Sabine Parish, LA– 27

lornajarrettblanchard February 17, 1927

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-1-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–27 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 325 and 805.

–13 Tensas Parish. 17:15 F2. Especially near Lake Bruin.

–14 Sabine Parish. 17:15 F3. Especially Pleasant Hill area.

–24 AP. “Known Dead in Two States is Placed at 32.” Monroe News-Star, LA. 2-18-1927, p.1.

–11 Sabine Parish, Pleasant Hill.

–13 Tensas Parish, Newellton.

–15 Tensas Parish. Monroe News-Star, LA. “Lake Bruin Storm Toll Is Boosted.” 2-19-1927, 1.

–13 Tensas Parish. Monroe News-Star, LA. “Tornado Hits Tensas. Twister Kills Thirteen…” 2-18-1927, p.1.

–4 Buck Ridge. W. B. Hoge plantation.

–2 Mart Jacoby plantation

–3 Lake St. Joseph area, Frank Lavardo plantation.

–2 Lake Bruin area, Lelia Mac plantation.

Narrative Information

Feb 18, Monroe News-Star, LA: “Newellton, La., Feb. 18. – Tensas parish today counted its dead, toll of a cyclone which dipped and roared through the section near Lake Bruin south of here last night starting at 7:30 o’clock. There were thirteen persons, all negroes, known dead at 2 p.m. today. Scores were injured and it is probable that final list of dead will be increased. Five plantations were in the path of the twisting storm that broke with varying force on Lake St. Joseph and whipped through to Lake Bruin. Most of the buildings damaged trees and howled over the lakes and bayous…

“The gale struck first at Buck Ridge plantation, two and a half miles south of Newellton. At this plantation, owned by W. B. Hose of Natchez, four negroes were killed and five or six injured. Nine tenant houses were flattened, a barn was demolished, a store wrecked and the home of the plantation overseer was unroofed.

“From here the storm moved to Mart Jacoby’s plantation, where two were killed and five hurt.

“Swinging along the shore of Lake St. Joseph, the cyclone then struck the Frank Lavardo plantation, killing three and injuring several. Tenant houses here were broken into splinters and damage was general.

“At the Frank Gentry plantation, further south, seven were injured. The Gentry home was demolished but his family including himself, his wife and seven children, escaped injury by running to a storm cellar, reaching safety just as their house was lifted into the air.

“Here the cyclone curved to the shore of Lake Bruin and in this sector struck the Lelia Mac plantation. Tenant houses were wrecked, the top was taken off the home of the plantation manager. Two negroes were killed and a number injured. One negro child was blown into Lake Bruin, and her body has not been recovered. The storm seemed to have reached its peak at this point….” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Tornado Hits Tensas. Twister Kills Thirteen in its Sweep Over Lake Bruin Region.” 2-18-1927, p. 1.)

Feb 18, Monroe News-Star, LA: “By Associated Press. New Orleans, Feb. 18. – Thirty-two persons were known dead, ninety injured, several fatally, and an estimated amount of property damage reported today in the wake of a tornado [six in all] which struck freakishly at three widely separated sections of Louisiana and Mississippi late yesterday….

“Eleven persons were killed and 25 injured, several probably fatally in the Pleasant Hill section near Shreveport.

….

“ Thirteen were killed and 61 injured, several fatally, at Newellton, Tensas parish, La.

“At the same time unverified reports told of other dead in the neighborhood of Pleasant Hill [Sabine Parish], which it was believed would bring the total number of fatalities from the storm to twenty in that community.

….

“The storm struck first at Pleasant Hill yesterday, destroying farm houses, unroofing houses and sending families scurrying to cyclone cellars to avoid its fury. Before darkness had fallen, scores of rescue workers were busy removing the dead from the ruins and transporting injured to hospitals.

“Temporary emergency hospitals were prepared at Pleasant Hill and many victims were removed there. Others were carried to Shreveport where hundreds of Shriners, attending a national shrine meeting, joined in the rescue work.

“The storm appeared to confine its fury to isolated plantations in Tensas parish, taking a heavy toll of dead among negroes residing in the plantation shanties.

“Lifting again, it traversed almost the entire state of Mississippi before it again struck at Rosehill, 35 miles east of Meridian….” (Associated Press. “Known Dead in Two States is Placed at 32.” Monroe News-Star, LA. 2-18-1927, p. 1.)

Feb 19, Monroe News-Star, LA: “Special to The News-Star. Newellton, Feb. 19. – At noon today the death toll of Thursday night’s tornado in Tensas parish stood at fifteen, all of them negroes except one child, a member of a farm hand family living near Lake Bruin.

….

“The Red Cross has provided assistance for the injured and homeless. The doctors and nurses of the parish have worked long hours caring for the injured, numbering around one hundred…

“Sixty five plantation cabins were destroyed, seven plantation residences, seven churches and a number of barns. Destruction was fairly uniform over the territory struck by the hurricane, the path of which was two miles wide and twenty miles long….” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Lake Bruin Storm Toll Is Boosted.” 2-19-1927, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Known Dead in Two States is Placed at 32.” Monroe News-Star, LA. 2-18-1927, p. 1. Accessed 3-1-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/monroe-news-star-feb-18-1927-p-2/

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

Monroe News-Star, LA. “Lake Bruin Storm Toll Is Boosted.” 2-19-1927, 1. Accessed 3-1-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/monroe-news-star-feb-19-1927-p-2/

Monroe News-Star, LA. “Tornado Hits Tensas. Twister Kills Thirteen in its Sweep Over Lake Bruin Region.” 2-18-1927, p. 1. Accessed 3-1-2025 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/monroe-news-star-feb-18-1927-p-2/