The Hopkins Tornado of 1881 was a tornado on June 12, 1881, near Hopkins, Missouri in Nodaway County, Missouri involving eight tornadoes in which four united to form what is believed to have been one of the first recorded F5 tornadoes in history.
The area was lightly populated at the time and so there were only two fatalities although several farmhouses were destroyed.
The four strands started about 3 p.m. about six miles west of Hopkins near the Lone Elm Schoolhouse. Before uniting one of the strands demolished the schoolhouse as the tornado moved in a southeast direction.
The tornado hit the house of Zach Davidson and blew it along with its inhabitants of Zach, his two sons, wife and hired man 10 rods (50 m) across a ravine—although miraculously unhurt. It blew apart his stable and carried two horses a quarter of mile although both survived.
The tornado crossed the 102 River at McMackin Mill which was destroyed.
The tornado hit the house of James Young and killed him and his wife. They were blown about 50 yards from the house. It injured seven others.
The storm track of the main tornado was five to seven miles in length (3 to 4 miles west of the 102 River and 2 to 3 miles east of the river) and 100 yards to a quarter mile in width.
Other tornadoes in the outbreak was one in Rosendale, Missouri in Andrew County, Missouri and three in Gentry County, Missouri and DeKalb County, Missouri.
The Fujita Scale did not exist at the time of the tornado. Thomas P. Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991/a Chronology and Analysis of Events lists the tornado as "probably" an F5.