Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-28-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–31 Mississippi, May 26. Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 494, 788-789.

–03 Washington County. 14:00 F2 17inj 200y 3m, p. 788.

–03 Wayne County. (Waynesboro) 20:30 F2 10inj 10m, p. 788.

–01 Pike (Johnson Station) and Lincoln counties. 22:12 F2 12inj 100y 8m, p. 788.

–09 Covington, Jones, Wayne, Clarke counties. 23:30 F2 25inj 65m, p. 788.

–7 Brewer

–2 Collins

–01 Winston and Noxubee counties. 23:30 F2 20inj 15m, p. 788.

–10 Jasper, Clark, Lauderdale counties. 23:45 F3 30inj 200y 50m, p. 788.

–8 Meridian, Lauderdale Co. (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Lauderdale…” May 27.)

–03 Lee, Itawamba counties. 23:55 F3 20inj 30m , p. 789 .

–3 Itawamba. Shumpert family members. Itawamba County Times. 3-28-2025.

–01 Jones County, May 27. 03:00 F2 20inj 70y 15m, p. 789.

–24 Alabama. May 26-27. Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 789.

–08 May 26. Limestone County (Elkmont) 23:45 F3 0inj, p. 789.

–01 May 26. Marion County. 23:55 F3 20inj 30m, p. 789.

–01 May 27. Pickens County. 00:30 F2 10inj 25m, p. 789.

–11 May 27. Walker County. (Empire area) 02:15 F3 7inj 400y 3m, p. 789.

–10 Empire. (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Alabama Toll.” 5-27-1924, p. 7.)

–01 May 27. Macon, Russell counties.

–24 NWS WFO Birmingham AL, Alabama Tornado Database.

–21 Stevens, W. R.. “Tornadoes in Alabama,” Monthly Weather Review, October 1925, 440.

Narrative Information

Alabama

NWS Weather Forecast Office, Birmingham, AL: Starting at 11:45 p.m. on May 26 and continuing until the last touchdown at 6:30 a.m. on May 27, a series of seven tornadoes strike in the counties of Limestone, Marion, Pickens, Walker, Dallas, Etowah and Macon-Russell Counties, Alabama. Near Elkmont a couple and 6 children are killed in one home. (NWS WFO Birmingham AL, Alabama Tornado Database.)

May 27, Hattiesburg American, MS: “Birmingham, Ala., May 27. – Ten persons were killed at Empire, Ala. In a storm that struck that place early today, says reports received by newspapers here….The dead:

Billy Robbins and seven members of his family,

Mrs. John Hays and a young woman named Abbott.

“The persons reported killed were members of three households, the homes being smashed by a twister which struck suddenly and without warning. Empire is in Walker county. Fifteen persons were reported injured.” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Alabama Toll.” 5-27-1924, p. 7.

May 28, Daily Herald, Biloxi MS: “Athens, Ala., May 28. – The bodies of Mr. and Mrs. George Collins and their six children, Louis, 21; Sam, 19; Charles, 17; Elizabeth, 14; Eula, 12; and Ann, 6; killed Monday night near Elkmont, Ala., when their home was wrecked by a tornado, were buried in one grave today at the Antioch cemetery at Elkmont. The Collins home and all its outhouses were destroyed by the storm, although the stock in the barn escaped injury. No other homes in the vicinity suffered from the tornado.” (Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Family Killed By Storm Buried In One Grave.” 5-28-1924, p. 1.

Mississippi

May 27, Hattiesburg American MS: “Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana were struck by storms last night and early today. The death toll in Mississippi was at least 18 dead and 50 injured. In Alabama 19 are known to have died and 30 were injured. One man probably was fatally injured when struck by lightning in Louisiana….” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Collins Is Wrecked By Cyclone.” 5-27-1924, p. 1.)

May 27, Hattiesburg American MS: “Jackson, Miss., May 27. – Eleven persons were killed, 24 others injured, and heavy property damage caused by a series of storms which swept over sections of Southern Mississippi late yesterday. Reports from Brookhaven early today stated that eight persons living in the little town of Johnson Station, 12 miles from there, were killed and twelve others injured, at least one of them probably fatally, and others seriously, when a tornado hit the town at 11 o’clock last night, virtually wiping it out. Red Cross workers from Brookhaven and Jackson early today were on their way to the scene.

“An unconfirmed report also stated that the storm had caused heavy property damage at Summit, near Brookhaven, but did not say if there had been any loss of life. All telegraph and railroad wires were down to the two stricken towns and details of the storm were lacking.

“Several of those injured at Johnson Station were taken to Brookhaven on a special train. H. L. Toney, a farmer, believed to have been fatally injured when his home was demolished, was in a hospital.

“Three negroes were killed and twelve persons injured in the first tornado reported which late yesterday demolished eleven buildings on the plantation of W. B. Swain, fifteen miles east of Greenville. A few head of stock were killed and growing crops on the plantation, which is one of the largest individually owned in the delta section, were considerably damaged. The home of Mr. Sawin and the big barns were not in the path of the storm….” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “11 Killed – First Report.” 5-27-1924, p. 7.)

