In 1834 when the Delaware Fire Department was first organized, all personnel were volunteers or “Minute Men,” as they were referred to, until approximately 1870 when full-time drivers for the various pieces of apparatus were hired. It was at that time that the apparatus such as the steamers, the ladder wagon, the hose reel and chemical units became horse drawn necessitating drivers. These drivers, in 1870, became the first full-time fire department for the Village of Delaware. All other personnel were Minute Men. The use of Minute Men to augment the department continued until the early 1960’s when the department became fully paid.
Volunteers
Ed Potter -1834- Capt. Of #l district north of Winter St.
Henry Moore -1834- Capt. of #2 district south of Winter St.
W. Miller- 1858 John Carahan –1869 Nick White –1870 Richard Nieffee –1870 P. M. Courter –1870 Jacob Kruck –1870 Lewis Smith –1870 C. V. Oweston –1870 Charles Cronkelton –1870 William Bran –1870 William Gannon –1871 William Shea –1871 Charles Welsh –1871 George Decker –1871 N. E. Turner- 1871 J. B. Thompson –1871 Joe Neville -1871-1901 Thomas Oweston –1871 George Perry –1871 Dave Stimmel- 1871 N. Waggens –1871 Frank Miller -1871 | E. K. Mi11er- 1871 Solomon Sackrider –1872 George Krause –1872 Charles Riddle -1898-1901 Ed Decker -1898 –1901 George Heller –1898 Elmer Watson –1898 E. R. Freiley –1898 Summer Welch –1898 T. Jameson –1898 Dan Smith -1898-1901 C. Clarke –1898 H. Cunningham –1898 William Traxler –1898 L. Swickheimer -1898-1901 Charles Edleman -1898-1901 William Fritz -1898-1901 William B. Kane- 1898-1901 H. Hovey -1898-1901 Albert Weiser –1895 Jacob Kruch –1895 Enos Watcher -1895 |
1918-1929
J. W. Davis Dan Smith Ed Finley Joe Long Walter Loop Burt Dunham William Wohlheater Harry Bargdill Conner Lambert Lovis Engeroff Sam Jones W. B. Clevenger Art Dennis Wilber Baker Long Swickheimer George Bowser Sam Kelley Harry Keiser W. D. Drennan Art Reese | Robert Fanner W. A. Shively Dan Skatz Herbert Reese Bob Dall George Shuster Dwight Barkeloo Henry Banks Paul Ruder Walter Farrand Cliff Thompson Ivan Wallace Cliff Reese Morris Newell Ail Rhoades Roy Wallace Don Engeroff Leon Dunham Asa Bowers Clarence Wallace |
1930-1941
J. W. Davis Dan Smith Louis Engeroff Paul Ruder Clarence Wallace Bob Dall Leo Dunham Herbert Reese Ralph Hagar Cliff Thompson Ernie Swearengin Bob Bradford Carl Zimmerman Orie Ross | John Saulsbury George Blair Don Engeroff Art Dennis Dwight Barkeloo Walter Farrand George Shuster Forest Showalter Norris May Harold Smith Ralph Cellers Walter Reese Bob Sartwell Orville Newell |
1942-1954
Clarence Wallace Clarence Reichelderfer Gilman Dickey Cliff Thompson George Blair Harold Bills Earl Butts Alton Brenneman Dwight Barkeloo George Shuster Ralph Converse Carrol Thompson Charles Mather Sam Kelly William Macklin Robert Zimmer Byron Hoffer William Adams Paul Krouse Paul Watson Brooks Semple | Elmer Darst Earl Powers Frank Bobb Bob Marston Vern Thomas Bob Hart Jake Rupple E. Fry Marvin Steiner Tom Andrews Milton Shonting Fran Andrews John Liggett Richard Ward Robert Downing Paul Osbom William Shaw Ellis Miller John Eley Bob Johnson Paul Crumb |
1954-1965
Bob Hart Paul Crumb Ellis Miller Elmer Darst Richard Ward Robert Johnson Dwight Barkeloo E. Frye Carroll Thompson James Pliickebaum Jim Haas Bob Freeman Jim Petit | Bob Zimmer Paul Crumb Earl Powers Robert Downing Fran Andrews Clarence Wallace Frank Bobb Donald Morris Earl Butts Dale Simpkins John Morris Russell Estelle Art Ruth |