I can help out on Becky Gregg's need to verify the "Joris" appointment. I refer to: "OUR FIREMEN, A HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK FIRE DEPARTMENTS" "Volunteer and Paid" by Augustine E. Costello, Author and Publisher, Copyright 1887 Only 23 of the 58 chapters were reproduced on Deborah Breton's home page in 1997 before she was legally challenged obout the copyright and stopped. I quote here from Chapter 1 - pages 8&9. This would be in 1648, a year after Peter Stuyvesant became Gov. of New Netherlands: "From this time forth it is ordered no wooden or platted chimneys shall be permitted to be built in any houses between the Fort and Fresh Water, but that those already standing shall be suffered to remain during the good pleasure of the fire wardens...the following persons were appointed fire wardens: From the Council, the Commissary Adrian Keyser, and from the Commonalty, Thomas Hall, Martin Krieger, and George Woolsey. ...they are the first (New Amsterdam) fire functionaries..... ...George Woolsey, like Thomas Hall, was an Englishman. He came out as an agent of Isaac Allerton, a leading Dutch trader. The descendants of these men are to this day honored residents of this city." I was glad to find this info and also to pass it on to all. Ray Nelson