2 –40-42

lornajarrettblanchard July 21, 1909

–40-42 Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.[1]

Louisiana ( 2)

–2 Cameron Parish. Roth (NWS). Louisiana Hurricane History. Hurricane No. 4, p. 9.[2]

Texas (31-33)

–31-33 Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below. (Yellow highlight denotes not included.)

— 2 Angleton Brazoria County Have seen reporting of eight deaths.

— 3 Bay City Matagorda County

— 1 Bay Shore Galveston County? Not substantiated.

— 1 Beasley Fort Bend County Not substantiated.

— 3? Blessing (several) Matagorda County

— 9 Christmas Bay area. Brazoria County, about 15 miles south of Angleton.

— 1 Eagle Lake Colorado County Have seen reporting of 2 deaths – no detail.

— 1 El Campo Wharton County Not substantiated.

— 6 Galveston Isl. Galveston Count (includes death of boat captain at San Luis Pass)

— 13 High Island to Sabine Pass (feared dead, but later reports noted the families okay.

— 1 Kendleton Fort Bend County

–2-4 Palacios Matagorda County

— 2? Quintana area Brazoria Co. (sloop Columbus overturns, 2 lifesavers presumed lost)

— 2 Rock Island Colorado County

— 1 Velasco Brazoria County Have seen reporting of two deaths.

— 1 Wharton Wharton County

— 1 Weimar Colorado County

— 2 West Bay, between Galveston Island and mainland

–41 Bunnemeyer. “Climatological Data for July, 1909…Texas and Rio Grande Valley.” MWR.[3]

–41 Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. EM DAT Database.

–41 Dunn and Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised Edition). 1964. Page 323.[4]

–41 Fernández-Partagás. Storms of 1909-1910. “Year 1909…Storm 3, 1909 (Jul 17-22), H.”)[5]

–41 Hebert/Jarrell/Mayfield. The Deadliest, Costliest…[US] Hurricanes… Feb 1993, p. 80.

–41 Price. Hurricanes Affecting the Coast of Texas from Galveston to Rio. March 1956, A-6.

–41 Rappaport and Partagas. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1994. 1995.[6]

–41 Rock Hill Herald, New Orleans. “Storm Victims Number 41.” 7-21-1909, p. 3.[7]

–41 Roth (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Camp Springs, MD: NWS. 1-17-2010 update.[8]

–38 Fort Wayne Sentinel, IN. “Death List Grows as Word Comes from Coast.” 7-28-1909, p2.

–38 Record and Chronicle, Denton TX. “Storm Cause of Thirty-Six Deaths,” 7-24-1909, p.2.[9]

–36 Record and Chronicle, Denton TX. “Storm Cause of Thirty-Six Deaths,” 7-24-1909, p. 2.

–36 Fort Stockton Pioneer, TX. “Louisiana-Texas Coast Storm Takes 36 Lives.” 7-29-1909, p1.

–8 Angleton

–3 Bay City

–1 Beasley

–2 Eagle Lake

–1 El Campo

–5 Galveston

–3 Hitchcock

–6 Richmond

–2 Rock Island

–2 Velasco

–1 Wharton

–2 Mudd Pass [Louisiana?]

–25 San Diego Union, CA. “Cyclone Fatal to 25 Persons.” 7-24-1909, p. 2.

–12 New York Times. “More Than a Score Dead in Gulf Storm, 7-23-1909.[10]

Angleton and nearby, Brazoria County ( 2)

–8 Fort Stockton Pioneer, TX. “Louisiana-Texas Coast Storm Takes 36 Lives.” 7-29-1909, 1.[11]

–1 “Capt. J. W. Glasscock died at Angleton as a result of shock and exposure attendant upon the hurricane.”[12]

–1 Angleton area farmer reported that Columbus Maddox, son of prominent planter, missing.[13]

Bay City, Matagorda County ( 3)

–3 Children. New York Times. “More Than A Score Dead in Gulf Storm.” 7-23-1909.[14]

Bay Shore, Galveston County?[15] ( 1)

–1 “Bay Shore: One dead and considerable property damage.”[16]

Beasley, Fort Bend County ( 1)

–1 Fort Stockton Pioneer, TX. “Louisiana-Texas Coast Storm Takes 36 Lives.” 7-29-1909, 1.[17]

Blessing, Matagorda County (3)? (Not in tally – uncertainty.)

–3? “Blessing: Several lives reported lost and serious property damage.”[18]

Christmas Bay area, ~15 miles south of Angleton ( 9) Brazoria County

–9 Fort Wayne Sentinel, IN. “Death List Grows as Word Comes from Coast.” 7-28-1909, p.2.

–9 Maurice P. Woulfe, wife, 6 children, and servant.[19]

–7 Maurice Wolfe and 6 children drowned about 15 miles from Angleton.[20]

Eagle Lake, Colorado County ( 1)

–2 Fort Stockton Pioneer, TX. “Louisiana-Texas Coast Storm Takes 36 Lives.” 7-29-1909, p. 1.

–1 E. C. Schaffaar, about 40; inside collapsed house. (Galveston Daily News. “Eagle Lake…”)

El Campo, Wharton County ( 1) (not corroborated)

–1 “…a Mexican at El Campo…” NYT. “More Than A Score Dead in Gulf Storm.” 7-23-1909.[21]

Galveston Island ( 6)

–10 Fishing party, Tarpon Pier. Wikipedia. “1909 Velasco hurricane.”[22]

— 6 Blanchard tally drawn from breakouts below.

– -5 Bunnemeyer. Monthly Weather Review, July 1909, p. 352.

–4 Fishing pier lost.

