2014 is the 65th Anniversary of the 1949 Warren Tornado

January 3, 2014 was a very cold day in Warren, Arkansas.  It was much different than the weather 65 years ago when one of the most deadly storms in Arkansas history directed its wrath at this timber town located in southeast Arkansas.  There are not a lot of people around today who were present that fateful day in 1949. However, there are some who still recall the events vividly.  In addition, pictures and records document the event.

The tornado actually began ten miles north of Shreveport, Louisiana and killed two in Haynesville, Louisiana, two more at El Dorado, and one near a community called Grapevine. By available accounts the storm hit in Warren around 5:43 p.m.  and cut a path through the south part of the city traveling generally southwest to northeast.  Strangely this storm and a subsequent tornado in 1975 traveled along the same general path.

The local newspaper in its January 6th edition reported that 360 homes were destroyed or damaged.  450 buildings were hit.  Fifty-six people were killed, and there was major destruction of the Bradley Lumber Company which employed over 1000 people.  All total, there was approximately $13 million in property damage, an astronomical about in 1949.  This tornado is the deadliest in the 20th century in Arkansas.  In 1898, there was one in Fort Smith that killed 55 people.

It was reported that by 3:00 a.m. the next morning, Frazer's Funeral Home had 40 bodies on hand.   Former Warren Mayor John B. Frazer was ten years old and remembers the day well.  He recalls seeing the damage and the many bodies at the funeral home operated by his father. Another newspaper article was written by DuVal Perkins at the request of John B. Frazer, Sr. thanking people for their help and assuring an historical record would forever remain as witnessed by local people.

Destruction at the Bradley Mill

There were 56 people killed in the tornado.  Included in that number were:

Sam Baker Mrs. Sam Baker Mrs. Mary Bartram Mrs. Frank Beard Mrs. H. S. Bliss Ben Braswell Ethyl Bryant Joe Creed Mrs. R. C. Derryberry Richard Derryberry Carolyn Rose Derryberry Clint Eason Mrs. Clint Eason Mrs. Blanche Enos Clifford Godfrey H. E. Green Mrs. H. E. Green Mrs. Jesse Hamilton

Mrs. Josephine Harding Ben Hayes Hubert L. Henderson Leonard Henderson Mrs. Leonard Henderson Mrs. Leonard Johns Betty Jo Johns Shirley Ann Johns Kenneth Jones Jimmie King Theodore Lovell Mrs. Theodore Lovell Dianne Lovell Mrs. Erwin Lowe Mary Jane Maginnie Carolyn McKinney James Carlton McKinney Bobby Moore

Charles Moore Linda Moore Mrs. Wayburn Moore Mrs. Earline White Nelson Alvin Reep Mrs. Alvin Reep Mrs. N. B. Robbins Mrs. Jim Sanders Jim Simon Douglas Sinks Mrs. S. A. D. Sinks Mrs. Everett Sipes Mrs. J. E. Stewart V. O. Sullivan William F. West Melvin White Mrs. Melvin White Mrs. John Whitman

The list of those injured has been recorded as follows:

Helen Strange Mary Jane Strange Evora Hamilton Jesse H. Hamilton Annie Moore R. H. Pennington Mrs. Ruby Pierce Danny Kay Nelson Sue Whitman Noah Sled Everett Sipes Mrs. W. H. Sikes W. M. West Mrs. Hubert Henderson V.O. Buck Arnold Tidwell Gala Vincent Jim Sanders Mrs. Carl Murray Mrs. James McKinney Beatrice Henderson Mrs. Cecil Sinks Kinney Parham Claude Garrison Howard Jones Marie Bliss T. J. Johnson James Linder Mrs. Fred Williams Mrs. W. T. Adams Kenneth Jones Christine Forrester Mrs. John Whitman Ray Wood Everett Sipes child J. D. S. Johns David Johns baby Mrs. Virgil Sullivan Elizabeth Ann Childs Margaret Ruth Childs Mrs. Pearl Rogers

Pearl Rogers Quint Rogers Mrs. Edward Childs Joe Ed Pennington John N. Whitman Mrs. Sinks Patsy Ann Henderson W. T. Adams Ruby Tisdale Roy tisdale Mrs. Clint Eason Mrs. Ray Wood Mrs. Sue Sanders Mary Sue McKinney Mrs. Roscoe McGhee Mrs. W. T. Adams Mrs. J. E. Adams Mrs. Pauline Jones Mrs. J. E. Jones Geraldine Johns Jerry Johns John Adams Ollie Bob Norris Jeanette Norris Essie Norris Mrs. W. L. Howsen Wiggins child Everett Sipes child Mrs. R. Allen Mrs. V. O. Sullivan David Johns Miss Sue Sanders Mrs. Lily St. John Mrs. Roy Hudson Roy Hudson Mrs. Mary Vincent Kenneth Godwin Mrs. C. T. Daniel Mrs. John Fry Mrs. Russell Jeffers Kloyce McKinney

Hoyle Norris Andy Johns Evelyn Johns Mrs. Curtis Walker Carson Braswell Penny Johns Mrs. David Johns Clois McKinney Chester Robbins Felma Robbins G. E. Gibson Mrs. G. E. Gibson Mrs. J. D. Norris and daughter Mrs. B. T. Ashcraft Mrs. C. R. Vick Nell Carter Will West Morris Whitman Rev. O. L May Johnny Bob Hartsell Connie Lou Sipes Mrs. Jim Free Johnny Whitman Mrs. Claude Mullins Mrs. Henry Land Mrs. Freda May Cloyce Rotten Levell Johnson John Fry Mrs. J. D. Pennington J. D. Pennington Terry Johns Ben Ashcraft Jessie Kelley and Bobby Kelley Hoyle Norris J. A. Johns Jean Sanders Mrs. Rufus Sanders Ethel Hayes Mrs. James Johns Benny Johns Mrs. David John's child Claude Williams

Then State Representative C.C. Hollensworth filed a bill in the Arkansas House of Representatives allocating $50,000.00 of state funding to help Warren clean up and deal with the devastation. The Mayor of Warren at the time was James Hurley, Sr.  On January 27th, Governor Sid McMath announced he would visit Warren.  He later did and then vetoed the bill that had passed both houses of the legislature.  He did not want to set a precedent for the state helping local communities according to statements he made.

The Hartsell Home

In February, items were received from Boreculo, a city in the Netherlands, to assist the people of Warren.  This was done because of help sent from the United States  to Boreculo after a storm hit that community in 1925.  Some of the furniture that was sent remains in Warren today and is used in the Warren Mayors Office to this day.

Recently this writer ran into a gentlemen who saw the 1949 storm, Mr. Billy Young.  He stated he watched the tornado from Meeks Street.  As he watched, he said the storm split into two tornadoes.

Without help from the state, the town rebuilt.  Citizens pulled together to rebuild homes.  The Bradley Lumber Company rebuilt, and gradually Warren returned to full strength. It was a taxing time for the city which took many years to overcome.