Troy Fire Department
In 1839, R.C. Langdon, the new editor of the Troy Times, called
for a public meeting to raise money to buy a fire engine and equip a fire
department because of disastrous fires that had occurred in Troy. He estimated
that the cost would be two dollars for each citizen and would perhaps save
thousands of dollars of property. In 1847, a meeting was called to form a hook
and ladder company. Not until 1850, however, were the Troy Hook & Ladder
Company and the Troy Bucket Company organized. Henry S. Mayo was captain of the
Troy Hook & Ladder Company, and Henry S. Culbertson was captain of the Troy
Bucket Company. After discussing the pros and cons of purchasing a fire engine
for several years, an ordinance was presented in a meeting of the council in
1857 to purchase one. A Mohawk hand-pump engine was purchased from the
Cincinnati Fire Department and installed on the ground floor of the Town Hall.
The Fire Department of Troy was formally organized in the
fall of 1857. The company consisted of about 75 members, 50 of which belonged
to the Mohawk Company and the remainder to the hose carriage. Jack Julian was
the first foreman of the department.
