Howard Engine 34 (Red Rover) - predecessor of FDNY Engine 24 - history:
Volunteer Engine No. 34. -- Howard "Red Rover" -- this company was organized in 1807. It started with twenty-six men on its roll. In 1813 it was located at Amos Street, and in 1820 at Gouverneur Street, in 1830 at Hudson and Christopher Streets, and in 1864 at 78 Morton Street. Volunteer E 34 went out of service in 1865 when the paid department was formed.
Members of Engine 34 fought in the 11th NY Volunteer Regiment - 1st Fire Zouaves - during the Civil War:
A noted member of E 34 was the real life William Poole, the Real "Bill The Butcher" character played by Daniel Day Lewis in "Gangs of New York".
"While the character of Priest Vallon, played by Liam Neeson was fictional and not based off real historical figures, the character of Bill Cutting was. Brilliantly by Daniel Day Lewis, the character of Bill Cutting was directly based off the real historical figure William Poole. The last name may have been changed but William Poole's real nickname "Bill The Butcher" was used in the movie Gangs of New York.
William Poole was a Nativist enforcer of The Native American Party, also known as The Know Nothing Party, which was a faction of the American Republican Party. The Know Nothing was a movement created by Nativists whom believed that the overwhelming immigration of German and Irish Catholic immigrants were a threat to republican values and controlled by the Pope in Rome.
They were dubbed the Know Nothings by outsiders of their semi-secret organization. This had nothing to do with them knowing anything. It had to do with their reply when asked of the organization's activities, often stating, "I know nothing." The real Bill The Butcher was a leader of The Bowery Boys and known for his skills as being a good bare knuckle boxer. Poole's trade was that of a butcher, and was infuriated when many butchering licenses were being handed out to Irish immigrants.
William Poole was born in Sussex County, New Jersey to parents of English protestant descent. His family moved to New York City in 1832 to open a butcher shop in Washington Market, Manhattan. Unlike the movie which Bill "The Butcher" Cutting mentions his father dying fighting against the British, the real William Poole's father did not die fighting the British. In fact, Bill Poole trained in his father's trade and eventually took over the family store. In the 1840s, he worked with the Howard (Red Rover) Volunteer Fire Engine Company #34, Hudson & Christopher Street.
Like in the movie, William "The Butcher" Poole was shot. However, he was shot at Stanwix Hall, a bar on Broadway near Prince. Unlike the movie Gangs of New York, William Poole did not die in a glorious street battle against his Irish enemies. Instead, he died from the gun wound at his home on Christopher Street. His last words were: "Goodbye, boys. I die a true American."
What was true in the movie was the conflict the real Bill The Butcher had with the Irish immigrant gang the Dead Rabbits. The Dead Rabbits were William Poole's The Bowery Boys most hated enemy, and the leader of the Dead Rabbit's was Bill The Butcher's most hated archenemy.
Bill Poole, the Washington market butcher, who was shot in Stanwix Hall on Broadway by Lewis Baker at one o'clock Sunday morning February 25, 1855, was a Volunteer of this company."
-from "The History of Gangs of New York! A Look Behind The History That Inspired The Movie!"
