Dyersburg, TN Area Tornado, Mar 1952

On March 21, 1952 in Huntingdon, TN at around 10:50pm a tornado hit the Leach community. It destroyed the home of J.D. Smith, wife Dorothy Smith, and children Randall, Elwyn, Carolyn, and John David Smith. There home was completely torn off of its foundation and the family was spread across the family owned property. Dorothy Smith recalls being flown up sixty feet in the air during the tornado. J.D. Smith recalls the house being lifted off its foundation 3 times before it went into the air and exploded. He also remembers the porch being slammed up against the front of the house. Elwyn Smith was screaming to his mom "please tell me this is a dream!" John David was only four weeks old and was wrapped in a baby blanket and that balnket withstood 260 miles an hour winds and when he was found the blanket was still wrapped around him. Dorothy recalls having to search for her family with no shoes on and broken glass everywhere but her feet were never cut. J.D. was found with his skull completely crushed in the back and bleeding from his nose and ears. He miraculously survived as did the whole family. The power of God stood for them because with God they would have not survived.

This was the same deadly tornado that started in Arkansas earlier that day on March 21, 1952.