Port Jervis FD Memorial Service and Graveside Prayers for Past Chiefs
Photo by Sharon E. SiegelA memorial service was held at Port Jervis' Fireman's Memorial on lower Pike Street on the eve of PJFD's annual Inspection Day Parade.
Photo by Sharon E. SiegelA badge was presented by PJFD chiefs to Port Jervis Fire Department's new Department Chaplain, Rev. Anthony Giacona of St. Mary's Church. L-R: 1st Asst. Chief Anthony Fuller, Rev. Giacona, Chief Keith Brown, Deputy Chief James Rohner, 2nd Asst. Chief Jeffrey Lewis
Photo by Sharon E. SiegelPort Jervis Fire Department Chaplain Rev. Anthony Giacona offers prayers at the grave of the department's first Chief Engineer Jacob Brandt, who served in the same the year the department was officially created--1858. Jacob Brandt (Laurel Grove Cemetery, 12/1828-8/1879)
Photo by Sharon E. SiegelPrayers were offered at the grave of Port Jervis Fire Department Past Chiefs on July 6, 2023 as they are during Port's Parade Week each year. Chief Lester James (J. Lester) Buchanan served as chief from 1942-1953 (St. Mary's Cemetery, 7/29/1905-3/22/1964)
Photo by Sharon E. SiegelPrayers were offered at the grave of Port Jervis Fire Department Past Chiefs on July 6, 2023 as they are during Port's Parade Week each year. Chief Michael James Cicalese served as chief from 2002-April of 2004 (St. Mary's Cemetery, 7/29/1905-3/22/1964)
Photo by Sharon E. SiegelPrayers were offered at the grave of Port Jervis Fire Department Past Chiefs on July 6, 2023 as they are during Port's Parade Week each year. Chief Donald E. "Ozzie" Devore served as chief from April of 2004-2005 (Hillside Cemetery, 10/20/1954-2/28/2006)
Photo by Sharon E. SiegelPrayers were offered at the grave of Port Jervis Fire Department Past Chiefs on July 6, 2023 as they are during Port's Parade Week each year. Chief Douglas Hamilton Moore served as chief from 1966-1967 (Hillside Cemetery, 9/7/1920-1/6/1993)
Photo by Sharon E. SiegelPrayers were offered at the grave of Port Jervis Fire Department Past Chiefs on July 6, 2023 as they are during Port's Parade Week each year. Chief Roscoe B. Case served as chief from 1958-1959 (Hillside Cemetery, 3/28/1908-1/30/1986 )
PORT JERVIS, NY - Port Jervis FD gathered for its annual prayer service on Friday, July 7th. Firefighters who have served the Tri-States community, and elsewhere, were remembered with prayer at this service, as well as at visits to the graves of past PJFD chiefs this week. PJFD Chaplain Rev. Anthony Giacona, along with chiefs, officers, and firefighters of the department remembered with gratitude the service of firefighters before them, including several who died over the past year, and asked for God’s blessings and safety for those now serving.
The following is a list of PJFD Chiefs who have served Port Jervis Fire Department over the past 165-years as a department, from 1858 through 2023.
Port Jervis Fire Department Chiefs and Past Chiefs
-First Chief Election – May 10, 1858
-Jacob Brandt: 1858
-Charles W. Douglass: 1859-1860
-Thomas Holt: 1861
-James Taynton: 1862
-Stephen Roberts: 1863
-Alex H. Simpson: 1864
-Luther Beckwith: 1865
-Thomas Holt: 1866-1867
-L.S. (Luke Staggers) Rosencrance: 1868-1869
-Leopold Fuerth: 1870-1873
-W.E. McCormick: 1875
-Thomas Holt: 1875
-Charles Terbell: 1876-1879
-James McDougall: 1878-1879
-H.G. (Horace Greeley) Lee: 1880-1883
-Thomas Edward Birmingham: 1883-1885
-Charles Terbell: 1886
-Between 1887-1899
-Harry Nichols: 1887
-C.I. Terwilliger: 1888
-P.J. Donahue: 1889-1890
-Jacob Hauber: 1891
-Claude Gaillard, Jr.: 1892
-John J. Carey: 1893
-C.C. Boyd: 1894
-A.D. Horn: 1895-1898
-Joseph Harding: 1899 (currently being researched to confirm)
-Anthony Lumpp: 1900-1902
-1903 ? (currently being researched to confirm)
-Peter C. Rutan: 1904-1907
-Joseph Harding: 1908-1911
-Howard Wheat: 1912-1937 (1910?)
-Fred C. Harding: 1938-1940
-Robert Miller: 1941
-J. Lester Buchanan: 1942-1953
-Franklyn J. Gordon: 1954-1957
-Roscoe B. Case: 1958-1959
-F. Raymond Harding: 1960-1965
-Douglas Moore: 1966-1967
-J. Richard Hosking: 1968-1971
-Donald DeVore: 1972-1975
-Charles Baumgardner: 1976-1979
-Robert Dunn: 1980-1983
-Michael Innella: 1984-1987
-James W. Rohner: 1988-1993
-Russell Potter: 1994-1997
-Joseph Kowal, Sr.: 1998-1999
-John Launt: 2000-2001
-Michael J. Cicalese: 2002-2004
-Donald E. DeVore, Jr.: 2004-2005
-Joseph Kowal, Sr.: 2006-2009
-James B. Fuller: 2010-2011
-Jeffrey S. Rhoades: 2011--2015
-Frank W. Fuller III: 2016-2017
-Dominic Cicalese 2018-2021
-Keith M. Brown – 2022-Present
(Current Assistant Chiefs: 1st Asst. Chief Anthony Fuller, 2nd Asst. Chief Jeffrey Lewis)
Some photos are included here, with more to follow at a later time. (A pictorial history, bios of each chief, and list of assistant chiefs is currently being compiled to be published soon.)
No information from the author.