [Odoms], accompanied by Odom’s brother, Matt, and his wife of Baytown, were enroute to Saratoga to visit a relative when the accident occurred on a rain-slick highway. The 1960 Buick, driven by Matt Odom, was struck by a 1957 Chevrolet in which two Pasadena men, a Houston woman and her son were killed.

“Troy Odom was listed in fair condition at the Houston hospital.” (Brazosport Facts, TX. “Brazorians’ family hit by tragedy.” 9-4-1963, p. 1.)

Sources

Brazosport Facts, TX. “Brazorians’ family hit by tragedy.” 9-4-1963, p. 1. Accessed 8-4-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/texas-freeport-brazosport-facts-sep-04-1963-p-1/

Long Beach Independent, CA. “10 Killed in Texas Collision,” 9-3-1963, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=51818051