Appendix #19: New-York Fires 1761 - 1775
Illustration 1 & 19: New-York Fires 1761 - 1775
There were twenty-five newsworthy fires in New York between 1761 and 1775: 10 Houses; 4 Stables or Outbuildings; 6 Businesses; and 5 Large Fires that included several Houses/Businesses (3), a Hospital(1), and the Fort(1). As shown in the graph of yearly fires, there were two years, 1768 and 1772, that had more than just a few fires, which may have influenced the expansion of the fire department in 1769 and 1772.
Categories: A – Domestic; A1 – House; A2 – Stable/Outbuilding; B – Business; C – Large Multi-structure References and Notes on Fires 1761-1775
1. Monday, August 31 1761 Earth Used as fire suppressant Paper:
New-York Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 474 Page: 1
2-1. Monday February 22 1762 Fire in Duane's Stable…Category A2
Paper: New-York Gazette (New York, New York) Issue: 165 Page: 2
3-2. Monday, January 13, 1766 Fire in Hon Roger Morris ash house engines assembled put it out...B
Paper: New-York Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 742 Page: 3
4-3. Monday September 21 1767 Fire in Out buildings Put out...A2
Paper: New-York Gazette (New York, New York) Issue: 441 Page: 3
4. Thursday October 15 1767 Use of ash as fire suppressant
Paper: New-York Gazette, or Weekly Post-Boy (New York, New York) Issue: 1293 Page: 1
5-4. Monday March 28 1768 Fire in Beverly Robinson's House...C
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 856 Page: 2 Piece: One of Two
6-4. Thursday March 31 1768 More detailed account of Fire at Robinsons
Paper: New-York Journal (New York, New York) Issue: 1317 Page: 3
7-5. Thursday March 31 1768 Mrs Snead Burnt from Fire started by Candle..A1
Paper: New-York Journal (New York, New York) Issue: 1317 Page: 2
8-5. Monday, April 4, 1768 Second account of Snead fire child died
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 857 Page: 3
9-4. Monday April 4 1768 Fire in Petticoat Lane 2 depositions...(Same fire as Robinsons...see 5-4 above)
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 857 Page: 3
10-6. Monday April 4 1768 Fire in stable of Rev Green burnt stable arson..A2
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 857 Page: 2
11. Monday April 11 1768 Ad for fire engine imported 200 gallons per minute
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 858 Page: Supplement 1
12-7. Monday June 20 1768 Fire in Stoutenburgh Bake House,,.B
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 868 Page: 2
13-8. Monday September 19 1768 Fire in Capt Kennedys Kitchen near Fly...A1
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 881 Page: 3
14-8. Monday September 19 1768 Reference to Fire Wed before (see above)
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 881 Page: 3
15-9. Monday November 6 1769 Courtlands Sugar House Sugar Destroyed Building Saved...B
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 941 Page: 3
16. Monday November 20 1769 Notice for Hand in Hand Fire Company
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 943 Page: 4
17-10. Monday February 26 1770 Fire in Brooklyn Brewery NY Engines sent..B
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 957 Page: 3
18-11. Monday March 12 1770 Large Fire 13 houses 2 businesses burnt...C
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 959 Page: 3
19-11. Monday April 23 1770 John Ball thanks Citizens Helping at Large Fire
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 965 Page: 2
19. Monday April 2 1770 Letter Outlining Fire Insurance
Paper: New-York Gazette, or Weekly Post-Boy (New York, New York) Issue: 1422 Page: 1
20-12. Monday May 14 1770 Garrison House Destroyed by Fire Rain...A1
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 968 Page: 3
21-13. Monday January 7 1771 Hannah Bradshaw killed in freak fire accident...A1
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1002 Page: 3
22-14. Monday February 18 1771 Fire Quickly Suppressed...A1
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1008 Page: 2/3
23-15. Monday June 10 1771 Bristol Wax Works destroyed house OK...B
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1024 Page: 3 Piece: 1 of 2
24-16. Monday, January 6, 1772 Fire Stable Capt William Brown Smith St...A2
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1054 Page: 2
25-17. Monday, January 20, 1772 Fire in John Burns House Happily Extinguished...A1
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1056 Page: 2
26-18. Monday, May 4, 1772 Big Fire on Water Street 8 Houses Two Stables Distillery...C
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1071 Page: 2
27-19. Monday, December 14, 1772 Fire at Wilsons near Beekmans slip easily out...A1
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1103 Page: 3
28-20. Monday, February 1, 1773 Fire Griswold Distillery Pearl Street 1 hurt...B
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1110 Page: 3
29-21. Thursday, December 30, 1773 House of Supreme crt judge Ludlow destroyed...A1
Paper: New-York Journal (New York, New York) Issue: 1617 Page: 2
30-22. Monday, January 3, 1774 Fire in Fort George Tyron Gov 1 fatality...C
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1158 Page: 3
31-23. Monday, February 21, 1774 Fire in Greenwich Clarkes house burned to ground..A1
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1165 Page: 3
32-24. Monday, March 20, 1775 Fire in Hospital 2 depositions...C
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1223 Page: 1
33-25. Monday, October 16, 1775 On Broadway Slidel Roof of house burned from blacksmith..A1
Paper: New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury (New York, New York) Issue: 1253 Page: 3