The Great Cumberland Fire of 1833

Last Update: Nov. 1, 2011

From History of Cumberland, Md By William Harrison Lowdermilk
Read the article on the Cumberland fire here.
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April 14,1833.—A terrible calamity befell the town, on this date, whereby the greater part of the inhabitants were in a few short hours rendered homeless. It was Sunday, and the bells were calling the people to church, at 10 o'clock in the morning, when the startling cry of "fire" was given. A volume of smoke was seen issuing from the cabinet shop of William Shryer, on Mechanic street. An excited multitude of people quickly gathered at the scene of the fire, and endeavored to stay it, but in vain, as the dry wooden building, and its highly inflammable contents furnished rich food for the eager flames. The wind blew quite strong from the west, and the means for suppressing fires being of the most inadequate character, in a short while the houses adjoining became ignited, and the roaring flames went leaping, flashing and surging down the street, enveloping house after house, in quick succession, until every building from the place of the origin of the fire to Russell's carriage shop, near Harrison street, a distance of more than a quarter of a mile, was involved in the general ruin. When it became apparent that nothing could be done to check the conflagration, the people at once went to work to save the contents of the stores and houses, but even in this they were able to do but little, owing to the great rapidity with which the flames spread.

The destruction of both the newspapers of the town prevented any detailed account of the disaster from being published here at the time, and when the papers had been re-established it did not occur to the publishers to give a minute history of it. The following letter appeared in the Hagerstown " Herald and Torch Light," several days after the misfortune:

Cumberland, April 15, 1833. Seventy-five houses comprising the heart of our town now lie in ruins. The fire originated in a cabinet maker's shop, three doors north of the "Civilian" printing office. Many citizens have nothing left. The "Civilian" office is burnt, except its account books. All the stores but one are burnt—Bruce & Beall's. Mr. Shriver's large 3-story tavern. Mr. Fechtig's tavern and the Bank. The fire commenced at 10 o'clock, and the wind being high, the flames soon spread, leaving little time to move goods. Nothing now remains but parts of walls and chimneys, where once the principal part of the town stood. The "Advocate" office also burnt, saving only the cast iron press (badly damaged) and a few type. The ruins commence at Mr. Gustavus Beall's mill, and extend down to Mr. Elnathan Russell's carriage shop; the mill and Russell's house are saved, but on both sides of the street, between these there is not one house standing—distance about 1 mile. The principal sufferers are:

George Hoblitzell, 3 or 4 houses,
Dr. Lawrence, 1 house,
George Wineow, 1 house,
B. S. Pigman 2 houses,
Lowndes 1 store,
John T. Sigler, 2 houses,
Late John Scott, 1 house,
Dr. S. P. Smith & R. Worthington, 3 houses,
Bank property, 3 or 4 houses,
Henry Wineow, 1 house and $1,500, cash.
J. M. Buchanan, 1 house,
George Hoffman, 2 houses,
Shriver, 3 houses,
Mrs. Gephart, 1 house,
Dr. J. M. Smith. 2 houses,
Samuel Hoblitzell, 1 house,
George Hebb, 2 houses.
Thomas Dowden 2 houses,
George Deetz, 1 house,
S. Bowden, 1 house,
John G. Hoffman, 2 houses,
Butler's store, 2 houses,
Robert McCleary 3 or 4 houses,
Robert Swann, 2 houses,
Mrs. Saylor, 1 house.
Adam Fisher, 1 or 2 houses,
Captain Lynn, 1 house,
Martin Rizer of M., 1 house,

Besides others, mostly brick houses, and two story log buildings. At a meeting at the Court House, in Cumberland, composed of the citizens of the town, the Court, the Bar and Juries, assembled on the 15th of April, for the purpose of instituting an inquiry into the extent of the calamity occasioned by the late destructive fire, and of devising means for the relief of the sufferers, the following proceedings were had : Upon motion of Wm. Price, Esq., the Hon. John Buchanan, Chief Justice of Maryland, was appointed Chairman, who in a feeling and appropriate address explained the object of the meeting. Upon motion of John Hoye, Esq., Wm. Price was appointed Secretary. Upon motion of Bene S. Pigman, the chair appointed the following Committee, to enquire into the extent of the calamity occasioned by the late fire, together with the number and description of the sufferers, and report thereon to the meeting, viz: John McHenry, Thomas I McKaig, A. W. McDonald, Wm. Price, B. S. Pigman, David Shriver, George Hebb, Dr. Samuel P. Smith, John Hoye, Dr. John M. Lawrence. Dr. James Smith, David Lynn, Robert Swann, and Richard Beull, who having retired for the purpose, afterwards returned and submitted the following report:

