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Information found to date:

• Village Incorporation papers were completed on June 14, 1849.

• The first Election of Village Officers was held on Oct 16, 1849:

  • Trustees: Hezekiah Cummings

  • Silas Tabor

  • Ezra Smith

  • Stukely Harrington

  • Elijah Knight, President of Board

• The first meeting of the village population was held on Oct 27, 1849

• The first meeting of the Village Board of Trustees was on Wed Nov 21, 1849 at 6 PM at the Schoolhouse in the Village.

• The first copy of the Villages By-Laws was received on Jan 12, 1850- Section 9 defined the commission of the Fire Wardens as $1.00 per day.

• The first Fire Wardens elected by public vote were elected on Mar 6, 1850 at a public meeting held at the home of Harrington & Smart.
  Total votes cast for warden were 106 :

  • Ira Osgood - 53

  • Charles M Vogdes - 53

• On May 16, 1850 the Board of Trustees resolved that the Fire Wardens were to "...notify each house holder in the corporation to furnish a ladder of sufficient length to reach the roof of the house occupied by them and also a pail or bucket to be kept and used in all cases of fire."

• On Jul 19, 1852 the Board appropriated $50.00 to "...build a reservoir for further security against fires."

• On Mar 18, 1854 the Village Board resolved to "...procure implements for a hook and ladder company ", consisting of :

  • 8 ladders 10 to 40 ft long $ 25.00

  • 2 fire hooks $6.00

  • 100 feet of rope for hooks 41/2 inches round $5.00

  • 1 wagon $50.00

  • 6 axes or helves $2.00

  • 50 feet of rope 21/4 inches round $3.00

• The vote being taken, the results were recorded as thus :

  • Ladders 9 for 2 against

  • Hooks 9 for 2 against

  • Rope 8 for $15.00, 1 for $10.00, 2 against

  • Wagon 6 for $25.00, 1 for $50.00, 1 for $40.00, 3 against

  • Rope 9 for 2 against

• On Apr 12, 1854 the Village Electors met at the house of E.B. Smart to discuss the hook and ladder. They resolved to raise by taxes on taxable property the sum of $80.00 for the purpose of purchasing implements for a hook and ladder to wit :

  • 8 ladders 10 to 40 ft long $ 25.00

  • 2 fire hooks 6.00

  • 100 feet of rope for hooks 41/2 in. round 5.00

  • 1 wagon 25.00

  • 6 axes or helves 2.00

  • 50 feet of rope 21/4 inches round 3.00

• On Aug 21, 1854 the Board of Trustees met to further consider the tax to cover the cost of supplying a hook and ladder. A motion was passed ordering the Clerk of the Village to make out a tax roll for the application of this tax.

• On Jun 15, 1855 Ira Osgood was paid $25.00 to make ladders.

• On Oct 9, 1855 Shep Stodard was paid $18.00 for wood working for a wagon.

• On Nov 17, 1855 Tunis Eckerson was paid $13.00, for 2 fire hooks $6.00 and for ironing a wagon $7.00. Also on this day, John Wainwright was paid $6.00 for 4 axes.

• Trustees met on Jan 4, 1856 and resolved to raise by taxes $15.75 still owed for the cost of ironing a wagon designed for the hook and ladder company.

• The Village Electors met on Jan 23, 1856 and resolved to apply a special tax to cover the costs associated with the wagon.

• March 2, 1859 the Annual election was held, with 67 votes for Fire Warden being cast: Leroy Green-34, B.K. Adams-27, and H.M. Needham-6.

• March 7, 1860 Annual election, no mention was made of Fire Wardens, although Ira Osgood was elected trustee.

• March 4, 1863 Annual elections, Fire Wardens Norman Spencer -22, Chas Rich -24, and Norman Blaker -2.

• March 19, 1877 the Trustees voted to raise a tax of $190.00 for the purchase of a fire apparatus, to be voted on the second Tuesday of April at 2 PM.

