ON JUNE 21, 1923, AT SWEETMAN BROS. GARAGE, A GROUP OF MEN BANDED TOGETHER TO FORM THE PRESENT ENGINE COMPANY NO. 2 OF PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP.

MR. GEORGE FRENCH WAS ELECTED THE FIRST PRESIDENT; MR. GILBERT L. BAUM, RECORDING SECRETARY; MR. FRANK WEIGAND, TREASURER; MR. J. R. HOYT, FINANCIAL SECRETARY; AND MR. JERRY O’CONNELL, AS CHIEF FOR THREE MONTHS.

MR. WILLIAM SUTHERLAND OFFERED THE DEPARTMENT THE USE OF THE COMMUNITY CLUB AS A MEETING PLACE. ON JUNE 27, 1924, MR. H. B. ANDERSON DONATED TO THIS COMPANY THE FIRST PIECE OF APPARATUS, WHICH CONSISTED OF A CART, WITH EIGHTEEN PAILS, TWO HOOKS, ONE AX, ONE ROPE, AND ONE LADDER. MR. JULIUS CHRISTIAN DONATED THE CHASSIS OF A CADILLAC AUTO, TO BE USED FOR A MOTOR DRIVEN APPARATUS.

FROM THIS WORKING NUCLEUS, ORGANIZED AS AN INDEPENDENT GROUP, THE COMPANY WAS INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AND LAID THE CORNERSTONE OF THE PRESENT FIRE HOUSE, WITH THE PRESENT GOVERNOR, THE HONORABLE A HARRY MOORE AT THE CELEBRATION. ALSO IN THIS SAME YEAR THE CHARTER WAS AMENDED, BRINGING THE COMPANY UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE RELIEF ASSOCIATION.

IN THE YEAR 1926 THE LADIES AID WAS FORMED TO HELP AND FURTHER THE AIMS OF THE FIRE COMPANY. IN JUNE, 1930, A REORGANIZATION OCCURRED AND THE PRESENT AUXILIARY ISSUED THEREFROM. DUE TO THEIR UNTIRING EFFORTS AND SUCCESSFUL COOPERATION, MANY OF THE UNDERTAKINGS PROMOTED WERE REALIZED.

ELECTED TO OFFICE IN THE FIRE COMPANY IN THE YEAR 1927 WERE, PRESIDENT, MR. WERDON GOODEMOOT; VICE PRESIDENT, MR. RAY ILIFF; FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR. WM. HOLDER; RECORDING SECRETARY, MR. HERBERT REITZ; AND TREASURER, MR. FRANK WEIGAND. AT THIS TIME IT IS FITTING TO MENTION THAT MR. WIN. HOLDER, BEING ELECTED TO FINANCIAL SECRETARYSHIP, HAS HELD THAT OFFICE FOR FOURTEEN CONSECUTIVE YEARS, WHICH IS A RECORD TO BE COMMENDED.

IN 1928 HOWEVER, THE OFFICERS WERE, PRESIDENT, STEWART ANDERSON; VICE-PRESIDENT, J. A. DANNER; TREASURER, F. WEIGAND; RECORDING SECRETARY, SAMUEL ARTHUR, AND FINANCIAL SECRETARY, WM. HOLDER.

AT THIS TIME LET US MENTION THE FACT THAT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS COMPANY, THE MEMBERS HAVE ACTED AS SANTA CLAUS TO THE CHILDREN OF THE TOWN, SPREADING THE GOOD WILL AND CHEER WHICH HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS OBTAINED FROM THE PEOPLE. SO MUCH HAS THIS BEEN LOOKED FORWARD TO BY THE CHILDREN THAT IT HAS ALMOST BECOME AN INSTITUTION.

THE ONLY CHANGES IN THE OFFICERS FOR 1929 WERE, VICE-PRESIDENT, RUSSELL MUNSON AND TREASURER, THOMAS KLEIN. IN 1930, PRESIDENT JULIUS CHRISTIAN WAS ASSISTED BY VICE-PRESIDENT, GEORGE HELLER; SECRETARY, WAITER SWEETMAN; FINANCIAL SECRETARY, WM. HOLDER, AND TREASURER, THOMAS KLEIN.

1931 SAW THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS; PRESIDENT, JULIUS CHRISTIAN; VICE PRESIDENT, EDWARD J. WOLCOTT; SECRETARY, WALTER L. SWEETMAN; FINANCIAL SECRETARY, WM. HOLDER, AND TREASURE, THOMAS KLEIN. THE PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENT AND FINANCIAL SECRETARY WERE REELECTED IN 1932, WITH GILBERT L. BAUM AS RECORDING SECRETARY, AND RAYMOND EUSLEY, AS TREASURE. THE SAME GROUP OF OFFICERS WERE ELECTED IN 1933 WITH WERDON GOODERMOOT AS VICE-PRESIDENT.

AGAIN, IN 1934, THE SAME GROUP OF OFFICERS WERE ELECTED, WITH EDWARD J. WOLCOTT AS TREASURER. DURING THIS YEAR, THE COMPANY ACQUIRED A MORE UP-TO-DATE OUTFIT, AN EFFICIENTLY EQUIPPED FIRE ENGINE AND A TANK TRUCK.

MR. JULIUS CHRISTIAN WAS REELECTED TO THE PRESIDENCY FOR THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE TIME IN 1935, BEING THE ONLY PRESIDENT TO SERVE FIVE FULL TERMS. HE WAS ASSISTED BY VICE PRESIDENT GILBERT L. BAUM, RECORDING SECRETARY RAYMOND J. WOODS, FINANCIAL SECRETARY W. HOLDER, AND TREASURER ANTHONY GRASSI.

IN 1936, HOWEVER, A CHANGE WAS MADE, GILBERT L. BAUM BEING ELECTED PRESIDENT, JOHN E. MORRIS JR., VICE PRESIDENT, RAYMOND WOODS, RECORDING SECRETARY, W. HOLDER, FINANCIAL SECRETARY, AND ANTHONY GRASSI, AS TREASURER.

1937 SAW THE PASSING OF OUR COMRADE AND PRESIDENT, WHO WAS ALSO OUR FIRE CHIEF; AND THIS TIME MARKS A SORROWFUL ERA IN OUR HISTORY MAKING. BUT WE WILL ALL REMEMBER THE WONDERFUL INFLUENCE LEFT IN OUR HEARTS BY OUR DECEASED COMRADE GILBERT L. BAUM.

THE PRESENT OFFICERS FOR 1939 ARE THE SAME AS 1938. PRESIDENT, JOHN E. MORRIS, JR.; VICE PRESIDENT, FRANK WELCH, JR. ; SECRETARY, JAMES R. FASSETT ; TREASURER, EDWARD J. WOLCOTT AND FINANCIAL SECRETARY, WM. HOLDER.

LIMITED SPACE PROHIBITS ANY GREAT DETAIL OF COMPANY WORK AND ACTIVITY, BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT THAT GROUP OF MEN WHO BANDED TOGETHER IN 1923, AND THEIR SUCCESSORS, ARE “CARRYING ON”, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.