CERTIFICATES
The Fire Department in Paterson was originally (starting in 1821) governed by the Paterson Fire Association, whose leaders ere called wardens, until Paterson became a city in 1855. At that time the city took control of the volunteer department. Members of the PFA and subsequently the Volunteer Department were awarded certificates of appointment
The earliest known certificates had an engraving of a Gooseneck hand-tub
Below is the certificate of Nathaniel Lane, who was elected the department's
first Chief Engineer
first Chief Engineer
Nathanial Lane - First Chief of Paterson Fire Department
Service certificate of William Lundell 1834
Austin McCloud 1842 -- Dayspring Collection
Thomas Farnon - Eifler Collection
Thomas Farnon Certificate signed by Nathaniel Lane - Eifler Collection
September 12, 1857: Firefighter certificate issues
Guardian courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Fancy Paterson FD Certificate - these were quite large --
William Howard 1857
May 1872: Halmagh Van Houten Signed by Chief Engineer James Attichson and Mayor Socrates Tuttle
Mike Cleenput collection
1881 certificate of service of John J. Dempsey signed by Chief John MacDonald is below
1885: Certificate of FF Henry Schoonmaker who was the grandfather of later PFD Deputy Chief Harold Schoonmaker. Sihned by Chief Engineer James Kearney
Courtesy of Schoonmaker Family
1883 and 1885: Appointment certificates of James Zeluff - Director of Fire Alarm & Telegraph
May 1883 James Zeluff- Superintendent of Fire Alarm - Piatti Collection
May 1885 James Zeluff- Superintendent of Fire Alarm - Piatti Collection
1887: Membership certificate of James Zeluff - Neptune Engine 2
Eifler Collection
1889 certificate of Joshua Bond signed by Chief David Turnbull is below
1897 certificate of Charles Moore who belonged to Neptune Engine 2 of the Volunteer Department. Certificate signed by Chief John Stagg
1947: Paterson Auxiliary Fire Department - Harold Hollingworth
Post WWII (1947) Auxiliary FD Certificate for Harold Hollingsworth -- Courtesy of son John Hollingsworth
November 29, 1967: Chief Kane and Assistant Chief Theodore Tice present a Volunteer era
PFD certificate dated 1873 to the Newark Fire Museum
PFD certificate dated 1873 to the Newark Fire Museum
Morning Call - Courtesy Dennis Morrison