Archive for November, 2021

1899 & 1904: Snowbird, Pearly Dew, and the Draft Riots Heroine: A Thanksgiving Tale of Old New York

Posted: 25th November 2021 by The Hatching Cat in Animal Stories
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When I first set out to write a new animal tale of Old New York this week, I didn’t expect to be telling the story of a Draft Riots heroine.

I originally wanted to tell a story that took place in history during the week of Thanksgiving. After discovering the following story of Elizabeth Gallagher, I thought I had found a short but sweet–and sorrowful–tale of a lonely woman and her animal companions.

But what started out as a sorrowful animal tale turned into a short history lesson and wonderful story of the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Enjoy.

1917: Joe Fife, the Pedigree Cat From the Bronx Who Joined the Crew of the USS President Lincoln

Posted: 18th November 2021 by The Hatching Cat in Cat Mascots, Seafaring Cats
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Joe Fife (probably named for Commodore Joseph Fife, who began his naval career during the Civil War) was a prize-winning pedigree cat who lived a luxurious life in a villa in the Kingsbridge neighborhood of the Bronx.

He reportedly joined the crew of the USS President Lincoln shortly after the liner was placed into service as a WWI troop transport based at the Hoboken Port of Embarkation.

1892: Chappie, the Pedigree Fire Dog of New York City’s Flatiron District

Posted: 9th November 2021 by The Hatching Cat in Dog Mascots, FDNY Horses/Mascots
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One of my favorite fire-cat stories is about Peter and Chops, the beloved firefighter felines of Engine Company No. 14 in New York City’s Flatiron District. When I wrote the story about Peter and Chops for my book, The Cat Men of Gotham, I didn’t realize that they had a canine predecessor.

I recently discovered the wonderful story of Chappie, a pedigree pit bull coach dog gifted by William Waldorf Astor who also called the Engine 14 firehouse his home.