- Halpin & Bailey’s City Directory for the Year 1863-64
Leary Patrick, lab., h. n. s. DeKoven, nr. Jefferson.
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1867
Leary Patrick, lab. r. Polk, bet. Clinton and Jefferson
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1869
Leary Patrick, lab. r. 137 DeKoven
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1870
Leary Patrick, lab. r. 137 DeKoven
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1871
O’Leary Michael, drayman, C. W. Church & Co. r. DeKoven cor. Desplaines
INTRODUCTION
Throughout period articles from before the Great Fire of 1871 as well as the Chicago Directories during that period, the property located at 137 DeKoven Street was owned by Patrick and Catherine Leary. It appears that after their home was destroyed, Mrs. Leary made her husband sell the cottage in De Koven street, and moved to the stockyards district, “where nobody knew them.” It was at this point that they changed their name to “O’Leary.”
US Census, June 27, 1870
Chicago Evening Post, December 12, 1871
The Board of Police and Fire Commissioners has made a report. Of course they have nothing new to disclose or even to suggest for this is an age when all valuable information of public affairs is first harvested and conveyed by that enterprising avant courier, the press The following is the official finding:
The Work Achieved.
The Board of Police as required by law have investigated the origin of the fire of October 8th and 9th. We have heard the sworn testimony of fifty-one witnesses and had the same taken down by a stenographer and subsequently transcribed. As written out it fills about 900 pages of foolscap paper. As a large part of this testimony was published in the daily papers as it was taken from day to day and as the original is on file for reference we deem it unnecessary to recapitulate the evidence to any great extent, but proceed to give the result of our investigation briefly and place it on record.
Where the Fire Started.
The Board find that the fire originated in a two-story frame barn in the rear of No 137 DeKoven street the premises being owned by Patrick Leary. The fire was first discovered by a drayman, by the name of Daniel Sullivan who saw it while sitting on the sidewalk on the south side of DeKoven street, and nearly opposite premises. He fixes the time at no more than 20 to 25 minutes past 9 when he first noticed the flames coming out of the barn.
Who Started It.
There is no proof that anybody had been in the barn after nightfall that evening. Whether it originated from a spark blown from a chimney on that windy night or was set on fire by human agency we are unable to determine. Mr. Leary, the owner, and all his family prove to have been in bed and asleep at the time. There was a small party in the front part of house which was occupied by Mr. McLaughlin and wife, but we failed to find any evidence that anybody from part of the house went near the barn that night.
Chicago Tribune, October 20, 1871
HOW IT ORIGINATED.
Statements and Affidavits as to the Starting Point of the Great Fire.
To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune:
A great deal has been published respecting the origin of the great fire, which all reports have settled down on the head of a woman, or as the Times has it, an “Irish hag” of 70 years of age. Admitting for a moment that an Irish hag of 70 years was by an unforeseen accident the cause, yet there was a great want of charity in the epithets used by the Times of the 18th. The following facts are stubborn things, and will cause the public to look for the cause in other sources, and perhaps attribute it to the love of plunder, Divine wrath, etc.:
- On last Sunday. night I made my way to the O’Leary’s house. yet standing, and there, at No. 137 DeKoven street, on the east ½ of Lot 12, in Block 38, School Section Addition to Chicago, found Dennis Sullivan, of No. 134, and Dennis Ryan, of No. 112, both of DeKoven street. There and then I took the annexed affidavits. The parties have been known to me personally for several years as of irreproachable character. Mrs. O’Leary is neither haggard nor dirty.
Patrick O’Leary, and Catherine, his wife, being duly sworn before me, testify that they live at No. 137 DeKoven street, and own the lot and house in which they live; they had five cows, a horse and wagon, on all of which they had not one cent of insurance. She milked her cows at 4½ p. m. and 5 a. m., as Mrs. O’Leary peddled the milk. Mrs. O’Leary fed the horse beside the fence at about 7 o’clock p. m., and then put him in the barn. She had no lamp in the yard or barn that night or evening.
Patrick O’Leary testifies that he was not in the barn during that day or night; left the feeding of the cows and horse his wife and daughter: that both were in bed when awakened by Denis Ryan, of No. 118 DeKoven street; that they have lost their barn, coms, horse and wagon.
Subscribed and sworn before me this 15th day of October, 1871.
Patrick O’Leary,
Catherin O’Leary, .
Michael McDermott.
Notary Public for Chicago and City Surveyor.
Denis Sullivan being duly sword before me testifies that he was at Patrick O’Leary’s house, No. 137 DeKoven street, on Sunday night the 8th, of October, 1871, from about 8½ to 9 o’clock at night, during which time Mr. O’Leary and wife were in bed, that he went a few lots east of O’Leary’s on the opposite side of DeKaren street, until about half-past 9 o’clock, when he saw the fire. He went across the street and cried “fire” “fire,” and went into O’Leary’s barn. where he found the hay in the loft on fire. He then attempted to cut loose the cows and horse, but failed to save anything but a half burned calf. He then came to O’Leary’s and found them out of bed. Denis Ryan alarmed them during his time at the barn.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 15th day of October, 1871.
Denis Sullivan.
Michael McDermott.
Notary Public for Chicago and City Surveyor.
Chicago Tribune, September 18, 1894
Funeral of Patrick O’Leary.
Patrick O’Leary was buried yesterday. Father McGuire celebrated high mass at the Visitation Church, Fifty-Fifth and Peoria streets, at 10 o’clock, after which the body was taken to Mt. Olivet. The pallbearers were: Thomas Finley, John Linksi, Michael Griffin, John O’Day, Joseph Griffin, John White, Philip Gleason, and Michael Godfrey. Mr. O’Leary lived at No. 5132 Halsted street, and was the husband of Mrs. O’Leary whose cow has been charged with causing the Chicago fire of 1871.
- Symbolic of the general impression of pre-fire Chicago is the Leary cottage. This view was taken from the rear after the 1871 Fire.
- The Leary property, after the Fire. At the time, farm animals were commonly kept within city limits to provide their owners with fresh milk, butter, eggs, and other products to eat or sell. Photograph by Joseph Battersby.
- The Cottage of Patrick and Catherine Leary
J. H. Abbott, Stereograph, 1871
- 137 DeKoven Street
Original Leary cottage (left), three story brownstone built in 1880 (right)
- 137 DeKoven Street
Map by Edward Mendel
1865
- 137 DeKoven Street
Robinson Fire Insurance Map
1886
- 558 DeKoven Street
Chicago Fire Academy
Apple Maps
2014
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