1459 WFCHS/THL

Scope and Content: This collection is composed primarily of official reports, correspondence, rolls, and histories of Rouss Fire Company of Winchester, VA. Included are documents from predecessor organizations, the Union Fire Company, Rouss Hook & Ladder Company, as well as some information on the Relief Hook & Ladder Company, the Cumberland Valley Fireman’s Association formed in 1902 and other Winchester Fire companies.(5 boxes) Last updated 04/16.

Biographical/Historical: The Winchester, Virginia Company had its beginnings prior to 1789 and was known as the Union Fire Company. In 1889, the name was changed to the Union Steam Fire Company No. 2, which sponsored the Union Cornet Band organized in 1882.

            The company began honoring Charles Broadway Rouss (1836-1902) with an annual dinner on February 11, 1894 and in 1899 changed the company’s name to the Rouss Hook and Ladder Company, Inc. because of his generous contributions. Relief Hook & Ladder Co. formed July 1, 1876. In 1894, the group was reorganized and changed their name to the Rouss Hook & Ladder Company of Winchester. In 1917, they consolidated their operation with the Charley Rouss Fire Company.

Cite As: Rouss Fire Company Records, 1459 WFCHS/THL, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library, Winchester, VA, USA.

Organization:

BOX 1 Union Fire Company and Union Steam Fire Company #2

Union Fire Company – Correspondence and reports 1894-1898, 40 items, 17 leaves, 9 envelopes, 2 postcards, manuscript; 11 leaves, typescript; 1 left, manuscript on printed form

Union Fire Company – Fire reports, 1894, 10 leaves, 4 envelopes, manuscript

Union Fire Company – memberships rolls, 1878-1894, 5 items, 5 leaves, manuscript

Union Fire Company-Origin and History, 2 leaves, typescript

Union Steam Fire Company - photos and lists of members, 1897, presented by Gibson Baker, 1957, 1 item, printed (copy)

Union Steam Fire Company – Ticket purchased for the purchase of lanterns, 1 item, printed

 BOX 2 Relief Hook and Ladder Company

Relief Hook & Ladder Company -- Record of fires and alarms, 1877-1897, 52 pages, manuscript and printed

Relief Hook & Ladder Company – Membership Rolls, 1879-1887, 5 items, manuscript

Roll book - Rouss Hook & Ladder Company, 1917-1925, 1 item, 55 pages, manuscript

Rouss Hook and Ladder No. 1 –Ribbons, 10 items

BOX 3 Rouss Fire Company

Applications for membership, 1924-1925, 3 items, 3 leaves, manuscript on printed form

Charter, by-laws, resolutions,
3 leaves, manuscript; 7 leaves, 7 pages, printed;
4 leaves, typescript; 16 leaves, typescript (copy)

Church service programs -- February 3, 1935, February 7, 1943 (2 copies), and February 1, 1953, 4 items, printed

Correspondence, 1901-1933, 12 items,
3 leaves, manuscript; 7 leaves, typescript;
1 leaf, printed; 1 leaf, manuscript on printed form

Emblem – Rouss F.D., Winchester, VA

History -- Rouss Fire Company by Students, 2 items, 5 leaves, manuscript, 3 leaves, typescript

History - Rouss Fire Company, by John J. Hawse, no date, 3 items, 19 leaves, typescript, 2 photocopies, 1 carbon copy

Invitations from other fire companies, 4 items
Chambersburg, PA, 1896, 1 leaf, printed
Westminster, MD, 1906, 1 leaf, printed
Chambersburg, PA, 1924, 2 leaves, typescript

Membership card and benefit card, no date, 2 items, 2 leaves, printed

Miscellaneous, 14 items, 4 leaves, typescript;
6 leaves, printed; 1 leaf, 1 envelope, manuscript;
1 telegram; 1 business card

News clippings - Rouss Fire Company, unnumbered leaves, printed (photocopy)

News Clippings – Winchester Fire Companies, unnumbered leaves, printed (photocopy)

Proposal for furnishing fire apparatus - James Boyd & Bro., Inc., no date, 1 item, 15 leaves, typescript on printed form

Reports of Presidents, Treasurers, and committee chairs, 1900-1924, 40 items, 9 leaves, manuscript; 7 leaves, manuscript on printed form; 39 leaves, typescript

Rouss Fire Company Stationary, 9 items, 7 leaves, printed, 1 page printed, 1 envelope, printed

Weather Vane – Rouss Fire Hall, unnumbered leaves, printed

BOX 3A

Rouss anniversary dinner programs, 1898-1915, 12 items, printed
No date                                               1906
1898, 2 copies, 1 cover                       1908
1899                                                    1909, 2 copies
1900                                                    1911
1902, 2 copies                                     1915
1905                                       

Rouss anniversary dinner invitations, 1898-1921, 6 items, printed
1898, envelope only
1899, 2 copies
1900, 2 copies
1921

Rouss anniversary programs, 1916-1930, 15 items, printed
1916                                        1923
1917, 2 copies                         1924, 2 copies
1919, 2 copies                         1929, 2 copies
1921, 2 copies                         1930
1922, 2 copies

Rouss anniversary dinner programs, 1932-1962, 25 items, printed
1932                            1946, 2 copies             1950                            1959
1933                            1947                            1951, 2 copies             1961
1934, 2 copies             1948                            1952, 2 copies             1962
1940, 2 copies             1949, 2 copies             1954, 2 copies
 

 

 

Rouss Fire Company - unused stationery, 9 items, 7 leaves, 1 page, 1 envelope, printed

BOX 4

Minutes - Rouss Fire Company, 1906-1924, 1 item, 363 pages, manuscript and typescript

Order Book - Rouss Fire Company, no date, 1 item, printed

Scrapbook - Rouss Fire Company, 1935-1953

Roll book - Rouss Fire Company, 1900-1904, 1 item, 78 leaves, manuscript

BOX 5

Roster of Cumberland Fireman’s Association, 1902, 1 item, 34 leaves, manuscript

50^th Anniversary Convention – Cumberland Valley Volunteer Fireman’s Association, event held in Winchester, VA, August 21-23, 1952 – provides history of fire departments located in Winchester, VA, 2 copies, printed

MAPCASE 5 DRAWER 3

Union Steam Fire Company – Officers and Member of the Union Steam Fire Company #2, 1 leaf, printed (taken from souvenir of the Winchester Fire Department)

PHOTOGRAPHS

See photo files for People and Events/Objects