The committee appointed to ascertain the calamity by which the town has been visited, together with the number and description of the sufferers have in the execution of the melancholy duty assigned them, ascertained the following particulars for the information of the meeting:

It is ascertained that the entire business portion of Cumberland has been destroyed. All the taverns, and all the stores in the place, but one, are now in ashes; about thirty flourishing mechanics, all in prosperous business, have been reduced to ruin, and their families left without a shelter to cover them. The three physicians of the town have lost nearly all their property and medicines. It is believed that two thirds of the inhabitants are houseless.

The value of property destroyed and the description of citizens to whom it belonged, the committee have estimated and classed as follows: 7 Merchants, whose loss in real and personal property and goods is estimated at $94,000

3 Physicians $12,000.

3 Hotels, including the losses of the owners $50,000

30 Mechanics, (real and personal property, stock, 4&) $71,000

Citizens not included in above description $31,000

Citizens not residing in the town $14,000
Total loss $262,000

Upon motion of Mr. Pigman, a committee was appointed to draft an address to the people of the United States, inviting their aid in behalf of the Cumberland sufferers. Upon motion of Mr. Pigman, it was:

Resolved, That the Chairman of the present meeting be the Chairman of said committee. The following gentlemen compose the committee: Hon. John Buchanan, Hon. Thomas Buchanan, Hon. Abraham Shriver A- W. McDonald, John McHenry, Wm. Price, James Dixon, Frederick A. Schley, and John King, Ksqs.

Upon motion the following gentlemen, residents of Cumberland, who are not sufferers by the fire, were appointed a committee to receive donations, distribute them, and of correspondence, viz: John Hoye, Thomas I. McKaig, Richard Bell, Rev. L. H. Johns, Wm. McMahon and James P. Carleton.

Upon motion of Thomas I. McKaig, Esq., it was unanimously

Resolved, That the thanks of the meeting are due to the Hon. John Buchanan, for the dignified and able manner in which he presided over its deliberations.

Upon motion of Mr. Buchanan, it was

Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be signed by the Chairman and Secretary and published.

John Buchanan, Chairman, William Price, Secretary.

N. B.—There being now no press in Cumberland the proceedings are forwarded to Hagerstown for publication.

The fact that the scope of the fire embraced that part of Mechanic street, along which the demented Quaker, Harris, had so often walked while predicting a terrible calamity to befall the town, led many persons to conclude that the old man really had possessed some powers as a prophet, and the superstitious were thoroughly convinced that he had been sent by some supernatural power as a messenger to warn the people of "wrath to come."

The following is a full list of the persons who sustained losses in the disastrous fire, 14th of April:

