Silverton, TX Tornado Kills Five In Family, May 1957

FIVE IN ONE FAMILY KILLED IN SILVERTON.

Silverton, Tex. (AP) -- BARNEY STEPHENS, a sorrow-burdened man of 59, stood silently in front of the tornado-wrecked home where his son RANCE, the latter's wife and three children died.
"It was a happy family," he said slowly. "We all lived a happy life."
RANCE, 27, and his family were also deeply religious. DICK WILLIAMS, minister of the Church of Christ, recalled that they had attended a Bible class at the church before the tornado struck Wednesday night.
RANCE led the discussion of the 23rd Psalm.
"He had a wonderful lesson," said the Rev. MR. WILLIAMS. He had remembered that RANCE had said the Lord is "your shepherd" all the time, in all circumstances.
To County Judge J. W. LYON JR., RANCE was a hard-working tenant farmer.
"When he worked, he really worked for six full days," said LYON. "He was not the kind to come into a cafe for coffee in midmorning."
"You would see him a lot playing with the kids. He was that kind of person."
No one knew for certain how the RANCE STEPHENS family had died when the most deadly tornado in a month of violent Texas weather slashed without warning into this little town in flat, open West Texas range country.
It killed 19 persons and caused property damage estimated at $750,000.
The STEPHENS' home was one of 22 smashed to their foundations. Another was that of MRS. STEPHENS' parents, MR. and MRS. L. V. VAUGHN, who lived next door. The VAUGHNS also were killed.
The elder STEPHENS said his son and family had returned home from church about 9:30 p.m. When their lifeless bodies were found in the debris, RANCE was fully clothed. The others were dressed in night clothes.
From these little clues, the father guessed that his son, as was his custom, had stayed up to read the Bible after the others had gone to bed.
The two boys, BRUCE, who would have been 6 tomorrow, and ALLEN, a wiry lad of 4, shared one bedroom, he said. Little RHONDA KAY, the 2-year-old daughter, had a bedroom of her own.
"We had all planned on buying BRUCE some clothes for his birthday," said the grandfather. "We always did that."

The Abilene Reporter-News Texas 1957-05-17

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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!