AREA HISTORY:  Fire Department, York, York County, PA

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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, YORK – Page 560-564

There are few towns or cities in this country with a volunteer fire department equal 
to that of the borough of York.  There are now four companies, each with a large 
membership.  Four elegant and commodious engine-houses stand as monuments of the 
enterprise of our people.  The beautiful steam-engines are the property of each 
company, and all other equipments are surpassingly good and complete.  On many 
occasions within the past twenty years these companies have checked the progress of 
fire, which, without them, might have destroyed much valuable property.


The Sun Fire Company – There are no records by which it can for a certainty be 
determined when the first fire company was organized in York, but, doubtless, the 
first one that ever did any effective service was the “Sun Fire Company,” formed 
April 3, 1772.  According to the minute book of this company, now in the possession 
of S. H. Spangler, its object was for “better preserving our own and fellow 
townsmen’s House, Goods and Effects from Fire.”  Each member was to supply “at his 
own proper expense, one Leathern Bucket, one Bag and one convenient Basket; the Bag 
to be made of good Osenbrigs (Osnaburgs) or wider linen, whereof each Bag shall 
contain two yards at least, and shall have a running string at mouth, which said 
Buckets, Bags and Baskets shall be marked with our names respectively and Company, 
and shall be kept ready at hand and applied to no other use than preserving our own 
and fellow townsmen’s Houses, Goods and Effects in case of fire.” 

Each member in default of the above was fined one shilling.  If any of the apparatus 
was lost, it was supplied out of the funds of the company.  A part of their duty was 
to save the property and carry it in their bags and baskets to a place of safety, 
and detail one of their number to watch it till the owners could claim and care for 
it.  A fine of one shilling was imposed upon every member absenting himself or 
failing to bring “Bucket, Bag, and Basket” on the occasion of a fire in any part of 
the “town of York.”  Each member in turn in order of their subscription was to serve 
as clerk and president.  He was also fined “five shillings” for neglect of any duty.

The original members were Michael Swoope, John Shultz, Michael Hahn, Jacob Doudle, 
Baltzer Spangler, Frederick Houseman, Henry Walter, John Hay, George Stake, David 
Candler, Peter Dinkle, George Moul, Michael Welsh, Henry Miller, John Morris, 
Valentine Lees, Michael Graybill, nearly every one of whom became soldiers of the 
Revolutionary war.  Jacob Doudel was elected the first treasurer, and received funds 
to the amount of £1 4s 6d. of which amount 7s 6d was a donation from Samuel Edie, 
Esq.  A “water-engine” was purchased in August, 1772, and a house was built for it 
in 1773.  This engine had a side lever gallery, and was supplied by means of 
buckets, as hose was then unknown. 


The Hand in Hand was another company in existence in 1773.  Jacob Shultz of this 
company was provided with a key to the old German Reformed Church, so as to be able 
to give an alarm by ringing the church bell in case of fire.  A fire occurred in 
York in June, 1773, at which the companies did good service, and another in 
Bottstown in December of the same year.

The Pennsylvania Herald mentions a destructive fire which occurred in 1797, and 
states that the “fire-engine was kept in continual exercise in extinguishing the 
flames.”  The people were arranged in two lines, and passed the fire buckets full up 
one line and empty down the other.


The Laurel Fire Company – This company, now almost one hundred years old, was 
organized at the house of Henry Miller, February 13, 1790.  It was a bucket company, 
each member was required to furnish his own bucket, on which was painted his name, 
with the design of a hand grasping a laurel wreath; around the bucket were painted 
the words, “Laurel Fire Company, 1790.”  They were to be used only for the purpose 
of extinguishing fires.  After the adoption of this style of a bucket, Messrs. 
George Stuck, Jacob Small, Philip Waltemyer and Frederick Laumaster, were appointed 
to make fire ladders and hooks.

A meeting was held March 1, 1790, for the election of officers, resulting in the 
choice of Henry Miller, chairman; Andrew Billmmeyer, treasurer; John Lukens, clerk; 
and Jacob Welshans, keeper of the engine.  September 6, of the same year, a 
committee was appointed to purchase material to make fire ladders for the company.  
March 5, 1792, the same officers were again selected.  During the succeeding years 
to 1797, the meetings were held at the house of Mr. Mulerart, at one of which 
fifteen members were fined for not working their engine at a fire, which occurred 
August, 1795.