–1 Capt. Matthews Matthewis; struck in head by boom of a boat, knocked into water.

— 5 Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Jan 17, 2010 update, p. 9.

–4 Fishing pier “demolished.” Bunnemeyer. Monthly Weather Review, July 1909, p.352.[23]

–2 Capt. and Mrs. Bettison. Record Chronicle, Denton. “Storm…” 7-24-1909, 2.[24]

–1 Wife of Charles Johnson. Dallas Morning News. “Two…Bodies…” 7-24-1909.

–1 C. H. Dailey (or Daly). Record Chronicle, Denton. “Storm…” 7-24-1909, 2.[25]

–1 E. Hart, Galveston dairyman; checking on his stock in barn, which collapsed during storm.[26]

High Island to Sabine Pass (13)

–13 Abernathy brothers and families (reported missing),[27] but later reported safe.[28]

Hitchcock, Galveston Co. (mainland across from Island ( 3)[29]

–3 Fort Stockton Pioneer, TX. “Louisiana-Texas Coast Storm Takes 36 Lives.” 7-29-1909, p. 1.

Kendleton, Fort Bend County ( 1)

–1 Section foreman at Kindalton [Kendleton?] NYT. “More Than A Score Dead in Gulf Storm.” 7-23-1909.

Palacios, Matagorda County (2-4)

–4 New York Times. “More Than A Score Dead in Gulf Storm.” 7-23-1909.[30]

–2 Mrs. Hogan and daughter “fatally hurt.” NYT. “More Than A Score Dead in Gulf Storm.” 7-23-1909.

Quintana, Brazoria County ( 2)

–2 Sloop Columbus overturned, two life-savers missing and presumed dead.[31]

Ramsay? ( 1)

–1 “…a farmer at Ramsay.” NY Times. “More Than A Score Dead in Gulf Storm.” 7-23-1909.

Richmond, Fort Bend County ( 6)[32]

–6 Fort Stockton Pioneer, TX. “Louisiana-Texas Coast Storm Takes 36 Lives.” 7-29-1909, p. 1.

Rock Island, Colorado County ( 2)

–2 John Friday; man named Finlay. Record Chronicle, Denton. “Storm Cause of…” 7-24-1909, 2.

–2 Fort Stockton Pioneer, TX. “Louisiana-Texas Coast Storm Takes 36 Lives.” 7-29-1909, p. 1.

San Luis Pass, between Galveston NS Follet’s Islands ( 1) (Also under Galveston Island.)

–1 Capt. Matthews Matthewis; struck in head by boom of a boat, knocked into water.[33]

Velasco, Brazoria County ( 1)

–2 Fort Stockton Pioneer, TX. “Louisiana-Texas Coast Storm Takes 36 Lives.” 7-29-1909, 1.[34]

–1 Black man. Record and Chronicle, Denton TX. “Storm Cause of Thirty-Six Deaths,” 7-24-1909, 2.

Wharton, Wharton County ( 1)

–1 “,,,a negro at Wharton…” NY Times. “More Than A Score Dead in Gulf Storm.” 7-23-1909.

–1 Fort Stockton Pioneer, TX. “Louisiana-Texas Coast Storm Takes 36 Lives.” 7-29-1909, p. 1.

Weimar, Colorado County ( 1)

–1 Aunt Matilda Green, elderly African-American; hit by shed trying to reach place of safety.[35]

West Bay, between Galveston Island and mainland ( 2)

–2 Missing and presumed drowned from fishing boat Erette; Capt. Avidson and son.[36]

Narrative Information

Bunnemeyer (Monthly Weather Review): “This disturbance was first observed on the morning of July 18, 1909, being then apparently central over western Cuba and moving in a northwesterly direction into the Gulf of Mexico. It remained in the Gulf for over three days steadily approaching the Texas coast at the rate of about 10 miles per hour. By 7 a.m. of July 21 it was central at a distance of perhaps 30 miles south southeast of Galveston, whence it moved inland over Brazoria and Wharton counties, breaking up on the following day in southwest Texas near the middle Rio Grande….

“In consequence [or warnings] there were practically no marine disasters, but the damage on land was unavoidably great. It is estimated that the total damage in Texas exceeded $2,000,000.00, and 41 persons are reported to have lost their lives in this storm….

“At Galveston the Gulf rose to a height of 10 feet above the normal, and to the westward it rose still higher, submerging the entire western portion of Galveston Island and many miles of the main land. At Velasco [now Freeport] the tide was reported 3 feet higher than during the great Galveston storm of 1900. This is probably correct as the center of this storm passed over Velasco, while that of the 1900 storm passed over Galveston, or about 40 miles farther to the northeast….

“The storm was accompanied by heavy precipitation over the southern half of the State of Texas, except the lower Rio Grande Valley which received no moisture. At Hallettsville the rainfall from this storm amounted to 8.50 inches, and at Kerrville to 8.84 inches, which was the heaviest reported. Salt water was carried inland for many miles….

“At the time of the storm the writer was on duty at Galveston, and from that place submitted the following immediate report to the Chief of the Weather Bureau:

The tropical storm of July 21, 1909, from a commercial as well as residential point of view has proven of the utmost importance to the city of Galveston. It was a very satisfactory test of the protection of the sea wall which was built after the destructive hurricane of 1900. Not a single life was lost within the protected area and the damage to property was only nominal, consisting principally of broken trees, fences and windows, and other minor losses. Outside of the sea wall everything exposed to the wind and waves was either destroyed or suffered severely. Among the property completely lost were two bathing pavilions, two fishing piers leading out from the sea wall, several structures near the beach beyond the western terminus of the sea wall, and two fishing piers on the jetties several miles east of Galveston. One other bathing pavilion was badly damaged….

