Rodessa Tornado (1938)


In what is the worst known tragedy to occur in the North Caddo area, a tornado struck Rodessa around 9:45 PM on Thursday, 17-Feb-1938, killing 20 persons. One additional victim died several days later. Others have hit Mooringsport (twice, in 1897 and 1941), and in 1909 Oil City and Gilliam were struck possibly by the same one, with the 1897 and 1909 storms producing local fatalities. Rodessa was even hit a second time in 1945 (see bottom of this web page), causing injuries to five members of a family and various property damage. However none produced death and devastation comparable to the one that struck this Northwest Louisiana oil town that evening.

Below are related articles; the first providing initial news and photos of the disaster, and others from a couple of days later after a more thorough assessment of casualties and damage had occurred. These are followed by a collection of other pictures and media including a short silent film. Finally there are details about the victims, and various eyewitness accounts.

Special thanks to Lisa Varnell High for bringing this event to our attention and helping to ensure victims of the horrible tragedy are not forgotten.


Source: Riverside (CA) Daily Press 19-Feb-1938, Page 1



Source: Dallas Morning News 19-Feb-1938, Page 1


Source: Dallas Morning News 19-Feb-1938, Page 1



Source: Dallas Morning News 19-Feb-1938, Page 13


Initial lists of fatalities such as shown below proved to be exaggerated and were later revised to a total of 20. .


Source: Dallas Morning News 19-Feb-1938, Page 13


Even this list had inaccuracies with regard to certain persons' names. One additional victim would die approximately 10 days later. A complete accurate list is provided further down this web page.


 
 
 

Source: New Orleans Times Picayune 20-Feb-1938, Page 10



Source: New Orleans Times Picayune 20-Feb-1938, Page 10



Source: Baton Rouge Morning Advocate 19-Feb-1938, Page 2



Source: New Orleans Times Picayune 20-Feb-1938, Page 10


OTHER PHOTOGRAPHS, FILM, AND MEDIA





Source: New Orleans Times Picayune 20-Feb-1938, Page 10


More pictures from the Atlanta (TX) Citizens Journal:













Other pictures of the damage.






Aerial view of Rodessa after the disaster. Click the link at the bottom of the picture to see a larger version.


Source: The Louisiana Digital Library


Theaters around the country advertised newsreel footage of the tragedy along with regular movie offerings.


Source: Port Arthur (TX) News 02-Mar-1938, Page 10

This brief film or something similar is what patrons would have seen.


Source: Rodessa Tornado Damage


Graphic scenes from the event were used in this newspaper advertisement for property insurance.


Source: Wellington (TX) Leader 03-Mar-1938 Page 3

THE VICTIMS

Blackwell Family

Incorrectly identified in the press as George and Bernice.

From their findagrave.com page:

The Webster Review
Minden, La
Feb. 22, 1938

Double Funeral
for Rodessa Victims

Double funeral services were held for Mr. and Mrs. Bernice (sic) Blackwell, young couple, who were victims of the tornado that struck Rodessa Thursday, at 3:00 Saturday afternoon at Sibley.

The remains were brought from Atlanta (TX) to Sibley for Burial. The Rev. D.O. Christian, pastor of the First Baptist Church, Sibley, assisted by Rev. H.E. Kirkpatrick, Minden Baptist Church, officiated. Interment was under the direction of Dennis funeral home, Minden.

Mr. Blackwell, 24, is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Blackwell, Sibley; two brothers, Fred Blackwell, Jefferson, Texas; and Burton Blackwell, Sibley; five sisters, Mrs. Dave Carson, Jefferson; Mrs. Glen Harper, Minden; Mrs. Edgar Talley, Slidell; Christine Blackwell, and Loraine Blackwell, of Sibley; two nephews and one niece.

Mrs. Blackwell, 19, who before her marriage in 1935, was Miss Evelyn Beck, is survived by her mother, Mrs. Ethel Beck of Sibley; three sisters, Mrs. Neil Buckner, Ringgold; Mrs. Jack Woods, Rodessa; and Gledys Beck, Sibley.




Clark Family

Source: (a)





Crowder Family

Source: (a)









Source: Ruston (LA) Daily Leader 21-Feb-1938, Page 1 (R L Fuller Obit)


From his findagrave.com page:

He was a talented musician, playing many instruments including Double bass, Piano, drums, trombone plus many more.

He played in a Dixieland Band as well.

