1948 — March 25, OK Tornado, especially farm homes near Wetumka and Lenna, OK–  13

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard Sep 27, 2023 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–13  AP. “13 Perish in State Tornado.” The Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore, OK, 3-26-1948, p. 1.

            –1  Eufaula area

–3  Lenna area

–2  McClanahan Mountain community near Sallisaw

–7  Wetumka area

–13  NWS, Norman OK Weather Forecast Office. Hughes County, OK Tornadoes (1875-Present).

–10  Grazulis.  Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 504, pp. 935-936.

–2  Farmhouse near touchdown in Hughes County (locality not noted)

–3  Lenna area

–5  Wetumka area

Narrative Information

Grazulis: “OK  MAR 25, 1948 2030 10k 25inj 600y f45m F4.  HUGHES/MCINTOSH—Moved ENE from 2m N of Holdenville to near Lenna. Soon after the touchdown, two people were killed in a farmhouse that was leveled. A half dozen farms were destroyed as the funnel passed just south of Wetumka. About 5m E of Wetumka, a farm house was hit by the barn. The house collapsed, caught fire, and five occupants were burned to death. In McIntosh County, at least five farms were destroyed, and three people died in two separate homes at Lenna. Among them were a recently married couple, reportedly carried for a half-mile to their death. $200,000….” (Grazulis.  Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 504, pp. 935-936.)

 National Weather Service, NOAA, Norman OK Weather Forecast Office, Hughes County:

“03/25/1948…2030 CST…120 [length in miles]…1760 [path width in yards]…13 [killed]…44 [injured]…Hughes/ Mcintosh/ Muskogee/ Sequoyah [counties]…5 W Dustin – near Porum – 5 S Webbers Falls – 4 S Vian – NE of Sallisaw – AR? [Path].”

 Newspaper

 March 26, AP: “Oklahoma City, March 26. – (AP) – At least 13 persons were killed by a tornado which skipped across central and eastern Oklahoma last night. The storm hit mainly in farm communities. No big city was struck. The twister dipped near Wetumka, 75 miles east of Oklahoma City; near Eufaula, 40 miles east of Wetumka; Boynton, near Muskogee; Checotah, near Eufaula and Sallisaw, near the Arkansas border.

“The Oklahoma highway patrol listed seven dead near Wetumka; one near Eufaula; three at the farm community of Lenna near Checotah, and two at McClanahan Mountain community three miles north of Sallisaw, which is 20 miles west of Fort Smith, Ark.

“The tornado first was reported at Tinker Field, Oklahoma City, about 6 p.m. Eighty four planes were destroyed or damaged there by the twister. It moved gradually eastward, finally hitting Sallisaw, near the Arkansas border about 11 p.m.

“Listed as dead were:

Mrs. Woodrow Stringfellow and her three-weeks-old baby.

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Harris and their three daughters, all killed near Wetumka.

Donald Shropshire, 17, Eufaula.

Ola Rogers, 34, and Commodore Rogers, 77, McClanahan Mountain community.

Three dead at Lenna, Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Cox and David Hardin, 1½-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hardin who were taken to a Muskogee hospital.

“Mrs. Stringfellow and her baby were killed when their home about three miles south of Wetumka was flattened by the storm. Her husband suffered a broken shoulder and leg injuries and was taken to a Holdenville hospital. The Stringfellows’ 6-year-old daughter was found soon after the storm in a nearby field. She was unhurt but her clothes had been torn off.

“The five Harris victims were burned to death in a fire which followed the storm. Travis Watson, Wetumka postmaster, said a barn was blown into the Harris home near Wetumka and apparently a stove in the house overturned, setting the structure ablaze. Another daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harris suffered severe burns and was taken to a Holdenville hospital.

“Wetumka has a population of about 2700. Eufaula’s population is about 2300.

“The search was continuing for additional storm victims. Howard Nix, University of Oklahoma student, said at Wetumka an estimated 10 injured persons had been found from the Wetumka area and were taken to a Holdenville hospital….” (Associated Press. “13 Perish in State Tornado. Twister Strikes Wetumka, Checotah, Eufaula as Well as Boynton and Sallisaw.” The Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore, OK, 3-26-1948, p. 1.)

 Sources

 Associated Press. “13 Perish in State Tornado. Twister Strikes Wetumka, Checotah, Eufaula as Well as Boynton and Sallisaw.” The Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore, OK, 3-26-1948, p. 1. Accessed 9-27-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/ardmore-daily-ardmoreite-mar-26-1948-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, NOAA, Norman OK Weather Forecast Office. Hughes County, OK Tornadoes (1875-Present). Accessed 9-27-2023 at:

https://www.weather.gov/oun/tornadodata-county-ok-hughes

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