The two fishing piers on the jetties were occupied on the day of the storm. The occupants of one of these piers were taken off before it was demolished; those of the other pie r, consisting of 11 persons, went down with the structure, not, however, until after several heroic efforts had been made to save them. Seven of the 11 occupants were picked up alive on the following day by searching parties at a distance of 25 miles from the pier; three were picked up dead, and one is still unaccounted for and probably lost.

There was no damage to shipping, except that a few small boats were lost. The sloop Ellen, a fishing boat, was towed into port after the storm, with masts and rigging gone. Her captain, who was in a small boat at the time, was lost, struck by the boom during a gust of wind, as he was trying to board his sloop. He was probably instantly killed. The situation may be summed up as follows: Four persons dead and one person unaccounted for… [352]

The Gulf, it is estimated, rose to a height of nearly 10 feet above the normal and the entire western portion of Galveston Island was under water, drowning a large number of cattle and hogs. Volumes of water dashed over the sea wall and flooded successively the lower portions of the city. It was after 2:00 p.m. before this water finally disappeared through the drainage pipes…. [p. 353]

“Report of the Storm at Angleton and Velasco, by Mr. W. P. Stewart.

On the way to Velasco the effects of this storm were first seen at Danbury, Tex., a village about 20 miles north of Velasco. At this place two buildings had been blown down.

At Angleton, a town of 800 inhabitants, about 15 miles north-northwest of Velasco, about one-half the houses had been destroyed, many of them substantial brick structures. Of the buildings left standing nearly all had been more or less damaged. The debris was strewn toward the north-northwest. I was informed that high northerly wind prevailed during the forenoon of July 21. It shifted to the southeast and south about 12:30 p.m. and immediately attained hurricane force. There was some clearing of the sky as the center passed, but only a slight lull in the wind….

On the way from Angleton to Velasco the wrecks of many farm buildings ere seen. Apparently the newer houses were left standing. In the timber along the Brazos River Valley many trees were uprooted or broken off….

At Velasco, which had been a town of 600 people, apparently one=half of the town was destroyed. Here the wind was nearly as strong from the north as from the south. The storm-warning tower of the Weather Bureau was wrecked before the wind shifted to the south. There was a calm of abut 45 minutes at the center, and for a few minutes the sun came out. The wind shifted to south about 12:30 p.m. Of the buildings left standing a large number lean toward the north. It is said that at Velasco the tide was 3 feet higher than during the great storm in 1900… [p. 354]

“Report of Mr. E. C. Quereau, Bay City, Tex.

….A neighbor had a pail in a tree which was filled (about 12 inches). The country here is very flat, but waster filled the roads and fields until the ground was out of sight under several inches of water. Evidently the center of the storm passed east of Bay City, but probably not far. Destruction to buildings was very great in this city and east of the Colorado River, but there was not much damage west of the river.

A friend from Rock Island, near Eagle Lake, reported that the wind there started in from the north when there was a lull for nearly an hour. It then shifted to the south and was very destructive. Evidently the center of the storm passed over that place. [p. 354]

“Report of Mr. C. R. Swisshelm, Bay City, Tex.

The morning of July 21 dawned cloudy, with light rain and very little wind. About 9:30 or 10:00 a.m., the wind became stronger and at noon commenced to tear down awnings and signboards. About 1:30 p.m., our hotel, which was a large frame building, began to rock and we moved to a small brick building across the street and remained there for probably one half hour, when the wall of the opera house next door gave way and fell through the roof of our shelter, but the wooden ceiling held the brick long enough to allow us to escape. We then moved to another brick building immediately adjoining, but left it in about five minutes, because its roof blew off. We then retreated to the building which contained the post-office. The walls of this building held, but all its windows were blown in. The storm ceased about 6:30 p.m. The damage was all done between noon and 6 p.m.

I was slightly confused in the points of the compass, but to the best of my knowledge the wind began from the northwest and gradually shifted to the west, south, and southeast. There was no lull during the storm. The velocity of the wind was estimated by several people at about 110 miles per hour, and this is also my estimate. The wind was strong enough to pick up pieces of wood 6 inches in diameter and 3 feet long and hurl them through the air. It rained incessantly…and the water that fell had a distinct taste of salt and stung the eyes. The wind came in gusts and in several instances knocked holes in brick walls, but left the walls standing. Several buildings had the front blown in and the rear blown out.

The warehouse and cotton gin district was completely wiped out. Many residences were blown off their foundation, but were otherwise not seriously damaged. The frame buildings seemed to suffer less than the brick. There was scarcely a frame house left standing between Bay City and Wharton. The town of Van Vleck had only three houses left standing and they were badly damaged. [p. 354]

(Bunnemeyer, Bernard. “Climatological Data for July, 1909. District No. 8, Texas and Rio Grande Valley.” Monthly Weather Review, July 1909, pp. 351-355.)

Price on TX: “1909, 13-22 July. Center passed over Velasco, Texas,[37] and destroyed half of the town. About $2,000,000 property damage; 41 people killed. Tide 10 feet above normal at Galveston.” (Price, W. Armstrong. Hurricanes Affecting the Coast of Texas from Galveston to Rio Grande. Beach Erosion Board, Corps of Engineers, March 1956, p. A-6.)

Roth on TX: “July 21-22nd, 1909: A storm was noted entering the eastern Caribbean on the 13th. It moved towards the west-northwest, passing over the Isle of Pines on the night of the 17th. The steamship El Siglo struggled for twelve hours on the 19th against the estimated 90 mph winds near 26.1N 87.3W in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. The westerly storm motion continued, and on the 21st it made landfall near Velasco. Only eight buildings remained standing after the storm’s passage. The calm of the eye passed over the city for 45 minutes.