The next meeting was held July 8, 1797, when Joseph Welshaus, David Cassatt, Ralph 
Bowie, John Stroman, John Fisher, Jr., were appointed a committee to revise the 
rules of the company.  By this revision the membership was increased to sixty.  It 
was compulsory for each member to have the rules placed in his house, near by to his 
bucket and basket.  In the year 1798, an engine was built for the Laurel.

On March 7, 1803, Jacob Barnitz was elected president, and John Fisher, Jr., 
secretary.  In February, 1816, the company was reorganized.  Col. George Spangler, 
at whose house the meeting was held, became president, and D. Heckert, secretary; 
George Spangler, Ralph Bowie, Peter Small, Dr. John Rouse, Peter Wilt, Samuel 
Weiser, staffmen; George Small, Jacob Rudy, Jacob Lawmaster, Michael Emich, axmen; 
William Rees, Daniel Fogelsgesang, Thomas Baumgartner, Adam Lightner, John Lehman, 
Jacob Lehman, William Spangler, Jacob Spangler, Peter Reigler, Jacob May, John 
Miller, Jacob Heckert, Jr., Joseph Updegraff, hook, ladder and roofmen; Christian 
Lanius, Henry Small, Jesse Hines, spoutmen.

The following was then unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That the last Saturday in each and every month be assigned to examine into 
the state and make trial of the engine.

Martin Weiser, George Heckert, Christian Rupp, Jacob Cramer, Jacob Rudy, Frederick 
Younce, were property guards.

In 1840, Dr. Alexander Small, president of the Laurel, and others, petitioned the 
legislature for an act of incorporation, to exist for fifteen years.  A charter was 
granted by the court in 1874.  In 1840 an engine was purchased from the Humane Fire 
Company of Philadelphia.  It was brought from Philadelphia to Columbia on the 
railroad, and from thence to York, drawn by horses on the turnpipe.  The later 
Charles A. Morris was president from 1850 to 1854.  In 1855 a large bell was 
purchased of the Good Will Fire Company of Philadelphia.  It rang out an alarm of a 
destructive force on October 8, 1856; the bell was recast next year.  The uniform of 
the company at that time, consisted of black hats, six inches high with a rim three 
inches wide, cap with the name of the company on it, and date of incorporation.  In 
1868 a new uniform was adopted.  Under the presidency of Erastus H. Weiser, the 
steam-engine, “Old Suz,” was purchased and arrived at York, May 11.  In 1870, 
Michael Edwards, one of the original members of the company, visited York.  A gold-
headed cane was presented him by the Laurel, Hon. John Gibson making the 
presentation speech.  Mr. Edwards died at his home in West Virginia, in 1876, at an 
advanced age. 

The first headquarters of the company was on the corner owned by P. A. & S. Small, 
next the corner now owned by Jere Carl; from thence moved in 1840 to the engine 
house on South Duke Street, which was remodeled in 1856, and used until 1878, when 
the present engine house, an honor to the borough, and the pride of the members of 
the company, was built, and its first occupancy celebrated with imposing ceremonies.  
The presidents of this company of late years in order of succession have been 
Charles W. Myers, James B. Ziegler and William H. Albright.


The Viligant – The exact date of the organization of this company is not known, but 
enough has been gathered for its members to claim that it had its birth between 1778 
and 1781, and that it was first called the Union Fire Company.  Soon after its 
organization a hand engine, built by Richard Mason of Philadelphia, was procured.

It was a side-lever engine, and threw its water, which was supplied by buckets, 
direct from the gallery.  Repairs were made to it sometime between the date of 
purchase and 1791, by the employes of Elisha Kirk, and in 1796 repairs were again 
made and improvements added to it by Jonathan Jessop.

The first change in the name of the “Union” was that ordered December 11, 1816, from 
which date it bore the title of the “York Vigilant Fire Company,” and Philip Smyser 
was chosen its president.  During the great flood of 1817, the records of the 
company which were kept in Jonathan Jessop’s house on the west side of the Codorus 
Creek, were lost.  The engine was kept at this date, and until 1834, on the south 
side of West Market Street, between Water Street and Codorus, after which time it 
was located on the north side of Market Street and the west side of the Codorus a 
short distance from its present position which last was occupied in April, 1871.

In 1839 it was reorganized and a constitution and by-laws adopted.  On February 6, 
1842, application was made for a charter to the Court of Common Pleas, which was 
granted on April 7, 1842, under the name of “York Vigilant Fire Company.”  A new 
engine was wanted.  For this purpose the burgesses donated $1,000 and the committee 
appointed for the purpose procured one from John Agnew, of Philadelphia, for the sum 
of $1,120.  This went into service in October, 1843, and the old “Mason” after sixty 
years use in York, was sold to the people of Dover, York County, where it still 
remains.  The first alarm bell was purchased of Jones & Hitchcock, of Troy, N. Y., 
at a cost of $223.20 and rang its first call to service on Saturday morning, June 7, 
1853.  

