The Original NYC Superhero: Fireboy Mose Humphreys

[XLFD]

As we pay tribute to the brave men and women who served as emergency workers in New York City in the terrorist attacks of 2001 that leveled the twin towers and took the lives of many of those heroes rushing to save other people's lives, we should also honor those who came before them and set the standard for them to live up to.

More than a half century before Paul Bunyan wielded his axe in the American wilderness, another folk hero was wielding that same implement fighting fires (and rival gangs) in New York City:  Mose Humphreys the fireboy.  His feats and traits would reach mythic proportions in the retelling, making him one of America's most colorful folk heroes of the period which evolved the tall tales of Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, Mike Fink and Johnny Appleseed. 

Unlike those other larger than life characters, Mose's stomping grounds was an urban setting in the Bowery where he single-handedly pulled the fire engine to infernos, rescued those in distress, and put out the fire before other rival fire brigades had the chance.  When he wasn't doing that, he was otherwise scrapping with the 'bad gangs' called the Plug Uglies or their allies, the Dead Rabbits.  

The myth of Mose seems to have been based on the exploits of a real person, much like the other tall tales of the time.  A city directory of 1839 shows a Moses Humphrey living in the Bowery section of New York, a little over a block from where the #40 fire station he reportedly served at.  And whereas most renditions of his tall tale involves him leaving New York at least for some time to go west, it appears as if the real Moses Humphreys moved far west, eventually settling in Honolulu, Hawaii, opening a pool hall, and raising a sizable family there. 

Even though I was serving as a firefighter during the attacks of September 11, 2001 and for seven years thereafter, I was unaware of the tales of 'Mose the Fireboy', despite his heroics in New York City in the early 1800s.  I only found out about him when reading Walter Blair's book this year entitled "Tall Tale America", Mose merited a full chapter.  In researching him over the internet, you can't help but notice that he seems more undeveloped and two-dimensional in other resources. 

Blair's account of his life and times appears to be the most colorful, entertaining, and readable of all the sources I could find.  I offer the un-copyrighted account of his firefighting days available on the internet with a brief summary of how Blair ended the rest of the chapter.  As we celebrate the heroic efforts of our first responders on this day and their efforts 19 years ago, let's also celebrate a hero from their city's past that many have used for their inspiration in joining the NYFD.

The parades would feature four stately horses drawing their engines, but Old 40 would be pulled along solely by Mose.  Mose was called to California's gold rush in 1849, figuring he could get money to marry his girl Lize, some more to replace the engine for #40, and some to give to his best friend, Syksey.  His luck was good, and eventually one day Lize and Syksey were looking out at the ocean, when Mose appeared out of the water with 7 kegs of gold in his arms.

"Oh, Mose dear, are you going to marry me and settle down now?"

"Oh, Mose, are you goin' to buy a new engine for de company and run wid No. 40 to de musses and de fires?"

And Mose said, "I ain't goin' to do nothin' else."

[Willy]

Thanks for posting this story X. I have never heard of the legend of Fireboy Mose Humphreys. He sounds like Paul Bunyan's  cousin. I found a full image of the one you posted.

[Willy]

As bad as the 911 attacks were, the thing that scares me more is the implementation of surveillance, spying and the Patriot Act which was intended to catch potential terrorist but is now being used against the American people and political opponents of the Left. This will eventually lead to our undoing.

[XLFD]

I totally agree, and would hope that Trump tackles these issues during his second term, since he appears to have been a target himself of an out-of-control 'intelligence' network, and he's likely the most able to roll it back--barring Rand Paul being elected in 2024.