Survivor List
(last names beginning with "N")

Nearly 7,000 circus fans attended the afternoon show on July 6, 1944, and many were fortunate enough to survive the blaze. Here are the names of some of the survivors, and also the names of those who helped or are otherwise associated with the Hartford Circus Fire, though they may not have been in attendance during the tragic performance.

Names are sorted by "last name first"; in cases of women who got married after the circus fire, their name in 1944 is used when known. The search function at the top of the each page can also be used to search the entire website for a name or term.

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O
P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

Napper, William D. (29); 45 Bellevue Sq, Hartford
  • Married man with three children, worked as a janitor.  Mr. Napper stumbled while escaping from the burning big top and was trampled on, and suffered burns and contusions to his elbow, shoulder, head and eye.  He was awarded $1,000 by the arbitration board for his injuries.
Neistat, Ruth (9), Hartford  
  • a.k.a. Ruth “Rickie” Neistat Whitman
  • Went to circus with two neighborhood friends, Joan Mandell (11) and Lucy Montano (14).  All of them survived. 
  • Read Ruth Neistat’s story here: Personal Accounts - Page 7
Nelms, Miss Geraldine; 180 Capen St, Hartford
  • Attended the circus with her aunt, Miss Nellie B. Griffin. Both survived.AA
Nericcio, Anthony
  • Mentioned on a memorial brick.
Nericcio, Eleanor
  • Mentioned on a memorial brick.
Niedermeyer, Oscar (70); 400 Trumbull St, Hartford
  • On injured list at St. Francis hospital with knee injury, Friday night 7/7/44.THC 
  • Oscar Niedmyer still remained at St. Francis Hospital Monday, July 11.THC 
  • Was awarded $6,500 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Niemczyk, Helen (adult); 62 Norwich St, Hartford
  • Mrs. Helen Niemczyk attended the circus with her son John (3); Mrs. Lillian Bond and her son Charlie; Mrs. Katherine Wodecki and her daughter Kay; and Mrs. Snyer.  Helen got to the circus grounds at 12:45, bought tickets for bleacher seats and went into the big top at 1:45.  They sat in the southeast bleachers by the bandstand, Helen in the first row with her feet on the ground and an exit to her left.  Charlie Bond and Kay Wodecki sat with her, and the other three women sat behind her.  Helen was looking at a book she had purchased from a vendor, looked up and saw the fire.  As soon as she saw the flames, she took her baby who was playing on the ground and ran out of the tent through the exit to her left.  They went through the gardens and came out on the street.  She met up with Mrs. Wodecki outside. 
Niemczyk, John (3); 62 Norwich St, Hartford
  • Attended the circus with his mother and some neighbors, and they sat on the southeast side of the tent, close to an exit.  John sat near the ground in the first row with his mother as she was afraid to walk up the open bleachers with the others in their group.  John's mother left early in the performance to take someone to the bathroom and when she came back she shouted that she saw fire toward the northwest.  Read John's story here: Personal Accounts - Page 9. 
Nirenstein, Kenneth (7)
  • Attended the circus with his aunt Fannie Berkowitz and cousin Roslyn Berkowitz. All survived, and Kenneth was traumatized but uninjured.
Nison, Barbara; Hartford
  • Was awarded $1,500 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Noble, Katherine "Kay" Cushing (39); 98 Cottage St, East Berlin, CT
  • Attended the circus with her sons, Peter and Wendell Noble, and friends Marlin and Helen MacLaughlin and their son.  The group sat in the Northeast Bleachers about halfway up, to their right was an animal runway.  Wendell saw the fire and alerted Mr. Marlin MacLaughlin, and moments later Marlin was carrying Wendell on his shoulders, down the bleachers and out to safety.  Mrs. Noble and her son Peter went up the bleachers and slid down a pole to safety, with Mrs. Noble spraining an ankle in the process. 
  • Read Wendell Noble's story here: Personal Accounts - Page 10
  • Katherine Cushing Noble (Kay) passed away at the extraordinary age of 107 on December 15, 2011 in Wallingford, CT. [link to obituary / back-up link]
Noble, Peter C. (9); 98 Cottage St, East Berlin, CT
  • Attended the circus with his brother, Wendell; their mother Kay Noble; and the MacLaughlin family.  The group sat in the Northeast Bleachers about halfway up, to their right was an animal runway.  Wendell saw the fire and alerted Mr. Marlin MacLaughlin, and moments later Marlin was carrying Wendell on his shoulders, down the bleachers and out to safety.  Mrs. Noble and her son Peter went up the bleachers and slid down a pole to safety, with Mrs. Noble spraining an ankle in the process. 
  • Read Wendell Noble's story here: Personal Accounts - Page 10
Noble, Wendell P. Jr. (5); 98 Cottage St, East Berlin, CT
  • Attended the circus with his brother, Peter; their mother Kay Noble; and the MacLaughlin family.  The group sat in the Northeast Bleachers about halfway up, to their right was an animal runway.  Wendell saw the fire and alerted Mr. Marlin MacLaughlin, and moments later Marlin was carrying Wendell on his shoulders, down the bleachers and out to safety.  Mrs. Noble and her son Peter went up the bleachers and slid down a pole to safety, with Mrs. Noble spraining an ankle in the process. 
  • Read Wendell Noble's story here: Personal Accounts - Page 10
Noonan, Mary (40's); Torrington
  • Mary and her husband Tom attended the circus together; when Tom saw the flame, he urged Mary to jump, but she was afraid. Tom jumped, and reached for Mary and begged her to jump. She finally did, but broke her ankle. They drove back to Torrington where Mary received treatment for her injury.FAM 
Noonan, Tom (40's); Torrington
  • Tom and his wife Mary attended the circus together; when Tom saw the flame, he urged Mary to jump, but she was afraid. Tom jumped, and reached for Mary and begged her to jump. She finally did, but broke her ankle. They drove back to Torrington where Mary received treatment for her injury.FAM 
Noren, Anna M. G.; 276 Central Ave, Albany, NY
  • Was awarded $2,500 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Noren, Janet (almost 6)
  • Attended the circus with two unknown cousins (#1 and #2) and Aunt Thelma Noren. All survived.
Noren, Thelma (adult)
  • Attended the circus with niece Janet Noren and two others (unknown #1 and #2). All survived.
Norwood, Alfred (50); 48 Lafayette Ave, East Hartford
  • Still remained at St. Francis Hospital Monday, July 11.THC 
Norwood, Arthur L.; 15 Willowbrook Place, East Hartford
  • Was awarded $9,577.13 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Norwood, Mrs. Matilda W.; 15 Willowbrook Place, East Hartford
  • Was awarded $1,000 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Norwood, Rose (76); 48 Lafayette Street, Hartford
  •  On injured list at St. Francis hospital with burns on arms, Friday night 7/7/44.THC 
  •  Still remained at St. Francis Hospital Monday, July 11.THC 
  •  Was awarded $3,161.85 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 

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P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

Sources:

TWT: The White Tops magazine
WCF: Women and Children First by Donald H. Roy
CFR: Circus Fire Reminiscences (Manchester Public Library)
MEH: Manchester Evening Herald
TCF: The Circus Fire by Stewart O'Nan
UPI: United Press International
SDN: Springfield Daily News
JOWBR: JewishGen Online Worldwide Burial Registry
THC: The Hartford Courant