Purvis 1908 Tornado Outbreak

Date: 24 Apr 1908 [unknown]
Location: Purvis, Lamar, Mississippi, United States
Surname/tag: Mississippi

On Friday, April 24, 1908, three F4 (207-260 mph) tornadoes left a line of destruction from Livingston Parish, Louisiana northeast to Wayne County. This line of storms left 143 people dead with 83 dead in Purvis alone. From the reports of Dr. H.R. Hermesch, Assistant Surgeon U.S. Navy and the Relief Committee at Purvis, we know that there were 83 dead, 340 wounded and 1935 destitute in the town of Purvis. The large “Town Clock” in the domed tower of the Courthouse of the time, sustained damage from flying debris and was stopped at 2:13 in the afternoon.

An excerpt from the booklet “The Purvis Tornado” by the Lamar County Historical Society, 2004:

“The first thought was of Hattiesburg for help. All the wires were down, and they could not telegraph this city for help, so Sheriff George W. Holleman saddled his horse and W.B. Alsworth mounted the steed, and started across the country for Richburg, 10 miles distance toward Hattiesburg. Mr. Alsworth urged the horse for all he was worth, dashing three veritable creeks, and over rough roads. He made the trip in less than fifty minutes. A second messenger was sent behind Mr. Alsworth, so that if anything happened, the other man might reach the goal and send the news. The other messenger was J.C. Calhoun. Both men reached Richburg about 3 o’clock, Mr. Alsworth sometime ahead of Mr. Calhoun.

Alsworth wired direct over the telephone to Mayor J.D. Donald, asking for physicians to come to the relief of the stricken town.

Mayor Donald immediately made the fact known in the city. A special train over the North Eastern was the result. Thus the new of the terrible disaster was communicated to the outside world.”

The depot of the New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad, which was responsible for the success of the bustling, growing town, was one of the first public buildings demolished by the twisters and was thrown across the tracks. Railroad cars standing in front of the depot were carried away by the winds. Over 115 businesses, buildings and homes were completely demolished or partially destroyed and the entire African-American section of town was wiped out. The Purvis High School graduating Class of 1908’s commencement exercises were due to start the night the tornado hit and part of the exercises had been previously performed the morning of the tornado. The morning exercises were completed at the two story brick schoolhouse on Mitchell Street just one hour before the storm hit and had it lasted one hour longer, the death toll would have been far greater for the entire second floor of the schoolhouse was removed by the twister.

"Amite–Pine, Louisiana/Purvis–Richton, Mississippi" from Wikipedia [1]

The second of the two long-tracked F4s was one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history. An exceptionally large and intense tornado, it first began at about 11:45 a.m. CST in Weiss, just north of Livingston. Two people were killed at Denham Springs near the beginning of the path. Two others were killed near Montpelier as well. The tornado then struck Amite directly, carving a path of destruction 2 mi (3.2 km) wide through the town. Many structures were completely destroyed in Amite, and 29 people were killed. Four others were killed near Wilmer, along with nine additional fatalities occurring near Pine. The tornado crossed into Mississippi, killing two before tearing through Purvis and devastating most of the town. Only seven of the town's 150 buildings were left standing, and 55 people were killed. Five other fatalities were documented in rural areas outside Purvis as well. Four railroad crew workers were killed farther along the path near McCallum, located 8 mi (13 km) to the south of Hattiesburg, as they tried seek shelter in a boxcar. The boxcars were thrown 150 ft (46 m) and torn apart by the tornado. Several other fatalities occurred near Richton before the tornado dissipated. At least 770 people were injured along the entire path, though the real total was likely higher, perhaps significantly so, as many minor injuries were probably ignored—an omission still common in contemporary tornado disasters. With at least 143 deaths, the Amite–Purvis tornado is officially the eighth deadliest in U.S. history, though its long path may have actually consisted of two or more tornadoes