In 1856, the engine was rebuilt by John Agnes, who placed upon it the handsome 
silver-plated gallery and side badges, which had been purchased of the Vigilant 
Engine Company of Philadelphia.  This engine is still retained by the company.

In 1867 the first steps toward a steam fire department were taken, and in 1868 
Button & Son, of Waterford, N. Y., built to the order of the company a steamer at a 
cost of $3,500.  In 1868, by order of the court, the name was changed to Vigilant S. 
F. E. Co., No. 1.  In 1870 the present building was occupied and a new alarm bell 
weighing 2,200 pounds and costing $900 was placed in position.  The cost of building 
exclusive of the ground on which it stands was $7,199.58.  The expense of furnishing 
the parlors of the company was borne by the members themselves.  The spider was 
purchased from C. F. Hartshorne, of New York, at a cost of $450, and it went into 
service in January, 1878, becoming the property of the company by having been 
purchased with funds in the treasury of the company.  The Button Crane Neck carriage 
of the company, built by L. Button & Son, was purchased for $600, and went into 
service, April 14, 1879.

October, 1880, the company celebrated its centennial anniversary, which was the 
occasion of a jubilee, and street parade in connection with the other companies of 
the town and the Humane Company, of Norristown, Penn.  July, 1883, the company 
having in view the introduction of the fire alarm telegraph, had the first alarm 
station erected on the flag staff in Center Square, to connect with a large gong on 
their engine house.  During the flood of June 26, 1884, the water reached the depth 
of nine feet on the first floor of the engine house completely submerging the 
apparatus, which was damaged and everything movable swept away.  After the flood had 
receded, the engine was put to pumping water out of the flooded buildings, remaining 
in service 118 consecutive hours, a work rarely accomplished by a steam fire engine.

October 15, 1884, the steamer of the company purchased of L. Button & Son, in 1868, 
was taken out of service for repairs.  March 3, 1885 the new engine was purchased 
for $4,000, of the Button Fire Engine Company, of Watertown, N. Y.  Friday evening, 
March 6, 1885, the company celebrated the reception of the new steamer by a banquet 
at the Eyster House.  The company equipments consist of a dark blue flannel shirt, 
black frock overcoat, with blue flannel lining, a black patent leather belt with 
white binding, with the name Vigilant in white letters on a red background, a New 
York style of hat, black, a nickel shield, with “Vigilant S. F. E. Co.,” and a 
figure “1” in the center.

The following named persons have been president of this company from the date of its 
organization to 1885: 

Elisha Kirk, John Hay, Jesse Spangler, Philip Smyser, Martin Ziegler, George Wagner, 
Jonathan Jessop, Charles A. Morris, Benjamin Beitzel, Joseph Morris, Charles Hahn, 
George Philip Zeigler, Henry Ebert, Michael Doudel, Jacob Smyser, Jacob Baylor, 
Frederick Baugher, Isaac Garretson, William Sayres, Michael Eppley, Daniel Kraber, 
Daniel Motter, David F. Williams, Henry A. Hantz, Jere Carl, William A. Stahle, 
Daniel Heckert, George J. Chalfant, Edward Stuck, L. T. Deininger.

The honorary life members have been Jere Carl, Jacob Strine, Frederick Zorger, 
Daniel Heckert, E. G. Smyser, Charles Hahn, Henry Hantz, Alonzo A. Shultz, Henry 
Smallbrook, Alexander Strickler.


