Chief and Assistant Engineers 
​Volunteer Era

From 1821 to 1838 the wardens appointed the chief and assistant engineers. In 1838 and 1839 the wardens appointed upon nominations made by the firemen, and from 1840 down to the present time they have elected their officers with the exception of James Radcliffe, who was appointed assistant engineer by the board of aldermen in the spring of 1869. ​

ORDINANCE OF 1875

That the election for Chief Engineer and two Assistant Engineers of the fire department should be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May, 1875, between the hours of 7 and 9 o'clock in the afternoon, at the house of each company, and the person so elected Chief Engineer  should hold office for the term of two years from the 20th  day of May, 1875, and his successor should be elected, in  the manner above provided, on the first Tuesday after the  first Monday in May, every two years thereafter. And the two Assistant Engineers so elected should one of them hold his office for the term of two years; and there should be elected one Assistant Engineer on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May every year thereafter; and the two Assistant Engineers so to be elected should determine by lot which should hold the office for the term of two years.  
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TO REVIEW CHIEF ELECTIONS CLICK HERE

In May, 1889, appointed David I. Trumbull chief and John F. Murphy assistant engineer. During that year the department was reorganized by a special committee consisting of Aldermen Macdonald, Miller and Kearney, and a paid department succeeded the volunteer system on March '20th, 1890, with four permanent men in nine engine and three hook and ladder companies, and eight call men to each. John Gillmer succeeded John Crotty as assistant engineer in May, 1890. Chief Turnbull resigned May 5th, 1890, and Assistant John Murphy was appointed to fill vacancy of term, John Struck succeeding Assistant Murphy. The Legislature, in the spring of 1891, passed a law making the office of chief and assistant engineers during good behavior, and in May, 1891, John Stagg was elected chief and James Mills assistant engineer. In June, 1891, Assistant John Gillmer resigned and was reappointed under the law of 1891. 

27 CHIEF ENGINEERS and years of service

1821-26, 1834, 1838-40, 1843-44, 1847:                    Timothy B. Crane
1827: Andrew Parsons
​1829-1830, 1832: John Bates
1831: Josiali M. Crismond
1832, 1837: John Bates
1833: John Sloat
1835: Cornelius Speer
1836: Horatio Moses
1840-1842: William Cundell - First Chief               elected by members
1845: John Ackerson
1848-1852: Thomas O. Smith
1853: Patrick Curran
1854: Thompson Titus
1855-1856: William Sykes
1857-1858 John Bowering
1859 James King
1861 James McKiernan

1862: Peter Fields
1863-1864 William Killen
​1865: Edward Swift
1866: Daniel McClorey
1867: Andrew Moser
1868: John McKiernan
1869: Patrick Sweeney
1870: Edward Gore
1871: James Atchison
1872: William Martin
1873-1874: James I. King - first elected for           a two-year term
1875: John Regner
1877, 1888: David I. Turnbull
​1879: Bartholomew Reilly
1881: Leonard Garrison
1883: John MacDonald
1885: James Kearney
1887: John Stagg
​

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CHIEF ENGINEERS AND ASSISTANT ENGINEERS per appointment dates

​The following is a list of the chief and assistant engineers of the Volunteer Paterson fire department, with date of appointment:

