The Cyclone of 1929

I found this in a stack of my grandmother papers when she passed away. Due to the recent storm activity I decided that I would post this. This storm took place in Fairburn, Fulton County, Georgia. This was my Great Grandma and Grandpa Edna and Tommie Brock, Winnie is my Grandmother.

Toy of the Winds--  When a cyclone completely demolished the home of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Brock, near Fairburn, Ga., recently, their seven children who were in the house at the time were left unhurt. (Earnest Astin)

An Account Of The Cyclone  

On March 23, 1929, Saturday morning about five-thirty o’clock, without a moments warning a cyclone came from the south-west and in a moments time completely destroyed the home of Tommie Brock, 41 years old, and family; wife Edna Brock age 43, Vivian age 16 ½, Ruth age 15, Winnie age 14, Edward age 11, Muriel age 9, Earl age 6, and Pallie age 4. The whole family was unhurt except for a few bruises and being shocked.

Most to the furniture was crushed and destroyed; a lot of the clothing was ruined. The house was a four-room bungalow with an eight foot hall, no porches; age of house 18 years old. A barn, smoke house, wash house, toilet, hen house, fruit trees and a lot of large pine and oak trees were blown down. One hog, two cows, one calf, nineteen chickens and two ducks were saved - lost only twenty little chickens, two hens and one duck.

All were up except Vivian, Muriel and Pallie. The beds they were in were torn up, the iron posts were wrenched in two. The bed stead was snatched out from under Vivian leaving her on some limbs where an oak tree had blown down. A feather bed was then placed over her then she as covered up in about ten foot deep of the pieces from the building. It took six men about thirty minutes to cut and remove the lumber before she could get out. It wasn’t raining during the first of the cyclone, but before the cyclone all passed the rain fell awful hard and we were nearly drowned, except Vivian wasn’t even wet. The stack chimney fell, and the floor of the house was moved about seventy feet from the foundation, going in the direction of the cyclone. The barn was blown down on the cows and workmen had to cut them out. It wasn’t over a moment until our neighbors were there helping. Neighbors helped every way they could for our comfort; in two week after the cyclone our neighbors, kin people, friends, W.M.U’s, B.Y.P.U’s had made up furniture, clothing, food and money (about $150.00). They were surely the nicest people ever and we certainly thank God for these friends and all they did for us. I expect more that 1,000 people visited the storm wrecked home. We thank God for saving our lives, for everybody said that it was a miracle and was the work of God. And we being in the cyclone fully realize that God has power to save or destroy and feel that he has a purpose in all things.

Written by Edna Brock