Per Find A Grave contributor Gary Urbanowicz
Since its inception, the FDNY has contributed to the development of firefighting throughout the country, if not the world. One of the early examples of this is John Baulch. John Baulch became a career firefighter in an era of volunteers. (Prior to which his occupation was "hatter.")
Born in England and immigrating to New York as a child, the seventeen-year-old Baulch began his firefighting career by joining Engine Company 39 in 1838. Just two years later he was elected Assistant Foreman and Foreman a year after that. For a variety of reasons, he jumped around to several other companies, eventually being elected Assistant Engineer in 1854; a position he held until leaving the Department in 1862.
In 1862, President Lincoln's Secretary of War Edwin Stanton sent an order to New York City Mayor George Opdyke to send two fire engines and an experienced Engineer to Fortress Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. Assistant Engineer Baulch was selected for this assignment. His duties were originally to provide fire services at the fort but were changed quickly, and dramatically, when he was made "Chief Engineer of the Division of the South." As such, his responsibility was to man fire departments in cities throughout the confederate states where the Union Army was victorious and took control of the area. This was the foundation of the military fire services that exist to today. An iconic picture of him in his military fire uniform has been utilized in many books of the 20th century. He was a national figure in the fire service and received many accolades.
John Baulch and his wife Mary Jane retired in Hampton City, Virginia where they both died and are buried in the cemetery of the Church of St. John.
Since its inception, the FDNY has contributed to the development of firefighting throughout the country, if not the world. One of the early examples of this is John Baulch. John Baulch became a career firefighter in an era of volunteers. (Prior to which his occupation was "hatter.")
Born in England and immigrating to New York as a child, the seventeen-year-old Baulch began his firefighting career by joining Engine Company 39 in 1838. Just two years later he was elected Assistant Foreman and Foreman a year after that. For a variety of reasons, he jumped around to several other companies, eventually being elected Assistant Engineer in 1854; a position he held until leaving the Department in 1862.
In 1862, President Lincoln's Secretary of War Edwin Stanton sent an order to New York City Mayor George Opdyke to send two fire engines and an experienced Engineer to Fortress Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. Assistant Engineer Baulch was selected for this assignment. His duties were originally to provide fire services at the fort but were changed quickly, and dramatically, when he was made "Chief Engineer of the Division of the South." As such, his responsibility was to man fire departments in cities throughout the confederate states where the Union Army was victorious and took control of the area. This was the foundation of the military fire services that exist to today. An iconic picture of him in his military fire uniform has been utilized in many books of the 20th century. He was a national figure in the fire service and received many accolades.
John Baulch and his wife Mary Jane retired in Hampton City, Virginia where they both died and are buried in the cemetery of the Church of St. John.
Per Find A Grave contributor Gary Urbanowicz
Since its inception, the FDNY has contributed to the development of firefighting throughout the country, if not the world. One of the early examples of this is John Baulch. John Baulch became a career firefighter in an era of volunteers. (Prior to which his occupation was "hatter.")
Born in England and immigrating to New York as a child, the seventeen-year-old Baulch began his firefighting career by joining Engine Company 39 in 1838. Just two years later he was elected Assistant Foreman and Foreman a year after that. For a variety of reasons, he jumped around to several other companies, eventually being elected Assistant Engineer in 1854; a position he held until leaving the Department in 1862.
In 1862, President Lincoln's Secretary of War Edwin Stanton sent an order to New York City Mayor George Opdyke to send two fire engines and an experienced Engineer to Fortress Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. Assistant Engineer Baulch was selected for this assignment. His duties were originally to provide fire services at the fort but were changed quickly, and dramatically, when he was made "Chief Engineer of the Division of the South." As such, his responsibility was to man fire departments in cities throughout the confederate states where the Union Army was victorious and took control of the area. This was the foundation of the military fire services that exist to today. An iconic picture of him in his military fire uniform has been utilized in many books of the 20th century. He was a national figure in the fire service and received many accolades.
John Baulch and his wife Mary Jane retired in Hampton City, Virginia where they both died and are buried in the cemetery of the Church of St. John.
Since its inception, the FDNY has contributed to the development of firefighting throughout the country, if not the world. One of the early examples of this is John Baulch. John Baulch became a career firefighter in an era of volunteers. (Prior to which his occupation was "hatter.")
Born in England and immigrating to New York as a child, the seventeen-year-old Baulch began his firefighting career by joining Engine Company 39 in 1838. Just two years later he was elected Assistant Foreman and Foreman a year after that. For a variety of reasons, he jumped around to several other companies, eventually being elected Assistant Engineer in 1854; a position he held until leaving the Department in 1862.
In 1862, President Lincoln's Secretary of War Edwin Stanton sent an order to New York City Mayor George Opdyke to send two fire engines and an experienced Engineer to Fortress Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. Assistant Engineer Baulch was selected for this assignment. His duties were originally to provide fire services at the fort but were changed quickly, and dramatically, when he was made "Chief Engineer of the Division of the South." As such, his responsibility was to man fire departments in cities throughout the confederate states where the Union Army was victorious and took control of the area. This was the foundation of the military fire services that exist to today. An iconic picture of him in his military fire uniform has been utilized in many books of the 20th century. He was a national figure in the fire service and received many accolades.
John Baulch and his wife Mary Jane retired in Hampton City, Virginia where they both died and are buried in the cemetery of the Church of St. John.
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