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Betsy Mills and Ron Brothers. The Death and Cemetery Records of Lamar County, Texas, ReBroMa Press, 2008, http://www.lamarcountytx.org/cemetery. (05/12/2025)

Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX, 24 Apr 1908: “Special To The News. PARIS, Tex., April 23. Twenty-five residences, practically the eastern half of Deport, a town twenty miles southeast of Paris, were destroyed by a hurricane about 6 o’clock this evening, the cotton oil mill, Baptist and Presbyterian Churches suffering a like fate. W. R. Isbell, a druggist, was crushed to death in his residence when it collapsed to death in his residence when it collapsed, his wife and four children saving themselves by running to the storm house. Others known to be injured, though not fatally, are Capt. George I. Terrell and wife, G. G. Baughn, E. P. Sullivan, wife and son. All these have broken arms or legs and painful bruises. The storm came up the valley from the southwest, cutting a path several hundred yards wide. It did not last long and there was little if any electricity. It swept away houses of cards. The town is divided by a creek and the heavy rain overflowed it and retarded the work of helping the injured by those who escaped. No business houses were destroyed, but, several were badly damaged, only the edge of the storm reaching them. Among them are the Deport Chronicle, U. L. Jolly, editor; Cunningham’s dry goods store, Shuman’s blacksmith shop, Daniel’s restaurant the Cash Store and postoffice, W. I. Lawler, proprietor and postmaster. These were blown from the blocks or the sides partly caved in. Damage to houses and stocks can not be estimated tonight. Deport is an inland town, the best of the kind in this section, and has a population of 500. This is the third storm the town has experienced in recent years, though no fatalities occurred before. Oak Grove, a town in the edge of Red River County, east of Clarksville, was struck by a storm about the same time and several houses there were destroyed and people hurt, but no fatalities are reported. Wires are down and no particulars can be had from there tonight. Many people at Deport were saved by being in the stormhouses. Nearly every family there has one of these useful refugees.”

THE BONHAM NEWS, Tuesday, April 28, 1908: “TEXAS TORNADOES HIT FOUR COUNTIES Navarro, Lamar, Red River and Bosque Counties. ONE MAN KILLED AT DEPORT. Three Negroes Probably Fatally Hurt Near Rice and Feared a Number of White People are Hurt. Paris, Tex., April 23. Twenty five residences, practically the eastern have of Deport, a town nearly twenty mile southeast of Paris, were destroyed by a hurricane about six o’clock this afternoon, the cotton mill, Baptist and Presbyterian churches suffering a like fate. W. R. Isabell, a druggist, was crushed to death at his residence when it collapsed, his wife and four children saving themselves by running to the storm house. Others know to be injured though not fatally, are Capt. G. I. Terrell and wife, G. G. Baughn, E. R. Sullivan, wife and son. All these have broken arms or legs and painful bruises. The storm came up the valley from the southwest cutting a path several hundred yards wide. It did not last ling and there were little if any electricity. It swept structure in its paths as if they had been houses of cards. The town is divided by a creek and the heavy rain overflowed it and retarded the work of helping the injured by those who escaped. No business houses were destroyed, but several were badly damaged, only the edge of the storm reaching them. Among them at the Deport Chronicle, U. L. Jolly, editor; Cunningham’s dry goods store; Shuman blacksmith shop; Daniel’s restaurant; the Cash Store and the post office, W. I. Lawler, proprietor and postmaster. These were blown from the blocks or the sides caved in. Damage to houses and stock cannot be estimated tonight. Deport is an inland town, the best of its kind in this section, and has a population of 500. This is the third storm this town has experienced in recent years, though no fatalities occurred before. Oak Grove, a town in the edge of Red River County. Several houses destroyed and a number of people injured. No fatalities reported. All wires are down. Rice, Navarro County. Reported farmhouses south of town destroyed. Three Negroes are probably fatally hurt. Many people escape by refuge in the storm houses, but number reported injured. Wires into Rice went down last night. Clifton, Bosque County. Five or six people injured. No deaths reported. Roof of school building torn off and church demolished. Damage not estimated. Path of storm seventy-five yards wide, most of the loss being in what is known as Old Clifton. Submitted by Craig McDonald.

The Indiana Democrat, Indiana, PA, 29 Apr 1908: “Paris, Tex. Twenty-five residences of Deport, a town 20 miles southeast of Paris, were destroyed by a hurricane this evening. The cotton oil mill. Baptist and Presbyterian churches were demolished. W. R. Isbell a druggist, was crushed to death in his residence when it collapsed.”

Woodmen of the World marker. Near child of I. R. and N. R. Rhodes and Fannie E. Brown.