Description:

1816 Fire Department of New York Approved by 1st Chief "Uncle Tommy" Franklin

This interesting account details the charges of tinner and engine maker Abel W. Hardenbrook for services to the New York City Volunteer Fire Department. The entries, which range in date from June 25, 1816, to May 9, 1817, include many for "repairing engine" and several others for repairing wheels, lanterns, torches, and a "hook & ladder Wagon." There are a few charges for sides of leather and one for neatsfoot oil, used to condition, soften, and preserve leather. The account totaled £1,011..11..0, or $2,528.87½.

[NEW YORK CITY.] Manuscript Document, Account of Abel W. Hardenbrook with the City of New York, June 25, 1816-May 9, 1817, New York, NY. Endorsed by Chief Engineer Thomas Franklin. 3 pp., 7.5" x 12.5". Separations on several folds, some repaired with clear tape; general toning.

Excerpt
"I have carefully examined the above Account, and find it correct. New York 6th Mo. (June) 7th 1817.
Thos Franklin
Chief Engr
"

Historical Background
Like all nineteenth-century cities, New York City was susceptible to fires. The use of fire to heat, cook, and light the city, together with highly flammable building materials, combined to make fire an omnipresent danger in cities. The New York General Assembly created the Volunteer Fire Department of the City of New York in 1737 and appointed 30 men who would remain on call in exchange for exemption from jury and militia duty.

In 1786, New York reorganized its volunteer fire department with 300 men, fifteen engine companies, and two hook-and-ladder companies. The firemen were famed for their torchlight parades, highly decorated apparatus, and camaraderie. The State of New York incorporated the legal entity of the "Fire Department, City of New York" in 1798.

The last great fire to affect Manhattan occurred in 1845 and killed four firefighters and twenty-six civilians and destroyed 345 buildings. In 1865, the state abolished the Volunteer Fire Department, turning over control of fire suppression to the city governments of New York and Brooklyn, which began employing paid firemen.

Abel W. Hardenbrook (1751-1840) was born in New York City. He became a tinner and engine maker in New York City.

Thomas Franklin Jr. (1762-1830) was born in New York City. He was a Quaker and became a merchant in partnership with George Newbold in the firm of Newbold & Franklin. In 1783, he married Sarah Polhemus (1764-1791), and they had three children before her death. He became a fireman in 1783 with Engine Company 12 and served as a fireman for forty-one years, the last thirteen as the first Chief Engineer of the Volunteer Fire Department (1811-1824). Firemen affectionately referred to him as "Uncle Tommy." In 1793, Franklin married Mary Haviland (1773-1854), with whom he had eight children. He also served as City Register. When the Common Council issued "fractional currency" during the War of 1812, Franklin was called upon to sign thousands of the notes.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

February 21, 2024 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000