HomeMy WebLinkAbouthistory of central assoc 1893 1976 firemens association_0007CENTRAL NEW YORK FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION
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L. H. Ingersall from Cincinnatus was elected President at the 1936 Convention held in Ithaca and
the 1937 event at Seneca Falls.
The Skaneateles Fire Department was highly honored by the Central New York Firemen's
Association on June 7, 1937, when they were presented with a bronze plaque in Commemoration of
the 100th Anniversary of their Department.
The Forty -Fifth Annual Convention, held at Norwich in 1938, saw Raymond D. Wheatan of
Ithaca elected as the President for the years 1939 and 1940; with Sanford J. Henion from Skaneateles
being elected Treasurer, a post he held for 18 years until his death in 1956. Two more counties were
voted memberships in the association with Wayne County, Clyde Electric Hose Co. No. 3 and Otsego
County, Edmeston Fire Department being the newest member from these counties.
The officers of the association was saddened by the death of Frank C. Cole of Ithaca, a charter
member and past President of the Central. Mr. Cole's death occurred on July 3, 1939, at the age of
87. He was the third President of the association, Fire Chief of the Ithaca Fire Department from
1890 to 1894, and became the first Fire Commissioner of that city in 1895.
The 1939 and 1940 Conventions were held in Hancock and Johnson City with President
Wheaton presiding. The 1941 Convention took place in Watkins Glen followed by Waverly in 1942,'
with J. W. Merrell from Waverly as the association President.
The 50th Annual Convention was held at Auburn in 1943. It was only fitting that the Golden
Anniversary Convention of the association should be held in the city where it was first organized.
Harold B. Nichols from Binghamton was elected President.
Cortland was the site of the Convention in 1944 when Chemung County was admitted into the
association, thus becoming the 16th county member; Elmira Heights was the first Fire Department to
join from this county.
Due to the war, the 1945 Convention was a one day event held in Ithaca. H. Arthur Spencer of
Sidney was elected the 25th President and became the first President from Delaware County to hold
this high office.
Auburn was the site 6f the Convention in 1946 followed by Skaneateles in 1947�and Corning in
1948. Lewis W. Lang of Cortland served as association President in 1947 and 1948. In 1947 there was
a total of 138 Fire Companies and over 600 individual members. There was a letter in the 1947
annual proceeding book from President Lang concerning the yearbook. It seems that this book was
the first one published in several years, thus this could be the reason why the Historian cannot seem
to obtain proceeding books from 1940 to 1946.
The Forty-sixth Convention was held in Penn Yan in 1949 and was the first time a Yates
County Fire Department had hosted a Central Convention. George Beardsley of Watkins Glen was
elected President. For the first time the offices of Historian and Official Starter were added as elected
` Historian .............. FREDERICK D. TODD
7 Salo Drive
4 Trumansburg, N.Y. 14886