To all interested Woolseys: This was posted to the WOOSLEY web-site. I thought you may be interested. >> Subject: [WOOSLEY] George WOOLSEY - A New York Fire Warden in 1648 >> Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1999 16:47:10 -0700 >> From: Ray Nelson <REDWOOD@prodigy.net> >> To: WOOSLEY-L@rootsweb.com >> >> 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 > > > Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker