John Dohm

John spent the last years of his life as a patient in a state asylum in Kankakee, IL, according to his 1925 obituary, having been driven insane by recollection of his experiences as a city fireman, saving many lives at the Iroquois Theater. Few lives were saved by fireman at the Iroquois but there were horrors enough to produce nightmares to be sure. When fire fighters arrived on the scene they found dead and fleeing theater goers, not trapped or surviving injured.  They removed bodies, many of them badly damaged and a ghastly task.  Dohm's obituary reported he had been at the asylum for twenty years but his death certificate states he didn't arrive there until 1916, only a decade prior to his death.  The death certificate also states he had been a steam fitter, rather than a fireman.  Perhaps he'd worked as a steam fitter after the fire and until his hospitalization but the 1903 Chicago directory also reported his occupation as a steam fitter. Contrary to the obituary,  no confirmation has been found that he was a Chicago fireman or present at the Iroquois.  Hundreds volunteered to help carry out victims, however, and few of those were identified.  The story was not made up whole cloth.  A descendant of Dohm's reports that family lore supports that he was traumatized by the fire.

He was one of many children born to Phillip and Margareta Koch Dohm, both of whom survived him.  He did not marry and was reported to have been a model patient in the state hospital.  Phillip, a German immigrant, operated a cigar and candy store from the family home at 455 Larrabee that became 1658 N. Larrabee after 1909.  The store remained in the family and was operated until at least 1965 by John's older brother, Phillip Dohm jr.