“Winds gusted to 68 mph at Galveston at 10 AM. The strongest winds were noted at Port Arthur, East Bernard, and Nottawa between 3 and 4 PM. Richmond gusted to 60 mph during the storm that afternoon. Austin and Eagle Pass saw windy weather around midnight, with the latter having gusts to 80 mph and trees defoliated. A severe gale raged at Cameron, Texas overnight as well. El Campo also had high winds.

“At numerous sites across southeast and central Texas, trees were uprooted; corn, rice, sugar cane, and cotton crops were crippled; and numerous lines were downed. Fruit was lost at Eagle. At Bay City, the pressure fell to 29.00″ at 2:30 PM. The pressure bottomed out at 29.56″ in Galveston towards noon. The cities of Quintana, Columbus, and Columbia were totaled; all houses experienced severe damage.

“Trains were blown off tracks on top of the Galveston Jetty and Rosenburg. A caboose was thrown thirty feet from the tracks at Brazoria. Considerable damage was experienced at train stations between Houston and Corpus Christi. The train depots at Allenhurst and Brazoria were leveled by the wind. Homes and businesses met their fate at Nottawa, East Bernard, Eagle Pass, Angleton, Blessing, Palacios, and Wallis. Houses were unroofed at Austin, where it was the worst storm in memory, and at Richmond, where it was the worst since 1900. Barns were disposed of easily by the wind in Richmond and Alvin. Windmills were destroyed at Alvin, smoke stacks fell at Richmond, and rice mills were downed at Eagle Pass.

“This system was also an efficient rain maker. Five inches fell at Lockhart, four inches of beneficial rain was measured at Nacogdoches, while Eagle and Austin had three inches. Heavy rain was also seen at Brazoria, Allenhurst, and Crosby (where it was needed the most).

“The storm surge was as high as twenty feet at Velasco, ten feet at Galveston (where five of the fatalities occurred; none were behind the seawall), and 6.5 feet at Sabine Pass. Tides were above normal at Orange as well. Oil derricks at Sour Lake were blown down. Lower portions of Port Arthur and much of Sabine Pass and Virginia Point were underwater, but not to a “dangerous depth”. Eighty percent of cattle on the west end of Galveston Island were drowned. Numerous bathhouses and piers were in ruin in Galveston, La Porte, and Jennings Island. The derrick barge Miller, among other craft, were driven aground at West Bay near Galveston. The Miriam was sunk by a submerged log near Galveston. The schooner Ed Gibbs was dashed to pieces at La Porte. Property damage was estimated at 2 million dollars and 41 lives were lost.” (Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Jan 17, 2010 update, p. 32-33.)

Roth on LA: “July 21st, 1909: The hurricane that caused great damage across Texas also left its mark on southwest Louisiana. Gale-force winds affected Cameron and Vermilion Parishes, on top of the storm surge. Hundreds of cattle drowned in the marsh. Cotton from Grand Chenier to Sabine Pass was in ruin. Two lives were lost in Cameron Parish.” (Roth, David (NWS). Louisiana Hurricane History. Hurricane No. 4, p. 9. Camp Springs, MD: National Weather Service.)

Newspapers

July 22: “Houston, Tex., July 22. Towns throughout Southeastern Texas and along the Gulf of Mexico have suffered severely from two hurricanes in the past 24 hours and a third terrific storm is sweeping over the country this afternoon. Bay City, 80 miles southwest of Galveston and 80 miles from the coast, was apparently demolished by this third storm and two men are known to be dead there.

“Scores of cities and towns have been heavily damaged by the series of storms. Some places have been wiped off the map, in others the property loss will amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it is feared when more detailed accounts re received a heavy death list will be added to the toll of the elements….

“Velasco, Tex., near Galveston, was wrecked last night by a second hurricane which struck there about midnight. Several persons re reported to have been injured. Advices from there are meager.”

(UPI. “Texas Towns Wiped Off Map by Third Hurricane.” Tacoma Times, WA, 7-22-1909, p. 6.)

July 22: “Columbus, Tex., July 22. – Columbus, Tex., July 22. – The storm yesterday evening was the most severe in the history of this town. At an early hour in the afternoon a high wind began to blow, which continued, with ever-increasing violence, until about 10 o’clock at night. The damage done in the town and surrounding country is very great, and nothing like a reasonable estimate can be made at this time. Nearly every awning in town is blown down, and many buildings are completely wrecked, and probably not a single building is left uninjured….

“The prison and pauper buildings on the county farm are completely unroofed and badly wrecked, and contained at the time about forty-five inmates, many of whom are imbeciles, and confined to their beds. One of the inmates, a half-witted negro named Say Gay, has not yet been found, and it is supposed that his body is under the debris of a large brick corn crib which crumbled and was completely demolished. Men are now engaged removing the brickbats and other rubbish, but up to noon the body had not been found….” (Galveston Daily News, TX. “Colorado County a Heavy Sufferer.” 7-23-1909, p. 2.)

July 22: “Eagle Lake, Tex., July 22. – At this time it is utterly impossible to estimate the damage done to this place and vicinity by the terrible tornado which blew here yesterday for more that six hours. The wind began blowing about 1 o’clock in the afternoon from the north, and increased in force all the time. Between 4 and 5 o’clock in the afternoon the wind shifted to the east, and was at its worst between the hours of 4:30 and 7:30, and there is scarcely a house in Eagle Lake that is not more or less damaged. There are very few houses in the town where the windows are not blown out and the insides of the houses drenched with rain. It seems the next thing to a miracle that more people were not hurt and killed.

