Historic Pelham: Organized Volunteer Fire Fighting in Pelhamville Began as Early as 1885

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The history of organized firefighting, of course, is an important part of the local history of any community, Pelham being no exception. I long have sought to document the origins of organized firefighting in the various settlements that once comprised the Town of Pelham.

Although the Village of Pelham Manor Fire Department has claimed over the years to be able to trace its origins to 1876, frankly I have been entirely unable to document any such origins. Indeed, the earliest evidence of organized firefighting I can document with certainty in Pelham Manor occurred in early January, 1890. Even though the Village of Pelham Manor had not yet been incorporated, owners of fifty of the fifty-three homes located in the area agreed to pay an "assessment" of $30 per home to fund the purchase of firefighting equipment, among other things. (Owners of two residences failed to reply and the owner of one residence refused to participate.) Among the first equipment the collective acquired were fourteen dozen hand grenade extinguishers for $84 and fifty-six racks for the hand grenade extinguishers. See Mon., Dec. 14, 2015: Early History of the Village of Pelham Manor Fire Department.

The earliest evidence of organized firefighting I can document with certainty on City Island seems to have involved the formation of the Minneford Steam Engine Company in 1890 shortly before the company used its new steam engine in a competition against the Huguenot Engine Company of New Rochelle on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1890. See Tue., Jun. 07, 2016: When Did Pelham's Minneford Engine Company Acquire its First Fire-Fighting Steam Engine?

The origins of organized firefighting in the tiny settlement of Pelhamville have been somewhat unclear -- until now.

I have run across a brief reference indicating that on January 16, 1885, the citizens of Pelhamville were organizing a fire bucket company to fight fires in the settlement. More precisely, the reference reads: "A movement has been inaugurated in Pelhamville looking to the organization of a fire bucket company, as a precaution in case of fire. Very timely indeed."

Pelhamville, it seems may have been in the vanguard of our Town in its efforts to develop organized firefighting as early as January 16, 1885 -- five years before the evidence we currently have regarding early organized firefighting efforts on City Island and in Pelham Manor.

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Transcribed below is the text of a brief article that contains the reference quoted above. It is followed by a citation and link to its source.

"PELHAMVILLE.

A movement has been inaugurated in Pelhamville looking to the organization of a fire bucket company, as a precaution in case of fire. Very timely indeed.

Under the direction of Mrs. I. C. Hill, the organist of the Episcopal Church, that society expect to see a great improvement in the class of church music soon. Mrs. Hill will have sole charge of it.

The new residence of Mr. I. C. Hill is completed and now occupied by that gentleman and his family. Mr. Lyons new house has just been finished and he will move in early next spring.

Since no headway appears to be made in the matter of cutting down the road at Pelhamville depot so that vehicles can pass under instead of over the railroad track, the residents have prevailed upon the railroad company to have gated placed at the crossing."

Source: PELHAMVILLE, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Jan. 16, 1885, Vol. XVI, No. 800, p. 3, col. 2.