Q. My great-great-uncle was killed in a tornado March 5, 1919, in Eufaula, Ala. How can I learn more about the storm?
A. Some National Weather Service forecast centers have pages about local tornado history. The Birmingham office, for example, has a database of Alabama tornadoes dating back to 1794. You’ll find details and maps about storms such as the 1919 Eufaula supercell.
Of course, you also can read contemporary accounts in historical newspapers, such as the Eufaula Tribune. A tornado that caused several deaths would’ve been written up in the state’s larger newspapers, such as the Montgomery Advertiser (searchable from 1901 to 1922 at GenealogyBank.com). And don’t overlook local histories, such as the 1930 History of Eufaula, Alabama, available on Ancestry.com; an account of the tornado begins on page 162.
From the October/November 2014 Family Tree Magazine