“Mr. E. C. Schaffaar, about 40 years of age, was killed by his house falling on him. The body is today being shipped to his old home in Waterloo, Iowa, for interment….

“The storm of yesterday was the worst that has ever been felt in this locality. Fully twenty-five houses are in ruins….

“News was received here this morning from Matthews, six miles south of here, that the storm was equally as severe there….

“News reached here this morning from Garwood, in this county, about twelve miles south of here, that the storm has done great damage there. Many houses are down and the crops are in ruins. To give the loss to property in dollars would be impossible, as there is scarcely a family in town that has not suffered. Negro churches and negro cabins all over the community are blown to the ground….

“The wind blew a terrible hurricane from 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon until after 5 o’clock, when it began to lull….” (Galveston Daily News, TX. “Eagle Lake Got Force of Storm.” 7-23-1909, p2.)

July 22: “Weimar, Colorado Co., Tex., July 22. – Weimar, Colorado Co., Tex., July 22. – Weimar is now thirty-six years old, and although she has passed through several storms, the one which visited this place last evening was the worst this place last evening was the worst in its history.

“Before telegraphic and telephone communication was cut off the citizens were notified that a severe storm was raging from Galveston west. Our people made all preparations possible and expected a considerable blow, but not to the extent that this storm terminated into. The wind had been blowing from the north pretty much all day, and at about 5:40 the wind blew furiously, rain began falling in huge drops, and it was not long before trees began to be twisted from top to bottom. At 9 o’clock the storm seemed to be at its worst, sheds were blown down, nearly all the houses in the colored portion of the city were completely destroyed. The Colored Baptist and Methodist churches and White Baptist Church were completely demolished, not an upright stick of timber remaining standing….

“An old colored woman, Aunt Matilda Green, while trying to get from her house to that of her daughter’s, a short distance away, was killed by a gallery shed falling upon her….” (Galveston Daily News, TX. “Weimar’s Storm Worst it Ever Had.” 7-23-1909, p. 2.)

July 23: “Alvin, Tex., July 23. – The heavy wind-storm of yesterday did very little damage here as compared to the surrounding towns. The Alvin brick plant sheds are a total loss, outhouses, fences and shade trees suffered the worst.

“Several houses in the country were blown down and others are off foundations, some few buildings in course of construction were badly damaged, and many windmills wrecked. No damage occurred in the business section of town except to awnings. There was considerable damage to crops and fruit….

“A number of persons came in on the Brownsville train this morning about 4 o’clock, and stated that the storm in the west part of this county, at Angleton, Brazoria, Columbia, Velasco and a number of smaller communities, suffered as much property loss as they did in the 1900 [Galveston] storm. So far as was known, there were very few lives lost and very few injured.

“The property loss was heavy, large numbers of houses being complete wrecks, and very few but what are damaged. It was reported that there were only three houses left at Velasco, and the water yesterday was five feet deep all over the town. No fatalities or injuries are reported in this section. There were quite a number of storm-houses built here soon after the 1900 storm that were put into use yesterday to the great satisfaction of the owners.

“The storm had all the appearance of a regular hurricane and was in all respects very similar to the 1900 storm except the velocity of the wind.

“Fortunately this locality was only in the edge of the storm, and occurring in the day time was a source of some satisfaction, and perhaps prevented a few lives from being lost.” (Galveston Daily News, TX. “Slight at Alvin,” 7-23-1909, p. 2.)

July 24: “Houston, Tex., July 24. – All of the coast country is today striving to resume its normal tread of affairs and possibly the only appeals for aid are the call for laborers, paper-hangers, painters and bricklayers. The people seem to have sufficient to eat and are in no immediate need, although it is stated that in the future it may be necessary to supply the farmers in some districts with rations.

“The deaths reported up to noon today total thirty-six….

“Houston, Tex., July 24. – Authentic information received at noon today from Rock Island adds two more names to the storm’s death list. The dead are a man named Jarvis and John Finlay….

“Heavy damage is reported from Wharton and nearly every commercial industry in the town was more or less damaged….

“El Campo is almost a total wreck and every house in the town was injured, most of them being blown off their foundations.” (Record and Chronicle, Denton TX. “Storm Cause of Thirty-Six Deaths,” 7-24-1909, p. 2.)

July 24: “Houston, Texas, July 24. – The points receiving the severest of the blow, and from which the reports of heaviest damage come, are Galveston, Bay City, Velasco, Angleton, Wharton, Columbia, Columbus, Palacios, Eagle Lake, Weimar, New Ulm, Luling, Schulenburg, Alleyton, Beasley, Kendleton, Sublime, Glidden, Markham, La Grange, Bastrop, El Campo, Yoakum, Garwood, Matthews, Bonus, Waelder, Flatonia and Austin.

“There was damage at many other points, and throughout the rural sections about the towns named heavy losses to crops and buildings are reported.

“Advices show that damage was done by the storm demon throughout a section of country in Texas extending on an average of about 100 miles into the interior. In some counties reports indicate that very few home owners escaped losses of at least a minor sort, which in the aggregate total at a handsome sum.

“Loss estimates greatly vary, the belief being that the total in Texas in the way of property destruction will be not very far from $2,000,000.

“While the property destruction has been enormous, the life loss and serious injury is almost inexplainable small. This is attributable largely to the fact that storm warnings had been sent out and that people were given an opportunity to largely prepare for the expected blow. Again, the severest portion of the blow came in daylight, was expected and rushes by people to the more substantial structures kept the casualty list down.