May 27, Hattiesburg American, MS: “Two deaths were named in the list of casualties reported. Miss Sarah Myrtle Bass, 15-year-old daughter of R. F. Bass, depot agent for the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad, and Miss Robinson, daughter of E. E. Robinson, prohibition officer, who lines in Collins. Miss Bass, whose father and mother are in Washington and New York on a visit, was spending the night with Miss Robinson, and they were sleeping in the same bed when the storm struck. Mrs. Robinson, who was occupying a bed in the same room, was dangerously injured, and reports from Collins today stated that there was only a slight hope for her recovery. The house was completely destroyed….

“The City Hall, the Baptist church, a grocery store, millinery shop, and a drygoods store were destroyed in the business section of he town, in addition to the many residences that were either totally destroyed or badly damaged. Telephone communications were broken off between the Covington metropolis and the outside until noon today.

“The wind that hit Collins came from a southeasterly direction, and was the same one that hit the Union Church settlement in Jones county, destroying several dwellings and playing havoc with the crops. The total amount of damage done had not been estimated late this afternoon. The entire town is demoralized, and information coming in is vague.” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Collins Casualties.” 5-27-1924, p. 7.)

May 27, Hattiesburg American, MS: “Meridian, Miss., May 27. – Eight dead and several more or less seriously injured, the destruction of a half dozen or more homes and other property damage of about $50,000, is the toll exacted by a storm which swept over an area described as about three miles long and 200 yards wide, a few miles south of Meridian, about 1 o’clock this morning. The dead:

Nellie Anderson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Anderson, living about twelve miles southeast of here, and

The entire family of Mr. and Mrs. John Broadway, consisting of a married son, his wife, a daughter of the latter, an unmarried son and an eleven-year-old child named Davis, seven in all….”

(Hattiesburg American, MS. “Lauderdale Hit.” 5-27-1924, p. 7.)

May 27, Hattiesburg American MS: “Waynesboro, Miss., May 27. – A strong wind struck here last night at 8:30 o’clock uprooting trees all over the city and destroying several negro houses. One negro was killed and two seriously wounded were rushed to Meridian hospitals this morning…”

(Hattiesburg American, MS. “Waynesboro Struck.” 5-27-1924, p. 7.)

May 28, Hattiesburg American, MS: “Mississippi is coming to the assistance of the victims of Monday night’s tornado….From Collins this afternoon came an appeal from a citizens’ committee for $25,000. ‘The cyclone which struck here Monday night,’ the statement says, ‘demolished many homes, damaged almost every house in town; killed two of our citizens outright, left a score or more seriously injured, many of them, perhaps fatally….” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “$25,000 For State Tornado Sufferers.” 5-28-1924, p. 1.)

May 28, Hattiesburg American, MS: “Alexandria, La., May 28. – Mr. and Mrs. John A. Broadway, who moved from Alexandria to Brewer, Miss., about a month ago, were killed in the cyclone there Monday night, according to a message received today. Mr. Broadway’s parents, a brother and a sister, Howard and Inez, and a niece, Nettie Elsie Davis, were also killed, the message said…” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Had Been There a month.” 5-28-1924, p. 7.)

Sources

Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Family Killed By Storm Buried In One Grave.” 5-28-1924, p. 1. Accessed 3-28-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/biloxi-daily-herald-may-28-1924-p-1/

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

Hattiesburg American, MS. “11 Killed – First Report.” 5-27-1924, p. 7. Accessed 3-28-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hattiesburg-american-may-27-1924-p-7/

Hattiesburg American, MS. “$25,000 For State Tornado Sufferers.” 5-28-1924, p. 1. Accessed 3-28-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hattiesburg-american-may-28-1924-p-1/

Hattiesburg American, MS. “Alabama Toll.” 5-27-1924, p. 7. Accessed 3-28-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hattiesburg-american-may-27-1924-p-7/

Hattiesburg American, MS. “Collins Casualties.” 5-27-1924, p. 7. Accessed 3-28-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hattiesburg-american-may-27-1924-p-7/

Hattiesburg American, MS. “Collins Is Wrecked By Cyclone.” 5-27-1924, p. 1. Accessed 3-28-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hattiesburg-american-may-27-1924-p-1/

Hattiesburg American, MS. “Had Been There a month.” 5-28-1924, p. 7. Accessed 3-28-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hattiesburg-american-may-28-1924-p-7/

Hattiesburg American, MS. “Lauderdale Hit.” 5-27-1924, p. 7. Accessed 3-28-1924, p. 7. Accessed 3-28-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hattiesburg-american-may-27-1924-p-7/

Hattiesburg American, MS. “Waynesboro Struck.” 5-27-1924, p. 7. Accessed 3-28-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hattiesburg-american-may-27-1924-p-7/

Itawamba County Times, MS. “Della’s things: How one family’s stories of the Evergreen tornado remain 100 years later.” 3-28-2025. Accessed 3-28-2025 at: https://www.djournal.com/itawamba/news/della-s-things-how-one-familys-stories-of-the-evergreen-tornado-remain-100-years-later/article_59d7260e-16c5-11ef-baa9-138b04349589.html

National Weather Service Forecast Office, Birmingham, AL. Alabama Tornado Database. NWS/NOAA. Accessed 1-4-2009 at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/tornadoes/mainlist2.php

Stevens, Welby R. “Tornadoes in Alabama,” Monthly Weather Review, October 1925, pp. 437-443. Accessed at: http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/053/mwr-053-10-0437.pdf

1924 – May 26-27, tornadoes, MS/31 deaths, AL/24, esp. Brewer, Increase, MS; Empire AR–55