1924 — Sep 21, WI Tornadoes, especially Thorp, Clark County (21), WI                      —     34

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-24-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–35  Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune/AP. “35 Lives Toll of Sunday’s Storm.” 9-22-1924, p. 1.

–34  Clark County, Wisconsin History Buffs. “The northern Wisconsin tornado outbreak…”

–34  Grazulis.  Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 494 and 792. [No note of MN deaths]

        –01  Barron County, WI.                                   14:00  15inj  300y  8m    F3

        –02  Barron, Rusk, Sawyer Counties, WI.         14:30  10inj  300y  40m  F2

        –18  Eau Claire, Clark, Taylor Counties, WI.   14:30  50inj  400y  65m  F4

        –07  Bayfield, Ashland Counties, WI.               15:45  20inj  200y  25m  F4

        –06  Lincoln, Oneida Counties, WI.                  16:45  20inj  200y  35m  F3

 

        –18  NWS. “Taylor County (WI) Tornadoes, 1850-2000.” La Crosse WI NWS WFO, 2006.

Narrative Information

National Weather Service, La Crosse, WI Weather Forecast Office:

“What was probably a family of tornadoes moved northeast from near Augusta (Eau Claire County) to 10 miles southwest of Thorp (Clark County) to north of Chelsea (Taylor Co.). Near Rib Lake, at least 20 farms were destroyed or altogether obliterated. Thirty other farms were damaged. Fourteen people were killed in Clark County and four in Taylor County. The lack of alignment in the positions of destroyed farms, in the Withee-Thorp-Owen area hint strongly that more than one tornado was involved. Four people died and 13 were injured in that area at a Sunday School meeting in a farm house. One entire wall of a home was reportedly carried for 14 miles. Damage may have been F5 intensity 4 miles south of Thorp and north of Withee near the county border. Damage estimates were $229,000.” (NWS. “Taylor County (WI) Tornadoes, 1850-2006.”  La Crosse WI NWS WFO, 2006.[1])

Newspaper

 

Sep 22, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune/AP: “(By Associated Press) Milwaukee, Sept. 22. – Sweeping across Wisconsin and a section of Minnesota a tornado and wind storm took a toll of 35 lives Sunday afternoon and injured scores in the vicinity of Thorp, Ashland and Owen, Wisconsin and at Eveleth, Minn.

 

“The heaviest loss was reported at Thorp where 21 persons are known to be dead and many injured. Property damage ranges from the destruction of small out buildings to farm homes, cattle automobiles, railway bridges and crops.

….

“The dead are:

 

“Ashland District:

Willard Anderson, 6;

Elsie Matleson, aged 9;

Victor Flander, 24, of Hancock, Mich.;

Jacob Holman, 40;

John Hill, 55;

Mrs. John Hill, 55;

Milwaukee [district]

Ralph Obermeier, 55;

At Eveleth, Minn.: Frank Melcherl, 35;

At Thorp:

Beth Schmitzfranz, aged 3;

Anton Larzernski, aged 8;

Rose Royenski, 15;

Sophie Graikowski, 15;

Marcia Kilyzarezek, 62;

Peter Magyja;

Mrs. Peter Magyja;

Two Magyja children;

Harry Barry;

Lydia Bennet;

Harry Norris;

Mrs. Harry Norris and

daughter, aged 9 [of Mrs. Harry Norris]

Mrs. Thosen;

Walter Hill;

Charles Weaver;

Frank Weaver;

  1. S. Donovan and

two children of M. S. Donovan;

At Withee:  Mr. and Mrs. McKayes;

At Waukesha:  Paul Mills, Milwaukee, J. W. Harrison, Chicago;

At Couderay:  two children of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Patrica.”

 

(Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune/AP. “35 Lives Toll of Sunday’s Storm. Twenty-one Lost Lives at Village of Thorp Alone.” 9-22-1924, p. 1.)

Sources

 Clark County, Wisconsin History Buffs. “The northern Wisconsin tornado outbreak of September 1924.” Accessed 3-24-2025 at: https://www.wiclarkcountyhistory.org/thorp/tragedies/1924cyclone/1924Tornado.htm

 

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

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, La Crosse, WI. “Taylor County (WI) Tornadoes 1850-2006.”  Tornadoes in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest and central Wisconsin.  NWS, NOAA, 2007.  At:  http://www.crh.noaa.gov/arx/tornado/taylor.php

 

Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune/AP. “35 Lives Toll of Sunday’s Storm. Twenty-one Lost Lives at Village of Thorp Alone.” 9-22-1924, p. 1. Accessed 3-24-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/wisconsin-rapids-daily-tribune-sep-22-1924-p-1/

 

[1] “The data in this table came from Storm Data, Significant Tornadoes–1680-1991 by Thomas P. Grazulis, and Wisconsin Tornado Database 1950-2000 Geographic Techniques Report No. ST-WTDB01.”