CERTIFICATES

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

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

Fancy Paterson FD Certificate - these were quite large --

William Howard 1957

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

Morning Call - Courtesy Dennis Morrison