1927 – Whole Family Wiped Out by Flash Flood
On Sunday evening, May 29, 1927, with no forewarning or expectation of stormy weather,
dark and foreboding clouds began to loom in western Johnson County. By 10:30 P. M. the
area from Mud Lick and Tom’s Creek to Paintsville was hit by a storm in the form of
hail. The hail storm was described by local residents at the time as being of a
"duration and intensity...never before equaled."
The hail was quickly followed by a thunder storm and cloudburst, which continued for a
period of more than five hours. By 4:00 A. M. Monday morning, small streams in the county
had become raging torrents. At one point, the rains fell in veritable sheets. Small
streams soon became rivers, carrying away fences, homes, barns, farm animals and store
buildings in their path.
In the community of Nippa, just four miles north of Paintsville, Dr. T. B. Bailey, a
physician respected by all who knew him, was sleeping with his family when the worst of
the storm struck. Dr, Bailey awakened and became alert to the potential danger which
threatened his family.
Dr. Bailey was, himself, as invalid. However, when the flood waters of Tom’s Creek
swept into his home, he quickly made an effort to lead his family to safety by having his
wife, his 80 year old mother and his 12 year old son clasp hands together. In spite of the
prolonged illness which had weakened him, Dr. Bailey emerged from his home, it was
reported, leading his family. The storms devastation was evident throughout the small
community. One bolt of lightning ignited a nearby home. It was burning as the
Bailey’s fled their home.
With the waters of Tom’s Creek out of its banks and swirling around and through
their home, the Bailey family apparently became confused and instead of rising to safety
they stepped into a ravine. The water was over their heads and they quickly became
separated and were carried away down stream.
When the storm finally ceased and moved out of the county and the waters had receded,
search parties looked for the missing and dead.
Dr. Bailey’s wife’s body was found 200 yards from her home. Her aged
mother-in-law’s body was found at the mouth of Whippoorwill Creek nearly one mile
away. The body of the 12 year old boy was, reportedly, never found. Only Dr. Bailey
survived out of the entire family. He was found unconscious entangled in a barbed wire
fence not far from the family’s home. Dr. Bailey never fully regained his health.
While others suffered great inconvenience and financial losses as a result of the
Cloudburst of 1927, none compared to the loss of Dr. T. B. Bailey on the morning of May
30.