He was killed in the great tornado of 1938 in Rodessa, Louisiana at the age of 27. He was survived by his wife, Gertrude (who remained in a coma for over 2 months after the tornado) and their 2 1/2 year old daughter Ruth who was blown up into a tree.
The following is an account of Robert's wife Gertrude, who survived, as shared by their granddaughter, whose mother is toddler Ruth in the story below:

Now If THAT wasn't enough,ANYTHING: PHOTOS, any pertinent INFO that she would have had was completely BLOWN AWAY in 1938 in Rodessa, LA. when at the age of 24 Gertrude Elizabeth Lord was almost killed and her husband My Grandfather Robert Lavelle Fuller aged 28 WAS killed in that same MAJOR tornado that struck the area at approx 9PM in FEB 1938. Their house was totally picked up and thrown into the woods and Though they were attempting to protect my 2 1/2 year old mother Ruth, she ended up in a tree and wasn't found until morning. Remarkably the men searching for her found her as she was crying, mommy, daddy, mommy, daddy" Thank Heavens she escaped with only minor injuries, but it changed her life forever.(Not to mention that she was in a coma for 2 months after the tornado, and when she awoke she wanted her husband, and they lied for awhile but then they had to explain to her that he had been dead and buried for almost 3 months, she then suffered an understandable nervous breakdown leaving my poor mother being cared for by her fathers relatives, that she was luckily close to and loved very much, yet it did not take away the pain of not having her own Mommy and Daddy with her. They say my Grandmother was never the same after that tornado, and I saw it myself.

Member post on Tanksley Surname Message Board (Ancestry.com)


Haddock Family

Source: (a)






Though the news report stated the entire family was killed, in fact two Haddock children survived. Shown below is seven year-old Billie Faye in the Atlanta (TX) hospital. Per the 1940 census, she and brother Joe, at that time aged 9 and 15 respectively, were living with grandparents Granville and Eliza in Overton, TX. Billie Faye Haddock Hardesty (1931-2012) passed away three years ago, while Joe is still living as of this writing (03-Feb-2015).


Source: Abilene (TX) Reporter News 21-Feb-1938 Page 2


Land, William Jerome (1938)

While not listed among the official dead, this link identifies the one day old infant as a victim of the tornado. 



Mother of Juanita, died several days later.



Note Opal is shown in possibly the last photograph of her living in a picture above, taken with doctors and nurses treating her upon arrival at the Charity Hospital in Shreveport, LA. Her husband, Charles J. Perry survived the tragedy.



Infant daughter of Charles and Opal, died in the storm. Her mother, noted as a survivor, died on Feb. 28.










Trevillion, Bessie Lucille Rice (1897-1938)

Wife of Thomas Ned Trevillion, who survived.

Trevillion, Robert Allen (1922-1938)

Incorrectly identified as James in newspapers, but Robert per the 1930 census.

Trevillion, Patsy Lucille (1934-1938)


Young, W. L. (1887?-1938)


Source: (a)




PERSONAL ACCOUNTS


Source: Dallas Morning News 19-Feb-1938, Page 13





Source: New Orleans Times Picayune 19-Feb-1938, Page 4


Here is a firsthand account by Betty Dixon Morrison, wife of local physician Dr. George Morrison, as told in a letter to her mother:







1945 TORNADO

A second tornado hit west of Rodessa in 1945, injuring five members of the Odom family, destroying several homes, some oil derricks, and a refinery cooling tower, One of the falling derricks damaged the roof of the Baptist Church. Total damage estimated at $200K.



Source: Dallas Morning News 26-Mar-1945, Page 8




Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune 26-Mar-1915, Page 6


Resident Fred Parker remembered this storm:

I actually remember the 1945 tornado. Many, many oil derricks were blown over. And...there is a somewhat funny story as a result of it. About a year before there had been a typical Baptist brouhaha at the First Baptist Church of Rodessa and part of the congregation split away for form their own church which was named The West Side Baptist Church. One of the derricks that fell over fell across the West Side Baptist Church and as a result the membership decided that it was God's way of telling them they were wrong and a week later they all trooped back to the First Baptist and rejoined as members. True story, honest.


1 comment:

  1. UnknownApril 13, 2022 at 5:28 PM

    I was born in Shreveport, but spent most of my childhood growing up, and my father, John Wood Jr. (March 2, 1952 - September 21, 2021) owned a once successful Oilfield Construction company, "Wood's Oilfield Construction Co. Inc. throughout the early to mid 80's. Every aunt and uncle of mine, including my grandparents, each told me about this event, and each and every one of them all had different versions of it, so I took the most common bits and pieces and put them together, and hoped they were all telling the truth. Turns out, most, if not all of them WERE! I remember, after my father lost his business, he became a well pumper/roustabout, and I'd see funny small things that didn't look like man put in those places, and I'd think, "well, I wonder if THAT is remaining debris or destruction that was left over from those two awful events. I now fully believe it was! As kids, a whole bunch of us Rodessa boys made a "skate park", so we'd have somewhere to ride our skateboards. Turns out, it was a foundation of what used to be a shop/theater (or some other type of business) in between to buildings that actually survived the disaster. This is mindblowing to me! I FINALLY know the truth, after all of these years, and I couldn't be more thrilled to finally have actual data of these events occuring! My apologies to all families who had loved ones that were affected by these terrible tragic events. My condolences go out to each and every family who might've lost loved ones. I'm so glad this came up in conversation, though! Knowledge is power! God bless everybody who reads this. (And R.I.P., Dad, Granny, and Papa! I'll see you when I get there! Keep the fire stoked, and the fishing poles ready!) Thank you so much.

    --John M. Wood, III

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