George Hoblitzell, lost 6 houses,
Jonathan Butler, store goods and store goods and house furniture.
George Wineow 1 house,
Edward Johnson, household furniture
Wm. Shryer, stock and furniture,
Joseph Everstine,3 houses, furniture, shoes and leather,
Charles Howell, house furniture,
John Gephart, 2 houses,
Widow Saylor, 1 house,
A. King and family, clothing and furniture.
Widow Anders, furniture, &c,
Dr. J. Smith,2 houses, medicines, &c,
John Rutter, house furniture and leather,
J. G. Hoffman, 2 houses, tinware and furniture,
Dr. S. P. Smith, 2 houses, medicines and furniture,
Geo. Hoffman, 3 houses and furniture.
J. M. Buchanan, 1 house,
G. S. Evans, furniture and $800 in money,
Widow Frithey,1 house and furniture
S. Bowden, 1 house,
Robert Swarm, 2 houses,
David Shriver, 6 houses,
John Murrell's heirs, 2 houses,
E. Moblev, furniture, tools and wagon stuff,
M. Rizer, of M., 1 house and furniture,
Kershners heirs. 1 house,
Geo. Deetz, 1 house and furniture,
Geo. Lowdermilk, house furniture,
John Deetz, house furniture,
Widow Gephart, 1 house and furniture,
Widow Oglebay, furniture,
R. MeCleary, 7 houses, tools, stock and furniture,
Blocher 4 Harry, 1 printing press, type and office furniture.
\ John Cress, blacksmith tools and iron,\
Post office, furniture and papers,
David Lynn, 1 house,
James Sires, furniture and tools,
Widow Koontz, 2 houses,
Sarah Koontz, furniture,
M. Fisher, 2 houses, furniture and stock,
John Fisher, $500 in money,
Wm.Fisher, $100 in money,
H. Wineow, 1 house, grain, furniture and $1,500.
Thos. Dowden, 1 house, shop, furniture and tools,
Jas. Black, grain and furniture,
The Bank, 6 houses,
Jacob Fechtig, furniture, &c,
S. Slicer, furniture, &c,
Widow Scott, furniture, &c;
John Scott's heirs, 2 houses,
George Hebh, 2 houses, with furniture and goods,
A. McNeill, tools and jewelry,
John Wright, tools, jewelry and furniture,
B. Mattingly, furniture and cloth,
R. Worthington, 1 house, furniture and goods,
Smith, Worthington & Co., 1 house,
J. F. Sigler, 1 house, saddlery and furniture,
Dr. Lawrence, 1 house, medicine, and furniture,
Messrs. Lowndes, 1 house and store. goods, furniture and $700,
S. Hoblitzell, furniture, &c,
B. S. Pigman, 3 houses,
P. A. S. Pigman, furniture,
S. Pritehard, tools and clothing,
L. W.Stockton, 2 mail coaches,
J. W. Weaver, 1 mail coach,
II. D. Carleton, furniture, &c,
Eleanor Merryman, clothing,
John Beall, clothing,
John P. Lowdermilk, clothing,
Sophia Johnson, clothing,
Elizabeth Bevans, clothing,
|H. B. Wolfe, tools, books and furniture,
Samuel Charles, The Civilian office entire,
J. Wolf, tools, leather and shoes.
J. Marr, tools, &c,
H. Smonse, 1 carryall,
T. Adams, furniture, &c,
B. W. Howard, furniture, &c,
W. V. Buskirk,furniture, law library and papers,
Bruce 4 Beall, partof stock of goods,
Krebs 4 Falls, store goods and furniture,
S. 4 G. Shockey, hats, fur and tools,
John M. Carleton, clothing, &c,
Nancy Davis, clothing, &c,
Edmund Hoffman, furniture, &c,
W. W. Weaver, furniture, &c,
Wm. Hoblitzell, clothing, &c,
M. Rizer, Jr., a lot of bacon. &c,
J. B. Wright, money and clothing,
Louthan 4 Offutt, stock of goods, &c

James Reeside, who was for a number of years largely engaged in the stage-coach business on the Cumberland Road, upon hearing of the disaster, caused his son to write the following letter to the Postmaster here:

Philadelphia, April 18, 1833. J. P. Carleton, Esq., P. M., Cumberland, MD

Dear Sir : It is with regret that we have this day heard the sad news of the conflagration at Cumberland, that once flourishing town, and the loss and condition of its inhabitants, among whom we lived so long. My father is confined to his bed, and not able to write, but requests to say to you that one half of all his property, in the town of Cumberland situated on the west side of Will's Creek, shall be sold for the benefit of the sufferers; he also requests me to say to you, as soon as a committee is appointed for their relief, he will immediately transfer the property by deed or otherwise for that purpose. Yours with respect,

James Reeside, Jr.

Immediate steps were taken for the relief of the sufferers, and from all parts of the country contributions were received. Up to June, $15,000, had been distributed amongst them. Those who could afford to do so, set about rebuilding, and the new houses were generally of a much better character than those destroyed.