“With the crippled wire facilities it is not possible as yet to compile an accurate list of the dead, and it may be several days before this can be done. Conservative estimate of the dead, however, in Texas and Louisiana place the total at about 25, with perhaps double that many injured with more or less severity….

“Owing to the prostration of telegraph and telephone wires, the full scope of the storm of Wednesday was not ascertainable until today. Along the coast it extended from a point near New Orleans to Brownsville, with the center of severity in the neighborhood of Bay City and Velasco.

“At Brownsville there was heavy wind, but no damage. In the interior the damage zone furtherest north is along the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio railway with zigzag dives at towns and into rural districts to the north of it.” (Waxahachie Daily Light, TX. “Ruin is Wrought at Many Places.” 7-24-1909, p. 1.)

July 24: “New Orleans, July 24. – Further reports from isolated points along the gulf coast of Texas continue to swell the death list resulting from last Wednesday’s hurricane. Angleton, Tex., this afternoon reports eleven dead instead of one [7 deaths reported elsewhere on 24^th],[38] bringing the total death list of the West Indian hurricane up to thirty-eight. Many more are still missing.

‘The report of the drowning at their home on Christmas Bay, fifteen miles from Angleton, of Maurice P. Woulfe, his wife and six children together with a negro servant was confirmed this afternoon by H. B. Roberts, a farmer. The six Woulfe children ranged in age from six months to ten years. Roberts was at Woulfe’s home when the hurricane struck them. Woulfe assembled his family in the yard, away from all buildings, and the two men held a large quilt over them to protect them from the rain. What appeared to be a tidal wave then swept inland, drowning all except Roberts. Roberts’ sister was washed against a tree and lodged there until the waters receded.

“Roberts also reports that Columbus Maddox, son of a prominent planter, has been missing since the hurricane. Capt. J. W. Glasscock died at Angleton as a result of shock and exposure attendant upon the hurricane.” (Fort Wayne Sentinel, IN. “Death List Grows as Word Comes from Coast.” 7-28-1909, p. 2.)

Sources

Bunnemeyer, Bernard. “Climatological Data for July, 1909. District No. 8, Texas and Rio Grande Valley.” Monthly Weather Review, July 1909, pp. 351-355. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1909.pdf

Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. EM DAT Database. Louvain, Belgium: Universite Catholique do Louvain. Accessed at: http://www.emdat.be/

Dallas Morning News. “Two More Bodies Given up by Sea,” 7-24-1909. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: http://www.gendisasters.com/texas/10183/galveston-tx-tarpon-pier-collapse-jul-1909-dead-missing-amp-survivor

Dunn, Gordon E. and Banner I. Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised Edition). Baton Rouge LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1964, 377 pages.

Fernández-Partagás, José. Storms of 1909-1910. “Year 1909…Storm 3, 1909 (Jul 17-22), H.” Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Landsea/Partagas/1909-1910/intro_09-10.pdf

Fort Stockton Pioneer, TX. “Louisiana-Texas Coast Storm Takes 36 Lives.” 7-29-1909, p. 1. Accessed 1-17-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fort-stockton-pioneer-jul-29-1909-p-1/

Fort Wayne Sentinel, IN. “Death List Grows as Word Comes from Coast.” 7-28-1909, p. 2. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fort-wayne-weekly-sentinel-jul-28-1909-p-2/

Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel, IN. “Score Killed; Property Damage.” 7-28-1909, p. 2. Accessed 1-17-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fort-wayne-weekly-sentinel-jul-28-1909-p-2/

Galveston Daily News, TX. “Bathing Pavilion Will Be Rebuilt,” 7-25-1909, p. 1. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-jul-25-1909-p-1/

Galveston Daily News, TX. “Bathing Pavilion Will be Rebuilt (continued from p.1). 7-25-1909, p.5. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-jul-25-1909-p-5/

Galveston Daily News, TX. “Colorado County a Heavy Sufferer.” 7-23-1909, p. 2. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-jul-23-1909-p-2/

Galveston Daily News, TX. “Daly’s Body Found.” 7-26-1909, p. 3. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-jul-26-1909-p-3/

Galveston Daily News, TX. “Destruction at Quintana.” 7-25-1909, p. 1. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-jul-25-1909-p-1/

Galveston Daily News, TX. “Eagle Lake Got Force of Storm.” 7-23-1909, p. 2. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-jul-23-1909-p-2/

Galveston Daily News, TX. “Slight at Alvin,” 7-23-1909, p. 2. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-jul-23-1909-p-2/

Galveston Daily News, TX. “Weimar’s Storm Worst it Ever Had.” 7-23-1909, p. 2. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-jul-23-1909-p-2/

Hebert, Paul J., J.D. Jarrell, Max Mayfield. The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Hurricanes of This Century (NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS-NHC-31). Miami, FL: National Hurricane Center, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Feb 1993, 41 pages.

