Catherine O'Leary
Encyclopedia
Catherine O'Leary (ca. 1827 – July 3, 1895) was an Irish immigrant
living in Chicago, Illinois in the 1870s. She was married to Patrick O'Leary. The couple's son, James Patrick O'Leary
would grow up to run a Chicago gambling hall.
It was alleged that on the evening of October 8, 1871, a fire started in O'Leary's barn at 137 DeKoven Street
which went on to burn a large percentage of the city, an event known as the Great Chicago Fire
.
After the Great Chicago Fire, Catherine O'Leary was used as a scapegoat by Chicago Tribune
reporter Michael Ahern, who admitted in 1893 that he had made up the story of a cow kicking over a lantern because he thought it would make colorful copy. This story took the population's imagination and many still believe that the fire began with the O'Learys' cow knocking over a lantern. Other theories posit that Daniel "Pegleg" Sullivan or Louis M. Cohn
, who claimed to have been gambling in the barn with the O'Learys' son and several other boys, were involved in the start of the fire.
Catherine O'Leary died on July 3, 1895 of acute pneumonia
at her home at 5133 Halsted Street
and was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery
. In the PBS documentary
, Chicago: City of the Century, a descendant of O'Leary stated that she spent the rest of her life in the public eye, in which she was constantly blamed for starting the fire. Overcome with much sadness and regret, she "died heartbroken."
Amateur historian Richard Bales was able to garner enough evidence on Sullivan to convince the Chicago City Council to exonerate O'Leary of all guilt in 1997.
The story of Mrs. O'Leary's Cow has garnered the attention and imagination of generations as the cause of the fire. Popular culture, such as Gary Larson
's cartoon The Far Side
, Brian Wilson
's song "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow
" and Rita Hayworth
's song "Put the Blame on Mame
" from the movie Gilda
have referred to the story with the expectation that the populace will understand the reference. Popular 1930s character actress Alice Brady
won a Best Supporting Actress
Oscar for her performance as Mrs. O'Leary in the film In Old Chicago
.
Years later, people would sing a parody to the minstrel song There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
:
Irish diaspora
thumb|Night Train with Reaper by London Irish artist [[Brian Whelan]] from the book Myth of Return, 2007The Irish diaspora consists of Irish emigrants and their descendants in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Mexico, South Africa,...
living in Chicago, Illinois in the 1870s. She was married to Patrick O'Leary. The couple's son, James Patrick O'Leary
James Patrick O'Leary
James Patrick O'Leary was a gambling boss and saloon owner in Chicago. His parents were Patrick and Catherine O'Leary, in whose barn the Great Chicago Fire is believed to have begun.-Biography:...
would grow up to run a Chicago gambling hall.
It was alleged that on the evening of October 8, 1871, a fire started in O'Leary's barn at 137 DeKoven Street
DeKoven Street (Chicago)
DeKoven Street is a street in Chicago, Illinois named for John DeKoven, one of the founders of the Northern Trust Company.The Great Chicago Fire started at 137 DeKoven Street, now numbered 558 West DeKoven, in a barn belonging to Patrick and Catherine O'Leary...
which went on to burn a large percentage of the city, an event known as the Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S...
.
After the Great Chicago Fire, Catherine O'Leary was used as a scapegoat by Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
reporter Michael Ahern, who admitted in 1893 that he had made up the story of a cow kicking over a lantern because he thought it would make colorful copy. This story took the population's imagination and many still believe that the fire began with the O'Learys' cow knocking over a lantern. Other theories posit that Daniel "Pegleg" Sullivan or Louis M. Cohn
Louis M. Cohn
Louis M. Cohn was a Chicago importer who claimed to have been in Mrs. O'Leary's barn the night the Great Chicago Fire started there in 1871....
, who claimed to have been gambling in the barn with the O'Learys' son and several other boys, were involved in the start of the fire.
Catherine O'Leary died on July 3, 1895 of acute pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at her home at 5133 Halsted Street
Halsted Street
Halsted Street is a major north-south street in the American city of Chicago, Illinois.-Location:In Chicago's grid system, Halsted street marks 800 West, one mile west of State Street, from Grace Street in Lakeview south to the city limits at the Little Calumet River in West Pullman...
and was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery
Mount Olivet Cemetery (Chicago)
Mount Olivet Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery located in Chicago, Illinois. The cemetery is operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago. The cemetery is located at 2755 West 111th St.-History:...
. In the PBS documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, Chicago: City of the Century, a descendant of O'Leary stated that she spent the rest of her life in the public eye, in which she was constantly blamed for starting the fire. Overcome with much sadness and regret, she "died heartbroken."
Amateur historian Richard Bales was able to garner enough evidence on Sullivan to convince the Chicago City Council to exonerate O'Leary of all guilt in 1997.
The story of Mrs. O'Leary's Cow has garnered the attention and imagination of generations as the cause of the fire. Popular culture, such as Gary Larson
Gary Larson
Gary Larson is the creator of The Far Side, a single-panel cartoon series that was syndicated internationally to newspapers for 15 years. The series ended with Larson's retirement on January 1, 1995. His 23 books of collected cartoons have combined sales of more than 45 million...
's cartoon The Far Side
The Far Side
The Far Side is a popular single-panel comic created by Gary Larson and syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from January 1, 1980, to January 1, 1995. Its surrealistic humor is often based on uncomfortable social situations, improbable events, an anthropomorphic view of the world,...
, Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
's song "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow
Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (song)
"The Elements: Fire" is an instrumental song, also known as "The Elements", "Fire" and "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow", which was written by Brian Wilson. The title is in reference to the Great Chicago Fire. The song was originally intended for The Beach Boys famous unreleased album Smile as part of the...
" and Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth was an American film actress and dancer who attained fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars...
's song "Put the Blame on Mame
Put the Blame on Mame
"Put the Blame on Mame" is a song by Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher, originally made for the film Gilda in 1946 - where it was sung by the title character, played by Rita Hayworth and with the singing voice actually that of Anita Kert Ellis....
" from the movie Gilda
Gilda
Gilda is a 1946 American black-and-white film noir directed by Charles Vidor. It stars Glenn Ford and Rita Hayworth in her signature role as the ultimate femme fatale. The film was noted for cinematographer Rudolph Mate's lush photography, costume designer Jean Louis' wardrobe for Hayworth , and...
have referred to the story with the expectation that the populace will understand the reference. Popular 1930s character actress Alice Brady
Alice Brady
Alice Brady was an American actress who began her career in the silent film era and survived the transition into talkies. She worked up until six months before her death from cancer in 1939...
won a Best Supporting Actress
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
Oscar for her performance as Mrs. O'Leary in the film In Old Chicago
In Old Chicago
In Old Chicago is a 1937 American drama film directed by Henry King. The screenplay by Sonya Levien and Lamar Trotti was based on the Niven Busch story, "We the O'Learys." The film is a fictionalized account about the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and stars Alice Brady as Mrs. O'Leary, the owner of...
.
Years later, people would sing a parody to the minstrel song There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
"A Hot Time in the Old Town" is an American ragtime song, composed in 1896 by Theodore August Metz with lyrics by Joe Hayden. Metz was the band leader of the McIntyre and Heath Minstrels....
:
- Late one night, when we were all in bed,
- Old Mother Leary left a lantern in the shed;
- And when the cow kicked it over, she winked her eye and said,
- "There’ll be a hot time in the old town, tonight."