1821, February 7th, Timothy B. Crane, chief; ​pictured below

Courtesy Jim Eifler

1821, December 28th, Samuel Colt, chief. At the same meeting Mr. Colt's election was reconsidered. 
1822, January 4th: the wardens voted to serve as chief monthly in alphabetical order. 
1823, March 22: Timothy B. Crane, chief; 
1824, January 5th: Timothy B. Crane, chief; 
1825, December 9th: Timothy B. Crane, chief;
          John Rutan and Andrew Parsons, assistant engineers. 
1826, December 6th: Timothy B. Crane, chief 
1827, December 10th: Andrew Parsons, chief
          John Rutan, assistant engineer. 
1828, November 14th: Andrew Parsons, chief; John G. Bates
          First assistant; David Reid, second assistant. As Mr. Bates declined to serve, Dec. 1st,               Mr. Reid was appointed first assistant and Cornelius S. Post second assistant. 
1829, November 2: John G. Bates, chief
          Peter F. Merselis, assistant engineer. Mr. Merselis declining, November 9th,
          John Garrison was appointed first assistant and Charles D. Clinton second assistant. 
1830, No record of appointments. John Bates remains chief
1831, November: Josiali M. Crismond, chief
          Horatio Moses, first assistant; John II. Ryerson, second assistant. 
1832, November 23: John G. Bates, chief
          Alexander Paul, first assistant; Albert Hopper, second assistant. 
1833, November 5: John Sloat, chief
          Cornelius II. Post, first assistant; Nathaniel Lane, second assistant. 
1834, November 4th: Nathaniel Lane, chief (Lane resigned March 9th, 1835)
          Cornelius H. Post, first' assistant; Henry Tan Houten, second assistant. 
1835, November 18: Cornelius Speer, chief
          Giles Van Ness, first assistant; Henry Tan Houten, second assistant. 
1836, December 30: Horatio Moses, chief. 
1837, January 9: John G. Bates, chief
          Nathaniel Lane, first assistant; Albert I. Hopper, second assistant. 

1837, November 8: John G. Bates, chief
          Nathaniel Lane, first assistant; Cornelius V. W. Post, second assistant. 
1838, November 14: Nathaniel Lane, chief
          Edward McKeon, first assistant; Robert Fields, second assistant. 
1839, November 15: Nathaniel Lane, chief
          John Bentley, first assistant; Giles Van Ness, second assistant. On March 27th, 1840,    
          Messrs. Bentley and Van Ness resigned and the wardens appointed William Masters first           assistant and Jacob Van Houten second assistant. 
1840, Nathaniel Lane, chief, no date of election. ​

1840, November 11: William Cundell, chief  (First Chief elected by FD members)
          Titus Ward, first assistant; Cornelius H. Post, second assistant. 
1841, May 26: William Cundell, chief
1842,  May 22: Nathaniel Lane, chief
          John Benson, first assistant; Cornelius Westervelt, second assistant. 
1843, Nathaniel Lane, chief; Alfred Westervelt, first assistant; Peter B. Westervelt, second
           assistant. 
1844, May: 15: Nathaniel Lane, chief
          Austin McCloud, first assistant; Robert Smith, second assistant. 
1845, May 12: John W. Ackerson, chief
1847, May 17: Nathaniel Lane, chief
1848, May 26: Thomas O. Smith, chief; Michael B. Murphy, first assistant; Richard B.
          Chiswell, second assistant. 
1849, 1850, 1851, May 26th, 29th, 20th respectively: Thomas O. Smith, chief
          Patrick Curran, first assistant. There being a tie vote no election was had for second  
          assistant. 
1852, May 27: Thomas O. Smith, chief; Patrick Curran
          First assistant; Griffith King, second assistant. 
1853, May 10: Patrick Curran, chief
          William Douglass, first assistant; Thomas Farnon, second assistant. 
1854, May 17: Thompson Titus, chief
          Thomas Farnon, first assistant. 
1855, May: William Sykes, chief
          John Bowering, James A. King, assistants. 
1856, May; William Sykes, chief
          John Bowering, James A. King, assistants. ​

​
​1857, May: John Bowering, chief
          James A. King and Thomas Farnon,      
          assistants. 
1858, May: John Bowering, chief
          William Killen and Thomas Farnon,
​          assistants. ​

John Bowering

1859, May: James A. King, chief
          Jonathan W. Hockett and William Killen, assistants. 
1860, May: James A. King, chief
          John Gillespie and James McClory, assistants. ​

Courtesy Jim Eifler

1861, May: James McKiernan, chief
          George J. Bunce and Peter Fields, assistants. 
1862, May: Peter Fields, chief
          John McKiernan and John Hinchliffe, assistants. 
1863, May: William Killen, chief
          John Schoonmaker and Jacob Pfitzmeir, assistants. 
1864, May: William Killen, chief
          Edward Swift and Jacob Pfitzmeir, assistants. ​

​​1865, May: Edward Swift, chief (at right);
          George W. Steed and Lawrence Ryan,             assistants. 

