Doylestown Fire Company History

All Volunteer Stations, 19 & 79, Bucks County, PA

Doylestown Fire Co. No. 1
AN ABBREVIATED HISTORY
by Mrs. Harry l (Judy) McCann
and F.William Cope           The earliest recorded fire for our vicinity was in 1809, when David Kirkbridge's farm house was destroyed. But it wasn't until after the fire at Crispin Blackfan's house on East State Street, in 1822, that action to organize fire fighting began in earnest. The Doylestown Fire Engine Company held its organizational meeting in January 1825, and a subsequent issue of the Patriot reported that an engine and equipment were ready for any emergency. Unfortunately, this organization was short lived and was succeeded by the Friendship Fire Co. By the fall of 1845, Friendship's assets had been transferred to the Borough as they too had become defunct. in 1868, the Doylestown Engine Co. formed and accepted the new No.1 fire engine, leather hose and cart, and equipment from the Borough.
          Our present organization, Doylestown Fire Company No. 1, was originally organized August 4, 1879, with 25 charter members. This company also went through a reorganization. A new constitution and by-laws were adopted in October, 1893, and, by year's end, a new ladder wagon was ordered. Our articles of incorporation were approved by the county court on January 14, 1895, and we have continued to serve the community ever since.
           The land for our firehouse on Shewell Avenue was purchased in 1900, only two years after the street opened. Plans for the Fire House were drawn by Oscar Martin, a Doylestown architect, during the spring of 1902, and the cornerstone laid on August 20. Our house warming was held on January 26, 1903. The project cost just over $8000 including plumbing, heating, gas lights, and fire bell.
          Early fire fighting equipment consisted of horse drawn wagons, ladders and hooks, horses, and buckets and a lot of manpower. The engine in use during the late 1840's required at least eight men to work the hand pump. If a fire scene was nearby, the firefighters would sometimes pull the equipment by hand rather than take the time to harness a horse. Some of our old fire fighting apparatuses were donated to the Bucks County Historical Society and are housed at the Mercer Museum, in Doylestown.
          Horse drawn equipment was slowly phased out in the early years of the 1900's. Our first motorized apparatus was a 1914 Simplex chemical truck. The second was an auto-pumper that was placed in service in early 1915. The pumper was capable of 500 gallons per minute and was manufactured by the Waterous Company. Both trucks were built up locally by John Rufe & Sons. Today, our modern pumpers are capable of 2000 gallons per minute and are still equipped with Waterous pumps.
          In 1923 we purchased our third motor-driven fire truck, an Ahrens-Fox, capable of pumping 1000 gallons of water per minute, for $13,400; a new pumper now can cost over $375,000 fully equipped. Our "fox" is still in our inventory and can still pump 1000 gallons a minute all day long.
          Other trucks have come and gone over the years as we have continued to upgrade our capabilities. One to note is the 1938 Hale Fire Truck that is still owned locally by Mr. Don Tilley. It served operationally with us for more than 30 years and will join us at parades and other fire company events.
           In 1950, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Doylestown Fire Company was formed to financially assist and aid the fire company. Their fund raising activities include pancake breakfasts, catering dinners, and a Christmas bazaar. In 1994, "Ladies" was dropped from their organizational name. The Auxiliary operates a canteen step-van capable of serving meals at major fires and disaster scenes, and provides day-to-day help around the fire house.
           A major change in fire fighting communications came about in 1955 when the company acquired the first mobile radios. Our base station went "on-the-air" with the call letters KGD-655, and two of our trucks received mobile radios. Today all of our apparatus have radios in them.
           Looking to the future, as the rural nature of the area surrounding Doylestown continued to be developed, the company graciously accepted donations of land on Warden Road from Mr. George Hart and Mr. and Mrs. David Burpee. Our Warden Road Station, Station 79, was dedicated September 9, 1978, and operates as our second, first-out station.
          Fire fighting and rescue work has become a family tradition with many of our volunteers. Today, we have second, third and a few fourth generation members in the Company . Our membership is limited to 70 active members, including ten positions for fire police. We also have a life member category to honor those members who have faithfully volunteered their time to our cause for more than 25 years. our total membership of some 135 unpaid volunteers, include active, life, and auxiliary members, stands ready to respond at a moment's notice any time of day or night, in the proud tradition of American volunteerism.

Sources:
1. Doylestown Fire Co. No. 1 Records.
2. Wilma Rezer, 1981, Doylestown Fire Co. #1 and Its progress 1825-1914.
3. W.W., Davis, Circa 1902, History of Doylestown, Old and New.

