The Ripple Effect of the Great Fire in Paterson and Its Impact on My Family History
In 1902, Paterson was a bustling industrial city driven by its thriving silk mills and dye houses powered by the Great Falls. Shortly before or after midnight, on February 9th, a massive fire1 2 erupted in the downtown area that would leave over half the city in smoldering ruins. It had immense impact, not just on Paterson as a whole, but on individual families as well - including my own. Days after the fire, my great-great grandmother Catherine Boyle, allegedly attempted to burn down her own home.
The Great Fire of 1902
The fire rampaged uncontrolled for nearly 24 hours, destroying over 450 structures including factories, offices, stores, churches, schools, libraries, municipal buildings and the homes of some 500 families over a 20 block area. The damage was catastrophic and losses were estimated as high as $6 million, which would be over $213 million today.
Specifically, the fire damage was bounded by:
The Passaic River on the north
Straight Street to the south
Spruce Street to the east
Van Houten Street to the west
But Paterson would not despair. The city immediately launched rebuilding efforts, forming relief committees and soliciting donations. Within days, generous contributions poured in from individuals and organizations nationwide. The burnt area was soon cleared and reconstruction commenced even while embers continued smoldering.
Improved building codes required using fireproof materials. Streets were widened and access improved for firefighting equipment. By the end of 1902, Paterson’s downtown was largely rebuilt with brick and stone structures replacing combustible wooden ones. The mills were producing silk again, invigorated by the harnessed power of Great Falls.
The Great Fire was one of Paterson’s darkest days, but also marked its rebirth as a safer, stronger city. Paterson emerged more prosperous than ever, affirming the indomitable resilience and work ethic of its people.
Arson Attempt in the Ashes
On February 14, 1902 at 2:40 pm, police were called to the residence of my great-great grandparents, Patrick and Catherine Boyle, which was located at 376 Straight Street - just outside the fire damaged zone. They discovered fires blazing in four areas - the cellar, stairs, parlor and bedroom. A five-foot pile of shingles had been ignited in the cellar, already catching the beams aflame when firefighters arrived. Thankfully all four fires were extinguished before too much damage was done.
The neighbors accused Catherine of arson. Investigators found hundreds of matches scattered in the bedroom and when they found Catherine, she was searching for an insurance policy and allegedly stated, “Oh let it burn, I’m well insured.” 3 The dramatic incident not only gained tons of local media attention but was also written about in the New York Times.4
Catherine was immediately arrested and jailed on arson charges. Later that same month, it was rumored that she had been indicted by a Grand Jury, but the indictment was being held until a mental health examination could be done by a physician to evaluate her state of mind. Though not all articles mentioned it, I did find one reference where Catherine attributed her actions to being shaped by the trauma of the Great Fire:
"She was placed under arrest by Detectives Lord And McInerney and it was found that her mind was deranged, caused it is said, by worrying over the big fire."
It appears the rumors had some validity, as Catherine was arraigned in March 1902 and pleaded not guilty. A trial date was set for the April term and she was released on bail. However, I have been unable to uncover any further information regarding the outcome of her indictment beyond the March arraignment article.
In hopes of learning more about what happened during court proceeding and after the March arraignment, I sent a OPRA request to the Paterson City Clerk but, oddly enough, all records for the Paterson Police Department were destroyed, in yet another fire, that gutted their building in the 1980s.
If Catherine was found guilty, she likely did not spend much time behind bars. By June 1905, she was living with her husband and son on Pearl Street. From then on, she seemed to live a normal, quiet life without further legal troubles. I’ve been able to trace Catherine through records but found no additional arrests or convictions. She appeared to have moved on from the trauma and difficult period after the fire.
Catherine Smith Boyle passed away on June 27, 1940 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson. Despite her allegedly turbulent actions in 1902, she went on to live a full life as a wife and mother in the community she called home.
"Born in Ireland, she had been a resident of this city for 60 years, spending all of that time in the Dublin section, where she was very well know."
Catherine's Strength Through Repeated Hardship
I'm still not certain of what truly happened in 1902, but other details of her life does provide some clues. The Great Fire was obviously devastating for Paterson, and the Boyle's lived right on the edge of the damage. I'm sure the trauma of seeing such destruction so close to home really affected Catherine.
Even before the fire, Catherine had dealt with a lot of loss in her life. Back in 1882 she had a stillborn baby and, in 1895, not long after moving to Paterson, her 15-year-old son Francis died from cerebral meningitis. Her husband Patrick was left "crippled" and unable to work shortly thereafter, leaving Catherine as the sole caretaker.
Being the sole provider and caregiver in 1902 would have been so challenging, especially for a woman running the household. One newspaper said Patrick hadn't worked for 7 years by that point, so Catherine had been shouldering that responsibility for a long time. Even after years had passed, I doubt she ever got over the grief of losing her child. Then, as if she hadn't lost enough already, her daughter Annie died in 1904 at only 26 years old, just two weeks shy of her one-year wedding anniversary.
Catherine's strength and resilience is something to be admired. She endured so much tragedy, yet seemed to live a long life and earn people's love and respect. Facing hardship after hardship, she displayed incredible fortitude, even before fire literally reached her doorstep.
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park: https://www.facebook.com/PatersonGreatFalls/posts/the-great-fire-of-1902-began-at-1210-am-february-9-1902-early-sunday-with-the-fi/3515915101816432/
The Morning Call · Paterson, New Jersey · Saturday, February 15, 1902. Page 1, Column 7 & Page 9, Column 7: https://www.newspapers.com/image/552430859
The New York Times · New York, New York · Sunday, February 16, 1902
Page 12, Column 3: https://www.newspapers.com/image/20387637/
Fascinating article! Thanks for sharing it.