Houston Post. “Clearing the Debris. El Campo Appealed for Help to Rebuild Town.” 7-24-1909, p. 1. Accessed 1-17-2020 at: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9048190/the_houston_post/

Kleiner, Diana J. “Freeport, TX {Brazoria County},” Handbook of Texas online. Texas State Historical Association, 2010. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hef03

Duggan, Robert S. Jr. Maddock/Maddox/Maddux Descendants, 7-3-2008. Accessed 1-17-2020 at: http://www.poegen.net/Studies/AR/Maddux.htm

New York Times. “More Than A Score Dead in Gulf Storm.” 7-23-1909. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/07/23/101891321.pdf

Price, W. Armstrong. Hurricanes Affecting the Coast of Texas from Galveston to Rio Grande (Technical Memorandum No. 78). Beach Erosion Board, Corps of Engineers, March 1956. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/blog/BEB-TM-78.pdf

Rappaport, Edward N. and Jose Fernandez-Partagas. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1994 (NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS NHC-47). Coral Gables, FL: National Hurricane Center, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, January 1995, 42 pages. Accessed 8-20-2017 at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/NWS-NHC-1995-47.pdf

Record Chronicle, Denton, TX. “Man and Six Children are Drowned near Angleton.” 7-24-1909, p. 2. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/denton-record-chronicle-jul-24-1909-p-2/

Record and Chronicle, Denton TX. “Storm Cause of Thirty-Six Deaths,” 7-24-1909, p. 2. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/denton-record-chronicle-jul-24-1909-p-2/

Rock Hill Herald, New Orleans, LA. “Storm Victims Number 41.” 7-21-1909. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1909_Velasco_hurricane

Roth, David (NWS). Louisiana Hurricane History. Hurricane No. 4, p. 9. Camp Springs, MD: National Weather Service. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/lahur.pdf

Roth, David (National Weather Service). Texas Hurricane History. Camp Springs, MD: NWS. 1-17-2010 update. Accessed 11-22-2017 at: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf

San Diego Union and Daily Bee, CA. “Abernathy Family Safe.” 7-24-1909, p. 2. Accessed 1-17-2020 at: https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SDDU19090724.2.26&e=——-en–20–1–txt-txIN——–1

San Diego Union, CA. “Cyclone Fatal to 25 Persons.” 7-24-1909, p. 2. Accessed 1-17-2020 at: https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SDDU19090724.2.26&e=——-en–20–1–txt-txIN——–1

United Press International. “Texas Towns Wiped Off Map by Third Hurricane.” Tacoma Times, WA, 7-22-1909, p6. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/tacoma-times-jul-22-1909-p-6/

Waxahachie Daily Light, TX. “Ruin is Wrought at Many Places.” 7-24-1909, p. 1. Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/waxahachie-daily-light-jul-24-1909-p-1/

Weekly Democrat-Gazette, McKinney, TX, “Loss Runs into Millions.” 7-29-1909, p. 13. Accessed 1-17-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/mckinney-weekly-democrat-gazette-jul-29-1909-p-13/

Wikipedia. “1909 Velasco hurricane.” Accessed 1-16-2020 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1909_Velasco_hurricane

[1] Though we have only been able to identify 31-33 TX deaths with any degree of confidence (specificity), we do see reporting on other deaths which we have not been able to substantiate. We thus choose to rely on the local reporting at the time that there were up to thirty-eight deaths in Texas. Additionally there were two in Louisiana. While Bunnemeyer in the July 1909 Monthly Weather Review notes 41 deaths in Texas, not noting any in Louisiana, we note below why we do not find his reporting of 41 deaths convincing. If we are correct, this is unfortunate in that virtually all subsequent reporting for more than 100 years, repeats the Bunnemeyer report number of 41 deaths unquestioningly.

[2] The Roth writeup is in the Narrative section. Additionally see the Weekly Democrat Gazette: “New Orleans, July 23. ….Besides those whose deaths on a fishing pier near Galveston were reported, Cameron Parish, Louisiana, now reports some fishermen drowned….In Louisiana, many points in Cameron Parish have reported to have suffered heavily from the hurricane. There was a loss of two lives at Mudd Bars [Mud Bayou?] and much property is reported as having been damaged in the settlements at Creole, Perry, Grand Chenier and Johnson’s Bayou.” (Weekly Democrat-Gazette, McKinney, TX, “Loss Runs into Millions.” 7-29-1909, p. 13.)

[3] While noting 41 deaths in Texas, Bunnemeyer describes only five in the Galveston Island area. In that there was apparently at least one newspaper story claiming 41 deaths, a newspaper might have been his source, given that we have not been able to substantiate 41 deaths in Texas (and his number did not include the two in Louisiana).

[4] Table 31 “Tropical Cyclones in Texas.” There is no mention of this storm in “Tropical Cyclones in Louisiana” sec.

[5] Cites Dunn and Miller, 1960.

[6] Cites Hebert, Jarrell and Mayfield 199; Monthly Weather Review; and Price. Hurricanes…Texas… 1956.

[7] This paper is cited in Wikipedia. “1909 Velasco hurricane.” I have not been able to access to verify, nor have I seen any other newspaper at the time reporting 41 deaths, nor more than 38 for than matter. Note, as well that this story was in the July 21 edition, the day of the storm. It would have been impossible to know the death toll.

[8] Our inference is that all 41 lives noted as lost were in Texas. No mention is made of the two lives lost in LA.

[9] Notes news of two more deaths coming in at the end of the article.

[10] “Houston, July 22. – The West Indian hurricane which swept from one end of the Texas Gulf Coast to the other yesterday caused the loss of at least twelve lives, fatal injuries to two other persons, and serious injuries to sixteen, according to details which began to arrive here to-night.”

[11] Highlighted in yellow to denote we do not include in our tally. May be true, but we find no other source indicating more than two deaths we note.

[12] Fort Wayne Sentinel, IN. “Death List Grows as Word Comes from Coast.” 7-28-1909, p. 2.

[13] Fort Wayne Sentinel, IN. “Death List Grows as Word Comes from Coast.” 7-28-1909, p. 2. A Maddox family genealogical webpage notes that Columbus Maddox was born Apr 1883 in TX and died in “1909 in hurricane.”