Past Presidents

1895-97	H.P. Beerer
1898-23	Henry A. James
1924-25	Wilson H. Swartley
1927-44	W. Carlisle Hobensack
1945-57	Harold Hellyer, Sr.
1958-59	George S. Werts
1960-66	Frank W. Cope
1967-70	Edward J. Miller
1971-76	Harry L. McCann
1977	Oliver A. Groman, Sr.
1978-82	John E. Connard
1983-87	William J. Happ, Jr.
1988-92	Joseph C. Stough
1993-1997	John C. Cope
1997-2004	Edward Boshell
2005	W. Andrew McPherson

Past Chiefs

1895-99	W. Harry Smith
1900-08	John Donnelley
1909-35	Daniel G. Fretz
1936-40	Frank Stover
1941-42	Jay Richar
1943-45	Clarence Irwin
1946	Eral Wismer
1946-47	Jay Richar
1948-51	John Gwinner
1952-60	Joseph W. Howe
1961-67	Arthure H. Schmell
1968-69	Walter M. Carwithen, Jr.
1970-74	Carl L. Hall
1975-76	Bruce Wiley
1977	Carl L. Hall
1978	Bruce Wiley
1979-81	Donald L. Tilley
1982-83	Samuel W. Cramer, Sr.
1984-85	Donald L. Tilley
1986-1995	Stephen L. Walther
1996-1997	Samuel Cramer, Jr.
1998-2000	Douglas Tilley
2000-2001	James Shepard
2001-2004	Michael Wood
2005	Dennis Loux, Jr.

Fire Fighter of the Year

1971	Bill Happ
1972	Ed Scarbourough
1973	Wilmer Lownes
1974	Sam Cramer, Sr.
1975	Carl Hall
1976	Art Schmell
1977	Jim Bingler
1978	Rick Lake
1979	Ron Bellerby
1980	Ollie Groman, Sr.
1981	Frank Preedy
1982	Terry Morris
1983	Jack Connard
1984	Bill Funk
1985	Steve Walther
1986	Jay Stough
1987	Mark Hamilton
1988	Joe Howe
1989	Samuel Cramer, Jr.
1990	John Cope
1991	Arn Young
1992	Ed Truman
1993	Mike Wood
1994	Jim Shepard, Sr.
1995	Denny Loux, Sr.
1996	Boyd "Bud" Baughman
1997	Norman Reed
1998	Bill Cope
1999	Bill Price
2000	Jay Fetterolf
2001	James Dengler
2002	Dennis Loux, Jr.
2003	Paul Kreuter
2004	Ed Boshell
2005	Brett Morris

Auxiliary Past Presidents

1950-52	Bearie Beck
1953	Viola Brown
1954	HelenNotaranni
1955	Loretta Irwin
1956-57	Wary Howe
1958	Susan Swartley
1959-60	Mary Howe
1961-62	Susan Swartley
1963-64	Peg Means
1965-66	Terry Funk
1967-68	Irene Braznock
1969-70	Viola Brown
1971-72	Nancy Smith
1973-74	Irene Braznock
1975-76	Emma Worthington
1977-78	Muriel Phy
1979-80	Sarah Bellerby
1981-82	Muriel Phy
1983-84	Emilie Wojciechowicz
1985-86	Mary Jane Mimms
1987-88	Martha Groman
1989	Betty Cramer
1990-91	Martha Groman
1992-93	Cindy Walther
1994-1995	Barbarjean Williams
1996-1997	Cindy Walther
1998-1999	Barbarajean Williams
2000-	Muriel Phy
2001-2003	Donna Loux
2004-	Barbarajean Williams

Woman of the Year Award

1982	Terry Funk & Lucinda Harold
1983	Emma Worthington
1984	Irene Braznock
1985	Nancy Smith
1986	Sarah Bellerby & Muriel Phy
1987	Annamae Morris& Doris Brashears
1988	Betty Hunsberger & Betty Cramer
1989	Mary Jane Mims
1990	Sandy Carpenter
1991	Dottie Worthington
1992	Cindy Walther
1993	Betty Hunsberger
1994	Sandy Carpenter
1995	Barbarajean Williams
1996	Donna Loux
1997	Gretchen Morris
1998	Muriel Phy
1999	Sarah Bellerby
2000	Muriel Phy
2001	Barbara Tilley