1965 — June 11, Intense Rain, Dams Fail, dawn Flash-Flood, Sanderson, TX — 26

–26 Brownwood Bulletin, TX. “The day the rain didn’t stop in Sanderson, Texas.” 9-24-2015.
–26 Texas Archive of the Moving Image. “Aftermath of Flash Flood in Sanderson (1965).”
–26 Texas Genealogy Trails. “Terrell County Texas. The Flood of 1965.”
–24 bodies recovered — 2 missing
–24 Texas State Historical Society (TSHS). Handbook of Texas Online. “Sanderson, Texas.”

Narrative Information

Burnett: Includes many photos of damage and a precipitation table, but does not provide a fatality estimate.

Does note:

Deaths of the family of a 12-year-old boy who was washed about a mile downstream where he was rescued two hours later (p. 183). Does not note how many people were in the family

Deaths of four children in different family (p. 183).

Body of victim found twenty miles east of Sanderson (p. 183). No detail.

Body of victim found 300 miles downstream of Rio Grande river in Nuevo Laredo (p. 183).

Body of victim found 140 miles down Rio Grande (about 18 miles up from Eagle Pass).

(Burnett, Jonathan. Flash Floods in Texas. Texas A&M Univ. Press, 2008, pp. 173-185).

Texas Genealogy Trails. “Terrell County Texas. The Flood of 1965.”

Includes excerpts from a number of newspaper accounts and notices on the discovery of bodies. Shows plaque labeled “A Memorial To Sanderson Flood Victims June 11, 1965.” The plaque shows the following names (and the names are also typed out onto the Genealogy Trails page): We add the ages where they are noted elsewhere on this site.

Elida Berrera Lou Ann Johnson [10] Kenneth Sellers [ ~5]
Frank Barron, Jr Paul Daniel Johnson [ 5] George Wood [~75]
Elosia Falcon [41] Rose Ann Johnson [ 8]
Jose Falcon [ 8] Francisco Lopez [35] Missing:
Manuel Falcon [ 7] Jaime Lopez [ 6]
Mario Falcon [12] Martha Lopez [35] John Wesley Johnson, Jr.[35]
Ricardo Falcon [ 6] Tomas Lopez [ 8] Jesus Marquez, Jr. [~35]
Nicolas Flores [70] A. F. Scott [50]
Mrs. Ethel Johnson [31] Debra Sellers [ 5]
David Neil Johnson [14] Frankie Sellers [ 3]
Jo Ann Johnson [ 9] Jerry Sellers [ 6]

Blanchard note 1 to Genealogy Trails webpage: It is possible that the “Martha” Lopez name on the Memorial and typed out on the Genealogy Trails webpage is actually meant to be “Maria” Lopez. A San Antonio Express article, “2 Bodies, Believed Flood Dead Found,” of June 25, 1965 notes the “Recovery of the body of Mrs. Maria Calzada Lopez, 33, Wednesday…Her body was found on an island in the Rio Grande about nine miles upriver from Langtry. It was identified Thursday by members of the family and by Sheriff Bill Cooksey of Sanderson.”

Blanchard note 2 to Genealogy Trails webpage: An Albuquerque Journal article of 6-18-1965, identifies A. F. Scott, shown on the Memorial plaque as Alfred Floyd Scott, 50, a porter at the on the Southern Pacific Railway.

Texas State Historical Society: “On June 11, 1965, Sanderson was devastated by a flash flood. A wall of water roared down Sanderson Canyon into Sanderson, destroying numerous homes and businesses. Twenty-four people died in the flood. Eleven flood-control dams were constructed to protect Sanderson against another such catastrophe.” (TSHS. Handbook of Texas Online. “Sanderson, Texas.”)

Sources

Brownwood Bulletin, TX (Candace Cooksey Fulton). “The day the rain didn’t stop in Sanderson, Texas.” 6-10-2012, and updated 9-24-2015. Accessed 9-20-2021 at: https://www.brownwoodtx.com/article/20120610/Lifestyle/306109990

Burnett, Jonathan. Flash Floods in Texas. College Station: Texas A&M Univ. Press, 2008.

Texas Archive of the Moving Image. “Aftermath of Flash Flood in Sanderson (1965).” Accessed 9-20-2021 at: https://texasarchive.org/2011_03910

Texas Genealogy Trails. “Terrell County Texas. The Flood of 1965.” Accessed 9-20-2026 at: http://genealogytrails.com/tex/bigbend/terrell/flood.html

Texas State Historical Society. Handbook of Texas Online. “Sanderson, Texas.” Accessed 11-14-2009 at: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/SS/hjs7.html