In 1849 the Wendell residence, situated on the northwest of Fulton and Lafayette Sts., occupied by Judge Mundy, burned together with nearly all of its contents. Within a week the following petition, the original of which is in the historical room of the Ryerson Library was presented to the village council:

To the Honorable Board of Trustees of the Village of Grand Rapids:

The undersigned citizens of Grand Rapids would respectfully petition your honorable body to tae immediate measures to procure for the village a good fire engine and other necessary apparatus for the extinguishment of fires.

Signed: C.H. Taylor, Wm. H. McConnell. L.N. Wade, Wm. Bemis, C.P. Calkins, C.W. Hathaway, S.F. Perkins, W. Woodward, Jas. M. Smith, Geo. F. Jones, E.B.Smith, Wm. L. Waring, Ira S. Hatch, W.P. Coggeshall, A. Roberts, J.T. inney, W.D. Porter, G.C. Nelson, C.Smith, John C. Buchanan, W.N. Cook, W.H. Godfroy, Leonared Snyder, John Mathison, W.A. Richmond, T.W. Parry, John King, Jas. D. Lyon, Wm. W. Hatch, Jas. McCray, A.H.Proctor, A.B.Turner, Wm.H. Stewart, Alexander McColl, P.R. Jarvis, Chas. Burnhan, Cyrus Bennett, J.M.Stanley, Richard Sterling, John I. Ellis, Edward E. Sargeant, L.R. Atwater, Geo, Martin, R.W.Cole, George Fitch, J.W. Pierce, F.H. Cuming, John W. Squier, A.H. Smith, T. Campau, J.M. Nelson, W.P. Mills, D. Burnett, Ben Haxton, J. Morresy, James Miller, John Clancy, Henry Martin, Wm. L. Coffinberry, H. Dean, W.A. Brown, J.J. Baxter, Henry R. Williams, John Bemis, Jas. Lyman, E.C. Putnam, D. McConnell, R.C. Luce, G.B. Rathbone, G.M. Mills, Barker and Almay, Alonzo Platt, R.I. Shoemaker, Geo. Kendall, J. Morrison, H.P. Gale, W.G. Henry, John Westcott, Sam’l Buchanan Sr., Michael Connolly, J.P. Hanchett, Jacob Barnes, R.M. Collins, Wm. Haldum, Joseph Marion, Wm t. Powers, Gains S. Dean, John F. Wyman, E.S. Marsh, B.S. Hanchett, E.T. Nelson, P.H. Bowman, John M. Connell, Wm. I. Blakely, Baker Borden, Samuel Howland, Geo. Stevenson, A.W. Pike, Benjamin Teller, C.B. White, H.H. Ives, F. Everitt, H. S. Wartrous, A.X. Cary, J.W. Robbins, Daniel F. Tower, Chas. Shepard, L. Moore, John T. Holmes, Harry Eaton, William Clancy, B. Noble, H.K. Rose, H.C. Patten, J.L. Clements, Z.G. Winsor, Charles C. Grompe, J.W. Sligle, J.W. Wallace, T.H. Lyon.

….While awaiting the coming of the apparatus early in the fall of 1849 Alert Fire Co. No. 1 was organized with the following members:

Charles H. Taylor, Solomon O. Kingsbury, John Clancy, Wm. D. Roberts, Daniel McConnelll Frank N. Godfroy, William H. Almy, Thos. W. Parry, Wilder D. Foster, Ira S. Hatch, Benjamn Haxton, Geo. H. White, William Clancy, Harvey K. Rose, James W. Sligh, T.S. Rock, Justin M. Stanly, Willima N. Cook, George C. Fitch, John C. Buchanan, Charles Trompe, William B. Renwick, M. Sparlin, Ruben Wheeler, Samuel F. Perkins, Robert M. Collins, Jacob Barnes, C.W. McKenzie. Of this company Charles H. Taylor was elected foreman.

In the preparation of this chapter thanks are due to Fire Marshal Lemoin, Mr. Bettinghouse, the captains of the various engine houses, W.N. Cook, Charles Belknap and others.

Henry W. Lemoin, fire marshal of the city of Grand Rapids, was born January 28, 1844, in the township of Stow, Summit county, Ohio, and was the youngest of eleven children, who were left fatherless and penniless when he was but a year old. His educational advantages were those of the common district schools. Dependent from the first upon his own exertions, to aid in the care and support of the family as well as himself, he worked on a farm from the age of twelve until he was twenty-two years old. Meanwhile, in 1861, the burning of the family residence, involving the total destruction of the building and household goods, gave him his first experience in fighting fire. Afterward he learned the trade of carpenter and joiner. In 1868 he came to Grand Rapids, where for several years he worked at his trade; after which he took a position in the well-known business house of Shriver, Weatherly & Co., as collector and shipping clerk. While at his trade, in 1873 he entered the fire services as part-pay pipe-man in No. 1 Hose Company. There he very soon had his abilities put to test; taking an active part and serving with conspicuous gallantry at the great conflagration in July of that year, on East Bridge and Kent streets, under Chief Shields. Upon reorganization of the department he was appointed foreman of Steamer Company No 2, and served in this capacity until 1880, and on September 6 of that year was elected by the Common Council chief engineer of the fire department; which position he has since filled with zeal and good judgment. Mr. Lemoin married May 21, 1874, Harriet J. Findlay, of Ada, Michigan. They have four children, two sons and two daughters, named Roy, Bessie, Ray and Florence. In his youth the major part of the expenses and care of his mother fell upon him, and to her ever kind and constant watchfulness and advice does he attribute the success he as attained in life. Mr. Lemoin became a member, in 1871 of Valley City Lodge No. 86, of Free and Accepted Masons, and is still in that fellowship; also is a member of Valley City Council, No 611, Royal Arcanum, of this city. The orderly and well disciplined condition of the fire department, its efficiency and its high standing among organizations of that kind, amply attest the abilities of Mr., Lemoin as a manager in the important and responsible position which he has held for many years and still holds at its head, and his integrity and fidelity as a citizen and a public officer. His home is at 223 Barclay Street, and his official headquarters are at Engine House No. 4. For a quarter of a century he has been the head of the fire department, watched its growth and guarded its interest.