Role: Firefighter
Molly Williams was the slave of merchant, Benjamin Aymar in New York City and became a member of Oceanus Engine Company #11 in 1815. Williams used to go on calls with Aymar, jumping in to fight fires just as diligently as any of the men in the unit would. Her insight and knowledge surrounding fires made her an invaluable part of the team, with many firemen of the time confirming that she fought and worked just as fiercely as “any of the laddies.”
During the winter of 1818, a strand of influenza was steadily making its way around the firehouses of NYC. When a call came in to fight a fire during the snowstorm, Williams answered as a first responder. She arrived on the scene pulling a heavy hand-pump through the snow, joining the other first responders and solidifying her place in history.
There’s even a children’s book entitled Molly, By Golly! by Diane Ochiltree that tells the tale, illustrated by Kathleen Kemly.
