Historical Folk Figure. Owner of the cow that was blamed in the legend for starting the Chicago Fire of 1871. Catherine O'Leary and her husband resided at 137 DeKoven Street, Chicago. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 began in their barn on the night of October 8th while they lay asleep in their home. Her descendants apparently have gone before the Chicago City Board Council and asked them to correct the information about the cause of the fire. They believe the fire was started by a tenant in Mrs. O'Leary's boarding house who was drunk and passed out while smoking. To this day, the exact cause of the fire has never been identified. The Chicago City Board Council exonerated Mrs. O'Leary in 1997 of any blame in the Great Chicago Fire.
Historical Folk Figure. Owner of the cow that was blamed in the legend for starting the Chicago Fire of 1871. Catherine O'Leary and her husband resided at 137 DeKoven Street, Chicago. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 began in their barn on the night of October 8th while they lay asleep in their home. Her descendants apparently have gone before the Chicago City Board Council and asked them to correct the information about the cause of the fire. They believe the fire was started by a tenant in Mrs. O'Leary's boarding house who was drunk and passed out while smoking. To this day, the exact cause of the fire has never been identified. The Chicago City Board Council exonerated Mrs. O'Leary in 1997 of any blame in the Great Chicago Fire.
Family Members
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Patrick O'Leary
1819–1894
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Mary O'Leary Scully
1856–1885
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Cornelius O'Leary
1858 – unknown
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Catherine T. O'Leary Ledwell
1867–1936
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James Patrick O'Leary
1870–1925
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Patrick O'Leary
1874–1913
Flowers
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