• The trustees met at the store of John Dorst , present: Michael Connor, John Dorst, E.G. Paxon. Michael Connor offered the following resolution, which was adopted: " Resolved, that there be a tax levied upon the taxable property of the Village to raise the sum of $800.00 to purchase a fire apparatus for the use of said village. "

• The trustees met on March 5, 1878 at the store of John Dorst. " It was resolved that the sum of $200.00 be levied and collected upon the taxable property of the village of Akron for the purpose of purchasing a Hook and Ladder truck to be used in said village. "

• At a meeting of the trustees held on May 28, 1878 it was resolved that the following list of names be constituted Rescue Fire Company #2-

• At a trustees meeting held between May 1878 and May 1879, the following resolution was adopted- "Resolved, that the Hook and Ladder Co. be and it is hereby authorized to procure proposals for the construction of a Hook and Ladder Truck, Ladders, Buckets, Drag Ropes, and such other apparatus as may be necessary to make such company efficient and report the lowest responsible proposition satisfactory to such company to this board."

• On May 28, 1879 the board resolved that the President of the Board will have the Liberty Hook and Ladder Truck repaired at the lowest price.

• Also on May 28, 1879 the President was instructed to consult "competent" legal advice, among other issues, as to whether firemen were exempt from the poll tax and to report back.

• On June 11, 1879 the board resolved to allow the Hook and Ladder Company No.1 to change its name to " Liberty Hook and Ladder Company No. 1"

• On June 18, 1879 the board authorized drawing $1.50 for P. Clifford to repair Liberty Hook and Ladder Truck #1.

• On July 9, 1879 the board was presented with a petition signed by several taxpayers of the corporation, and the following resolution was ordered published in the Akron Breeze for 3 weeks:

  NOTICE There will be a meeting of the taxable inhabitants of the Village of Akron on July 30, 1879 at Smith & Wells Hall at 1 o'clock PM for the purpose of voting upon the following resolution: RESLOVED, That the sum of two hundred dollars be levied and collected upon the taxable property of this village of Akron for the purpose of erecting a suitable building for the keeping and storage of Liberty Hook and Ladder Truck #1, and the equipments of the Company.

• On July 30, 1879 the resolution to build a structure to house Liberty Hook and Ladder was voted on and carried.

• On August 18, 1879 sealed proposals were received for furnishing of materials and building of Liberty Hook and Ladder Co.'s truck house. O. Little presented a proposal to build this house for $190.00 providing that the following changes were made in the original plans:

  • To change the square front to a common front. To place the building on 12 cedar posts, 8 inches in diameter, set on a solid stone placed 2 feet in the ground and to be 18 inches above the average level of the ground, planked from the ground to the base of the sills with good pine plank 2 inches thick, instead of on wall as per specifications.

  • The studding was changed to 2 x 4 inches instead of 2 x 6 inches, and the cornice was to be 16 inches planed in stead of 18 inches.

  • On motion, it was resolved that the contract be awarded to O. Little for $195.00, $5.00 above his original bid, providing that he sheet the lower story the entire height instead of 4 feet as per specifications, and also provided that he give bonds for twice the amount of the contract for the faithful performance of labor and the furnishing materials as called for by the plans and specifications.

  • Motion was made and carried that S.W. Hill, G.M. Sheppard, and Stoddard constitute the building committee.

• On August 26, 1879 the board learned that the job of building and furnishing the material for Liberty Hook and Ladder Truck House which had been awarded to O.Little for the sum of $195.00 was deemed by him insufficient to build the same according to plans and specifications, and he refused to accept the plans.

  • Plans were presented by John E. Altenburgh and G.E. Hill.

  • Motion was made and lost that Altenburgh's plan and bid be accepted.

  • Motion was made and carried that Hill's plan and bid be accepted.

  • Motion was made and carried that the previous motion be reconsidered.

  • Mr G.E. Hill presented plans for a building 20 x 30 feet and offered to build the same for $210.00. Motion was made and carried that the building committee wait on Mr Hill and award him the contract of building said house providing that he would build for the amount appropriated, and that the committee would report at the next meeting.

• At a meeting of the board held on September 1, 1879, the building committee accepted the plans of Geo. Hill and L.W. Hair for the building of a building to house Liberty Hook and Ladder Co.'s truck for the sum of $200.00. Further, the committee decided to build the structure "... on the east side of Clinton Street, about 100 feet from the north side of the Main Street sidewalk."

  • Motions were made and carried to accept both.

  • Motion was made and carried to accept bond for faithful completion of contract.

• On September 21, 1879 the by-laws in reference to the Liberty Hook and Ladder Truck House were presented to the board and adopted.