The Union – On the 21st of May, 1855, a meeting was held in the business office of 
Small & Smyser, now the Variety Iron Works, for the purpose of organizing a fire 
company in the northern part of York.  Dr. Alexander Small was chosen president of 
this meeting.  The amount of $865.50 was raised.  John Nevin, George W. Ilgenfritz 
and Dr. Small were selected as a committee to purchase a suction engine from Rodgers 
& Sons, of Baltimore, for $1,200.  It was brought to York in September of the same 
year.  After long and valuable use this engine was sold to the borough of 
Philipsburg, Center County, for $300.  Thomas E. Cochran, John Nevin and George M. 
Shetter framed a constitution and by-laws, and the organization was named the “Union 
Fire Company.”  Upon receiving a charter, the following named officers were chosen:  
President, Hon. Thomas E. Cochran; vice-president, George A. Heckert; secretary, 
George M. Shetter; treasurer, George W. Ilgenfritz; directors, John Eppley, Charles 
Collars, Gates J. Weiser, George Upp and A. J. Dick.  A uniform hat for the firemen 
was adopted by the company, May 29, 1857.  It was ultra-marine blue.  On the 4th of 
July, 1857, the Union participated in a parade and celebration at Chambersburg, 
Penn., by a special invitation of the Franklin Fire Company of that borough.  At the 
out-break of the civil war, many of the members entered the Union army; the engine 
house became a recruiting office, and the company had no regular organization until 
November 2, 1865, when George A. Heckert was chosen president; A. B. Farquhar, vice-
president; J. W. Schall, treasurer, and C. H. Stallman, secretary.  A bell was 
purchased in 1868 for $168.  During the same year a uniform for the members was 
adopted.  It consisted of black pants, white shirt and black slouch hat; in August 
of the same year, changed to a green shirt, black pants, white belt, white necktie 
and navy cap.  The first festival of the Union was held in November, 1868, at which 
$210 was cleared.  A steam fire engine was purchased of Jucket & Freeman, of 
Massachusetts, October 18, 1870, at a cost of $3,200.  In September, 1876, the 
company participated in the firemen’s centennial parade, in Philadelphia.  In 1882 
the present engine house was built on the site of the late George Heckert’s 
residence on North George Street, nearly opposite the old engine house.  It is a 
large, beautiful and ornamental structure.  The height of tower is 110 feet, and 
weight of alarm bell 2,066 pounds.  The entire cost of the building was $6,590.  The 
following is a list of the presidents of the company in order of succession together 
with the date of election:

Thomas E. Cochran, 1855; George A. Heckert, 1865; Charles H. Stalleman, 1866; James 
Kell, 1868; I. W. G. Weirman, 1869; Michael Stambaugh, 1870; O. P. Weiser, 1872; J. 
P. Madsen, 1874; W. H. Rodenhouse, 1875; George W. Cole, 1880; B. C. Pentz, 1882.


The Rescue – This company was organized in 1872.  The first meetings of the company 
were held in the basement of a brick building on South George Street, near the 
corner of East College Avenue, then occupied as a green grocery.  At this meeting 
John Immel was elected president and W. H. Schwartz, secretary.  The school 
directors seeing the necessity of an additional fire company for the better 
protection of public and private property, in the fast growing south end of town, 
kindly granted the use of the public school building on South Duke Street, in which 
the fourth meeting of the company was held.  At this meeting, George Graybill was 
elected secretary, and the organization of the company perfected.  The company soon 
after rented and remodeled an old one-story frame cooper shop on East South Street, 
near George Street. 

A committee of the company asked the Town Council for the use of a hose cart, 
formerly the property of the Resolution Fire Company, and for several links of the 
hose, then in possession of the Vigilant Fire Company.  The committee’s request was 
granted.  A steamer manufactured by Cole Bros., Pawtucket, R. I., was next purchased 
and arrived in York on the 22d day of February, 1873, within a year from the 
organization of the company.  The Laurel Fire Company kindly received and took 
charge of the engine until after it had been tested, examined and approved by the 
company.  With the addition of a hose carriage and hose and other auxiliaries 
necessary for the proper equipment of a fire company, the old cooper shop was 
becoming too much crowded, and the boys were cramped for room.  A lot was purchased 
by the company on South George Street, and the handsome and commodious three-story 
brick engine house now occupied by the company built thereon.

The equipment consists of a fourth-class Cole Bros. steamer, one crane-neck hose 
carriage, spider and about 1,200 feet of good leather hose.  The uniform consists of 
black pants, blue shirt with blue shield and white figure 4, white New York style 
fire hat, white leather belt, white necktie and gloves and dark blue overcoat with 
brass buttons.  They have a splendidly furnished parlor in which the members take 
great pride. 

The following is a list of the presidents of the Rescue with date of election:

T. Kirk White, 1872; M. L. Van Baman, 1875; T. Kirk White, 1876; George Graybill, 
1883; Albert Bishop, 1885.  The following is a list of the secretaries:

W. F. Eicher, 1872; George Graybille, 1873; John Swartz, 1875; Jacob A. Mayer, 1875; 
Albert Bishop, 1877; John Swartz, 1880; C. F. Horner, 1882; William H. Hibner, 1884.