SFD Events

July 14 & 15 1942 Captain John J. Cooney & Captain Frank J. Fox attended the Bomb Reconnaissance School held at the State Trade School of Bridgeport, Conn.

On April 1, 1833, 5 new men "to replace men departing" were added at a meeting of he Civil Authority and Select Men of the town. Simeon H. Minor, Chm.
At some time after 1844, a resolution providing for the repair of an "old engine" appears in the Borough minutes (Pict. Stmfd. p203).

[These old records indicate that a volunteer "Stamford Fire Engine Company" was active for a few years prior to 1844 when the Borough took over. Did they man an unnamed engine which was kept even after 1844? Possible, not probable.]

In the early days of bucket brigade, the subject of pay to volunteers apparently was laid to rest. "…the town voted expressly 'not' to reimburse those inhabitants who had turned out to sop fires in the winter of 1707."

Aware of the danger of fire in the growing village and anxious to reduce the high cost of insurance coverage, a mutual fire insurance company was formed by John Davenport, Jr., David Maltbie, Samuel Jarvis, George Mills and John William Holly. The constitution of the Stamford Mutual Insurance Co., dated February 20, 1797, limited it to houses valued at $500 or more. Policies were to be activated when 30 subscribers signed. It is not know if the company actually got going.

Civil Authority and Selectmen of Stamford to meet on July 4, 1829, to nominate and appoint a fire company to work a fire engine… 'AND NO MEMBER OF SAID COMPANY SHALL BE EXEMPTED FROM THE PERFORMANCE OF MILITARY DUTY UNTIL AN ENGINE SHALL BE PROCURED FOR THEIR USE." [Apparently, the town did not yet have a fire engine. Similar restrictions are also in Resolves for other Connecticut fire companies.]

On July 4, 1829, The Minutes of the Civil Authority and Select Men of Stamford, Daniel Lockwood, Chm. And Charles Hawley, Clerk, record that 16 men were appointed members of and "constituted the Stamford Fire Engine Company."
The men appointed were: Jonathan B. Waterbury, William H. Holly, John W. Leeds, Seth Miller, Davis Lockwood, Peter Smith 3rd, William H. Adams, John A. Finney, William Ingraham, Washington Webb, Frederick Webb, Philander Daskam, George S. Smith, Alanson Knapp, Rufus Hoyt and Sylvester Webb.

At the annual Town meeting, the Select Men authorized to erect a town house at a cost of nor more than $1,000.00. It was to be built on Main St. (Connecticut Turnpike Road) where Isaac Quintard had his hay scales. This was in the triangle of Atlantic Square south of Main St. The town house faced North on Main. The modest building was to be enclosed before April 1, 1830.
[Except for the hay scales, the triangle behind the Town House was left clear for 15 years, when it became the site for the Borough's first know fire house.]

The Borough of Stamford was incorporated late in the spring of 1830 and embraced 663 people in 92 families. [The Sentinel editor on June 8, 1830, stated "This includes an area of about three-fourths of a mile square, 68 dwelling houses…four [churches], 11 stores, 28 mechanic shops, 2 public and 5 private schools, a town house, a printing office, a flour mill, an extensive tannery, 3 large stone buildings for rolling iron, and 663 inhabitants [out of 3,705 for the whole Town]."

The Sentinel published the by-laws of the new Borough of Stamford wherein the Borough may ordain laws as necessary for "…the management of a fire engine and for the protection of buildings from fire."

On November 16, 1830, the editor of The Sentinel in Stamford, CT. wrote: "Whatever became of the fire engine left in this Borough, for trial of its powers, a few weeks since, preparatory to make a purchase? We believe those who were anxious to obtain one, have forgotten the circumstance, as we have hardly heard it named of late that a machine of the kind was in the neighborhood.
"We invite the attention of all those concerned to the subject tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock, at Mr. Waring's. Punctual attendance of the members of the Fire Company would be gratefully acknowledged by all interested in devising some measure to guard not only private but public property from destruction by fire. The cold season fast approaches when fire becomes necessary to comfort, and destruction of property by its getting the mastery is the most frequent."

[If this meeting was ever held, we cannot find a report. --RDT]

One of the early fire-prevention regulations of the new Borough banned use of "combustibles known as crackers." It has been ignored ever since. Other regulations from time to time banned bakers, tallow chandlers, and blacksmiths from buildings in the borough, as their fires were considered hazardous. Fire wardens inspected houses and shops to check on stoves, stove-pipes and the handling of ashes. Chimneys were to be cleaned regularly. Two-dollar fines were levied for every offense.

"Saturday morning…fire broke out in the tannery of [James] and Boyton near the Noroton River Bridge and the buildings together with a quantity of _____ and other stock entirely consumed. $2500 of stock was insured."

On April 28, 1832, with Charles Hawley, Chm., 6 new men were added "to fill vacancies." The roster then included: Alanson H. Knapp, Geo. S. Smith, Wm. H. Ingraham, Sands Seely, Alfred A. Holly, John A. Ingraham, Moses Smith, Washington Webb, Austin G. Clark, Sylvester L. Webb, Charles Horton, William H. Webb, John A. Finney, John Gaylor, Isaac M. Smith and George Provost.