• On July 31, 1880 George Patrick was paid for repairing the Hook and Ladder truck:

  • mending bracket and new crutch spring $1.50

  • repairing Hook and Ladder truck pole $0.50

  • ironing new truck pole $1.00

• On March 7, 1881 a meeting was scheduled to discuss the purchase of a fire engine for $800.00, date set for April 1, 1881

• Meeting held on April 1, 1881 at Smith & Wells Hall at 4 o'clock PM-

  • RESOLVED, the sum of $800.00 be levied and assessed on the taxable property of the village of Akron for the purchase of a Fire Engine for said village. The vote being 49 Ayes, and 29 Nays, it was carried.

• On June 8, 1881 the trustees met for the first time at the Liberty Hook and Ladder House.

• June 9, 1881 the Liberty Hook and Ladder Co. was granted the right of the public park for July 4, 1881.

• June 17, 1881 the first Chief Engineer of the Fire Department was appointed, Alexander Goslin. The Assistant Chief Engineer appointed was Henry Porter.

• July 20, 1881 a meeting to discuss the purchase of fire apparatus was set for August 1, 1881.

• August 1, 1881 RESOLVED, that the sum of $1200.00 be levied and collected upon the taxable property of the Village of Akron NY for the purpose of purchasing Fire Extinguuishing Apparatus for said village, the vote being 44 Ayes, 43 Nays.

• August 6, 1881 the Trustees formed a committee to investigate the purchase of a fire engine. The committee members were Henry L. A_ _ _ _ , F. Tyrerell, John Weiss, W.T. Magoffin, H.H. Newton.

• September 9, 1891 the Board was presented with a petition by the Liberty Hook & Ladder Co. to install a bell in the tower on the truck house on Clinton St., and that the right of ownership be granted to the company, along with the right to remove the bell at any time within 15 years. The request was granted.

• January 10, 1882 The board issued a request that the fire engine being stored in the Hook & Ladder building on Clinton St. be removed, by resolution.

• April 14, 1884 the board moved to investigate the possibility of issuing Exemption Certificates to firemen.

• November 26, 1884 paid G.D. Barr $92.78 for fire buckets, including freight.

• April 27, 1885 A. Stapleton was appointed as a committee of one to investigate the rental of a lot onto which the fire company building could be moved.

• May 4, 1885 P. Clifford was ordered to make certain repairs to the Fire Company's truck wagon. Also, it was ordered that $21.00 be drawn to make repairs to the Fire Company's bell, including transportation costs.

• May 11, 1885 the board made mention of the fact that firemen were exempt from the poll tax.

• May 14, 1885 the Board approved to let the Liberty Hook & Ladder Co. increase it's membership by 5, bringing it to 45.

• June 8, 1885 paid P. Clifford $25.00 of $50.00 requested as payment for repairs to wagon.

  • Also at this meeting, it was resolved to use part of J.D. Jackson's lot on Monroe St. on a rental basis to relocate the fire company building, at a cost of $22.50 per year. J.D. Eckerson was authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the Village, and he along with A. Stapleton were to have the building removed from its current site.

• July 7, 1885 the Board voted to pay Daniel Dane $30.00 to have the fire company building moved to its new site.

• July 13, 1885 the full board was called to take action regarding the chemical fire engine. On motion of Mr. Clifford, it was resolved that the Village would relinquish all title to the engine on the condition that the parties of the opposite part pay all costs, or at last resort, the Village would pay the costs. Mr. Manley, the owners representative, tacitly agreed to pay the costs. He offered the engine to the Village, and agreed to make the necessary repairs, amounting to about $800.00.

• August 19, 1885 E. Pennell was paid $8.85 for supplies for the chemical engine.

• November 9, 1885 Chas. Shirry was contracted to paint a fire truck.

• Paid on order of J.D. Eckerson $22.50 for rental of lot on which the "truck house" was placed.

• September 16, 1886 the Trustees resolved to raise the sum of $1000.00 by a tax on property to purchase 2 hand pumper fire engines and 2 hose carts, plus 600 feet of hose for the same, the 2 engines to be alike.

  • Also, at same meeting, they resolved that the sum of $200.00 be raised by taxes for the purposes of constructing a suitable building to house one of the engines in that part of the Village known as Fallkirk.

• January of 1887 Rumsey & Co. Hand Pumpers were purchased.