[14] “The dead include…three children at Bay City…” Another source: “A white baby was killed in the wrecking of a building at Bay City and two negroes lost their lives at the same place.” (Weekly Democrat Gazette, McKinney, TX. “Loss Runs into Millions,” 7-29-1909, p. 2.)

[15] Article just writes there was a death in Bay Shore. Today there is a Bay Shore Park in Galveston County. We have found no corroborating information.

[16] Weekly Democrat-Gazette, McKinney, TX, “Loss Runs into Millions.” 7-29-1909, p. 13.

[17] Highlighted in yellow to denote we do not include in our tally – have found no corroborating reporting or details.

[18] Weekly Democrat-Gazette, McKinney, TX, “Loss Runs into Millions.” 7-29-1909, p. 13.

[19] Fort Wayne Sentinel, IN. “Death List Grows as Word Comes from Coast.” 7-28-1909, p. 2.

[20] Record and Chronicle, Denton, TX. “Man and Six Children are Drowned near Angleton.” 7-24-1909, p. 2. “Waco, Tex., July 24. – Miss Marth and Allen Wolfe received a telegram this morning stating that their brother Maurice Wolfe and his six children had been drowned at their plantation fifteen miles from Angleton during Wednesday’s storm. The residence was also wrecked in the storm.”

[21] This, however, is uncertain. The Houston Post on July 24, in a El Campo datelined article, wrote: “El Campo, Texas, July 23….As far as is known there is none dead, and although the death of a Mexican has been reported it can not be confirmed. Three sustained injuries, but in neither case will they be serious…” (Houston Post. “Clearing the Debris. El Campo Appealed for Help to Rebuild Town.” 7-24-1909, p. 1.)

[22] Highlighted in yellow to denote not used in tally – it is incorrect. Four died, and the others (whose names can be found in newspaper reporting as well as interviews with at least one of the survivors), were rescued. The Wikipedia author cites the Evening Tribune, Galveston, TX, “Galveston Saved by Seawall,” 7-22-1909, p. 2. Then, after writing that “ten members of a fishing party perished after the pier collapsed,” writes that “six were rescued by the yacht Mayflower.” (Cites Dallas Morning News, Galveston, TX. “Six Men are Rescued; Swept from Tarpon Pier,” 7-22-1909.”) One would think from reading this that ten died and six were saved. In truth, it was feared for some hours that ten (or eleven, based on reporting) had died, until news of the survivors arrived.

[23] Newspaper reports indicated this was the Tarpon Pier.

[24] Record and Chronicle, Denton. “Storm Cause of Thirty-Six Deaths,” 7-24-1909, 2.

[25] Galveston Daily News of July 25 noted that “The remains of G. H. Daly have been recovered…Sunday afternoon several farmers who live in the vicinity of La Porte were attracted to a spot where a large number of buzzards were circling…and on going there the body of G. H. Daly was found…at Houston Point, four miles southeast of La Porte, in the same locality where the remains of Capt. Bettison and his wife and those of the negro woman were found Thursday after Wednesday’s storm.” (Galveston Daily News, TX. “Daly’s Body Found.” 7-26-1909, p. 3.)

[26] Weekly Democrat-Gazette, McKinney, TX, “Loss Runs into Millions.” 7-29-1909, p. 13.

[27] “Of those missing, thirteen are the members of the families of three brothers, Abernathy, who left High Island [barrier island east of Galveston] to go to Sabine pass [further east]. They traveled by wagon and were to camp out on the beach during Tuesday night, resuming their journey Wednesday. Part of the equipage has been found, the animals which drew the wagon drowned, but searching parties have found no trace of the three men, their wives or the seven children which made up the party.” (Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel, IN. “Score Killed; Property Damage.” 7-28-1909, p. 2.)

[28] “Beaumont, Texas, July 23. – The Abernathy family of thirteen persons, reported lost in the storm of Wednesday, has arrived at Stowell, uninjured.” (San Diego Union and Daily Bee, CA. “Abernathy Family Safe.” 7-24-1909, p2.)

[29] Highlighted in yellow to denote de do not include in tally – have not been able to substantiate.

[30] Another source: “Palacios: A number of houses blown down; four people killed.” (Weekly Democrat-Gazette, McKinney, TX, “Loss Runs into Millions.” 7-29-1909, p. 13.)

[31] Galveston Daily News, TX. “Destruction at Quintana.” 7-25-1909, p. 1.

[32] Highlighted in yellow to denote we do not include in tally – have not been able to substantiate.

[33] Galveston Daily News, TX. “Bathing Pavilion Will be Rebuilt (continued from p.1). 7-25-1909, p. 5. The News has the name of the boat as Hellen. Bunnemeyer in the July 1909 Monthly Weather Review, has the name of the sloop as the Ellen. San Luis Pass is open water between Galveston Island to the east and Follet’s Island to the west.

[34] Have not been able to substantiate.

[35] Galveston Daily News, TX. “Weimar’s Storm Worst it Ever Had.” 7-23-1909, p. 2.

[36] “There is positive knowledge that the fishing boat Erette was washed ashore in the West Bay during Wednesday’s storm, and of the three aboard her, Capt. Avidson and his son are missing. Wm. Crawford, the third member of the party, was picked up by a passing fishing smack and brought in.” (Galveston Daily News, TX. “Bathing Pavilion Will Be Rebuilt,” 7-25-1909, p. 1.)

[37] Velasco annexed by Freeport in 1957. (Kleiner. “Freeport, TX {Brazoria County},” Handbook of Texas. 2010.)

[38] Record and Chronicle, Denton, TX. “Man and Six Children are Drowned near Angleton.” 7-24-1909, p. 2.