Molly Williams
Molly Williams (fl. 1818) was the first known female, and first known black, firefighter in the United States.[1]
An African American, she was a slave[2] of the New York City merchant Benjamin Aymar. She was affiliated with the Oceanus Engine Company #11 in lower Manhattan. During her time in the company, she was called Volunteer No. 11.[3] Williams made a distinguished presence in her sturdy work clothes of calico dress and checked apron. Her service was noted particularly during the blizzard of 1818. Male firefighters were scarce due to a cholera outbreak,[4] but Williams took her place with the men on the dragropes and pulled the pumper to the fire through the deep snow.[5]
When asked, Williams always replied: "‘I belongs to ole ‘Leven; I allers runs wid dat ole bull-gine.’"[6]
Notes
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- ↑ The History of Volunteer Firefighting Marinwood Fire Department
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Further reading
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Story book for young children
See also
- Pages with script errors
- Year of birth missing
- Year of death missing
- American firefighters
- American women firefighters
- History of firefighting
- History of women in the United States
- 19th-century American slaves
- History of New York City
- African-American firefighting organizations
- 19th-century African-American women
- 19th-century African-American people