Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-7-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–23 Assoc. Press. “Mitchell County Deaths Now 23.” San Antonio Express, TX. 5-17-1923, p.1.

–23 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 436 and 783.

Narrative Information

Grazulis: “TX May 24, 1923 04:30 23k [killed] 250inj 800y 45m F5.”

Newspapers

May 14, AP: “(By The Associated Press).

“Big Springs, Texas, May 14. – Fifty persons were killed and about one hundred were injured three miles from Colorado [City],[1] Texas, when a tornado swept this section of the state, according to meager, unconfirmed reports telephoned here today. Since the new was received communication has been cut off. _______

“Colorado, Texas, May 14. – Eight bodies of persons killed in the tornado near here this morning have been brought here, and it is reported that several bodies are on their way here. Twelve persons have been counted dead. Persons doing relief work reported that the dead and injured were being found at almost every scattered farm and ranch dwelling for many miles southeast of here. Only slight damage was done at this place.

“Abilene, Texas, May 14. – Joe Richburn and two children were killed and a large number of residents of this section were injured as the result of a tornado which struck the Spade ranch, south of Colorado, Texas, and mowed a path twenty-five miles long across the country last night. At Westbrook, Mrs. W. S. Shelton was killed and her two children are not expected to live….” (AP. “Tornado Kills 50 at Colorado [TX], Texas.” The Brownsville Herald, TX. 5-14-1923, p. 1.)

May 15, Abilene Daily Reporter: “Colorado, Texas, May 15. – The worst tornado that ever hit this section of Texas, doing damage that was estimated at fully half a million dollars, and sweeping clean everything in its path, took a toll of 21 lives and injured 200 people at five o’clock Monday morning, when the twister began its work near Big Spring and ended up about sixty miles away at a point about five miles northeast of Loraine. First reports said the swath cut by the storm was only thirty miles long.

“The cyclone cut a wide swath through Mitchell County and the remarkable feature of the disastrous affair was that it entirely missed the towns of Westbrook, Colorado, and Loraine, these towns being in close proximity to the stricken area.

“No amount of newspaper space can portray the awfulness of the disaster and no camera can reproduce the scenes which can be appreciated and realized only by the naked eye. The Reporter correspondent endeavored to take a picture of one of the places that was worst hit and upon arriving at the scene found nothing to take a picture of. All that remained was the bare ground where once stood one of the finest country homes in Mitchell county.

“The cyclone first hit 5 miles southeast of Big Sporing and traveled northeasterly through the Conway Ranch, the Spade Community, Seven Wells, Looney community, cutting the northwest corner of the town of Loraine and ending on the George Taylor farm about five miles northeast of Loraine after passing through the Lone Star community. The twister was funnel shape and cut a swath that ranged from a hundred to three hundred yards wide, dodging a house here and there and taking scores of others at its leisure.

“Officials of the Red Cross and Chamber of Commerce at Colorado estimated that fully three hundred or more people were rendered homeless by the cyclone, while fully two hundred were injured to some extent. The storm came within four miles of Colorado – to the south – and the noise of it was plainly heard in this city. Previous to the storm and during it there was considerable lightning accompanied by rain and hail both in this section and to some extent at Big Spring, forty miles west of here…. __________

“Colorado, Texas, May 15. – In the J. H. Greene morgue this morning there are twelve bodies as follows: [We place the names into separate lines.]

Luther Brindle, aged 25 years;

J. Standifer and three sones;

baby son of Joe Anderson;

baby daughter of Jim Walker;

L. Jameson, aged 25 years;

Cosmo Rios, aged 30 years; all of the above from the Seven Wells community on which

the twister exacted its heaviest toll;

C. Sheffield, aged 68 years, from the Westbrook community;

Oscar Hambry, four and one-half miles southeast of Colorado; and

Sherman Shelton, age 10, who died Tuesday morning at 7:40.

“In addition to these eleven, the list of known dead includes

Mrs. I. C. Sheffield, whose body was taken to Westbrook;

Jesus Brionez and two year old daughter;

Joe Richburg, his seventeen year old daughter and eleven year old son, of near Loraine;

Mrs. S. W. Shelton of near Westbrook and

The eleven year old daughter of Henry Tidwell, of the Loraine district.

“It was erroneously reported late yesterday that Mr. Tidwell had died. ‘Grandma’ Reese was also reported dead Tuesday morning….” (Abilene Daily Reporter, TX. “21 Are Dead and 200 Injured in Mitchell County Storm.” 5-15-1923, p. 1.)

May 16, Abilene Daily Reporter: “Special to The Reporter. Colorado, Tex., May 16. – The toll of dead from the tornado in southern Mitchell county Monday morning received the addition of two names during the night when Mrs. I. C. Sheffield[2] and Juana Rios found relief in death from the injuries they received. Mr. Sheffield died Monday morning at ten o’clock and his wife lingered until seven last night….” (Abilene Daily Reporter, TX. “Two more Deaths Recorded Result of Monday Storm.” 5-16-1923, p. 1.)

Sources

Abilene Daily Reporter, TX. “21 Are Dead and 200 Injured in Mitchell County Storm.” 5-15-1923, p. 1. Accessed 4-7-2025: https://newspaperarchive.com/abilene-daily-reporter-may-15-1923-p-1/

Abilene Daily Reporter, TX. “Two more Deaths Recorded Result of Monday Storm.” 5-16-1923, p. 1. Accessed 4-7-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/abilene-daily-reporter-may-16-1923-p-1/

Associated Press. “Mitchell County Deaths Now 23.” San Antonio Express, TX. 5-17-1923, p. 1. Accessed 4-7-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-express-may-17-1923-p-1/

Associated Press. “Tornado Kills 50 at Colorado [TX], Texas.” The Brownsville Herald, TX. 5-14-1923, p1. Accessed 4-7-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brownsville-herald-may-14-1923-p-1/

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

[1] Colorado in a community in Bastrop County, far to the southeast of Howard and Mitchell counties. Colorado City is within Mitchell County which borders Howard county to the northeast.

[2] Mrs. Sheffield was already reported dead in the previous day’s newspaper.

1923 — May 14, Tornado, Howard and Mitchell Counties, esp. Seven Wells area, TX — 23