Stewart Bell Jr. Archives
Handley Regional Library
Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society
P.O. Box 58, Winchester, VA 22604
(540) 662-9041 ext. 17
archives@handleyregional.org
www.handleyregional.org
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
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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
50th 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