Chief Swift with Octagonal Trumpet & Parade Belt

1866, May: Daniel McClory, chief
          Andrew Moser and Charles Reed, assistants. ​

Chiefs seen in front row. On right appears to be Andrew Moser

​1867, May; Andrew Moser, chief
          Joseph Bousseleth                                             and Dewitt C. Simonton, assistants. 

1867, May; Andrew Moser, chief
          Joseph Bousseleth and Dewitt C. Simonton, assistants. 
​

​1868, May: John McKiernan, chief
          Patrick Sweeney and George Young,
​          assistants. ​

John McKiernan

​1869, Patrick Sweeney, chief
          Edward Gore, William E. Heimlich and
​          James Radcliffe, assistants

James Radcliffe

1870, May: Edward Gore, chief
          James Doherty, George Burton and James Atchison, assistants. 
1871, May: James Atchison, chief
          Patrick Chapman, William Martin and Thomas Mullen, assistants. ​

​1872, May: William Martin, chief
          Edward Fanning, George M. Case and             Thomas Mullen, assistants. ​

Chief Martin with helmet, trumpet and parade belt

1873, May: James I. King, chief for two years (first chief elected for a term of two years.
          Assistants, William Bailey, two years; Joseph Buckley, one year.  Bailey and Buckley,
          assistant engineers elect, drew lots to see who would have the two-year term. Bailey was           the fortunate man. Thereafter the chiefs and assistants were elected for two years. 
         
1874, Bartholomew Reilly became assistant chief (his photo is below)

1875 Election

​​1875, May: John E. Regner, chief;
          Fredrick Wieler, assistant. 

John Regner

L-R: Assistant Chief Bartholomew Reilly, Chief John Regner and Assistant Chief Frederick Wieler

1876, Lambert Romaine, assistant. 
​​1877, May: David I. Turnbull, chief (below)
          William Bland, assistant. 

David Turnbill 1877

David Turnbull 1890

May 8, 1879: Chiefs celebrate election victory

1878,  Patrick Morrison, assistant. ​

​1879, May: Bartholomew Reilly,  chief; Gustave Specht, assistant.








​ 
1880,  James Kearney, assistant chief

​

Bart Reilly as an assistant chief

Helmet shield of Bartholomew Reilly

September 1886 Morning Call drawing

Presumed photo of James Kearney - note JK initials on helmet shield)

​1881, May: Leonard Garrison, Chief
          (seen below standing in center)
          Daniel W. Leonard, assistant at right
1882, Louis Brandt, assistant. ​

Assistant Chief Daniel Leonard

Chief Leonard Garrison in Center. Other two firemen of Vigilant VI wearing "Jockey Style" helmets

​
​1883, May: James MacDonald. Chief (in
​      center), Peter Zeluff, assistant (at left). 
1884,   Samuel S. Pounds, assistant
               (seen at left and below) 

Zeluff. MacDonald and Pounds

Samuel S Pounds

Shield and Helmet

1885, May: James Kearney, chief
          Charles Carroll, assistant. 

1886 News clip

​1885, May: James Kearney, chief
          Charles Carroll, assistant. 
1886,    Frank W. King, assistant. 
​

Asst Chief Frank King shield & helmet

​
​1887, May: John Stagg, chief
​          John Struck, assistant. 
1888,    John Crotti, assistant. ​​​​

John Stagg

1888, May:  Board of Aldermen took from Fire Companies the privilege of electing Chief and
​         Assistants 

1888,  May 20:  David I. Turnbull (First Chief elected by Board of Aldermen).
           Assistant was John F. Murphy

David Turnbull

John Murphy