 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2019) |
Catherine O'Leary | |
|---|---|
| Born | Catherine Donegan March 1827 |
| Died | July 3, 1895 (aged 68) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Burial place | Mount Olivet Cemetery |
| Spouse | Patrick O'Leary |
| Children | 5 |
Catherine O'Leary (née Donegan; March 1827 – July 3, 1895) was an Irish immigrant living in Chicago, Illinois, who became famous when it was alleged that an accident involving her cow had started the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Born Catherine Donegan, she and her husband, Patrick O'Leary, had three children, one of whom, James Patrick O'Leary, ran a well-known Chicago saloon and gambling hall.