(The following article will soon be published in the regional magazine "Catoctin History" and is reprinted with their permission)
It was only happenstance that Lydia Butterworth was in downtown Baltimore. Her job as a fire protection specialist for the Smithsonian Institute normally kept her in the metropolitan Washington area. But, this day, she was traveling to a meeting in the heart of Baltimore and saw a building vacancy that caused her to panic.
When I received Lydia's phone call, she sounded like a frantic mother missing a child. "Chip, where's the "Old Lady"?" Puzzled, I answered her totally confused. "What do you mean, Lydia?" "The Baltimore Equitable Society building is boarded up. Where is the "Old Lady?, she replied.
The "Old Lady" was not her grumpy aunt, someone's wife or nasty neighbor. The "Old Lady" was an 1821 hand tub fire engine formerly owned by the United Fire Company No. 3 of Frederick and the United Volunteer Company of Libertytown that had been displayed for decades in a museum at the Equitable building.
Lydia was not just an employee of the Smithsonian Institute, but also a life member of the United Fire Company No. 3 with a heartfelt passion for the history of the fire service, especially, the history of her beloved United Steam Fire Company No. 3. The "Old Lady" was oldest remaining piece of fire service history of the Uniteds.
The "Old Lady" was originally purchased by the Mechanical Fire Company of Baltimore. The Ancient and Honorable Mechanical Company was organized in 1763 to "discharge the duties needed for the government of a town" before the city was incorporated. The society provided fire protection, law enforcement and other civic functions. As Baltimore grew as a government, the society developed into a volunteer fire company. The society is still in existence and is credited to being the oldest civic organization in America.
In days before titles, registration cards or builder's plates, it was difficult to determine the exact date of origin of equipment. However, the records of the Ancient and Honorable Mechanical Company indicate the pumper was built in 1821 by an Proctor and Bacon in Philadelphia and rebuilt by the Rogers Company in Baltimore in 1847. The hand tub pump engine was sold to the United Fire Company No. 3 in 1859 to compliment the other smaller hand pumpers serving the City of Frederick at that time. Of note, one of the first steam powered pumpers in Baltimore replaced the "Old Lady" at the Mechanical Company. However, just a few weeks after the "Old Lady" was sold, the volunteer companies in Baltimore were absorbed into the paid Baltimore Fire Department, and the Mechanical Fire Company became Baltimore City Engine 4.
During the Civil War, a major fire occurred at the Frederick County Court House. The fire, possibly started by Southern Sympathizers, burned the roof of the court building. This fire most certainly was the first major test for the solid mahogany hand pumper of the Uniteds.
Sometime after arriving in Frederick, a metal trailer tub was built to pull behind the pumper to allow the public bucket brigades a more efficient way to provide water to pump. When first placed in service, the members of the bucket brigades would have to throw water directly into the pumper while 10 to 20 strong men forced the pistons up and down to pump the water on the fire. With the addition of the metal trailer tub, water could go directly into the tub, while a hard sleeve hose would suck water from the tub directly into the pumper.
In 1878, the United Fire Engine Company No. 3 added the name "Steam" to their name and took delivery of a massive Clapp & Jones steam engine pumper. This beautiful pumping engine was named "The Lily of the Swamp". The name was taken from the fact the firehouse was built in a swampy area and the locals dubbed the building "Swamp Hall" and nicknamed the firemen "Swampers". Today this engine is owned by the Smithsonian Institute and on display at the Fire Museum of Maryland in Towson.
With "The Lily" now the principal firefighting piece of the United Steam Fire Engine Company No. 3, the usefulness of the "Old Lady" was limited. Eventually, the "Old Lady" found her way to Libertytown. Whether borrowed, sold or simply stored in Libertytown is not known. But the fact the community of Libertytown now had a fire engine led to the organization of the United Volunteer Fire Company of Libertytown. No doubt, the bold lettering "UNITED" on the side of the pumper influenced the town to also assume the company name.
The volunteer fire company was located beside the town creek on Main St. with a bell mounted to the top of the building to alert the citizens of an alarm of fire. The fire company remained active in the early 1900's until the Libertytown Improvement Association sold the engine to Mr. George Conner of Baltimore. Sometime after the acquisition by Mr. Conner, the "Old Lady" found a permanent home proudly displayed in a museum at the home office of the Baltimore Equitable Society, a perpetual insurance company.
It was believed the "Old Lady" was safe and sound until Lydia Butterworth happened to pass by the Baltimore Equitable building and saw the windows boarded and building empty. Thus, the panic call, and the search was on. My personal involvement in the insurance industry provided some valuable resources of the Baltimore Equitable Society to call to find the fate of the beloved pumper. At first, it was believed the "Old Lady" had been donated to the Maryland Historical Society. But, upon further investigation, the pumper was sold at auction.
When Lydia learned the news the pumper met an auctioneers fate, she was totally deflated. The hope to someday be able to have the "Old Lady" back home in Frederick had essentially disappeared. One last hope was to ask the auction company to provide the information of the buyer. Because of privacy, the auctioneer would not provide buyer information, but did offer to call the buyer and ask them to make personal contact. Little chance of that!
But we were wrong. For in about three weeks, a call was received from Vince Jarwicz, President of the Granite Hand Tub Association of Newmarket, New Hampshire. The association had purchased the hand tub at the auction with the intent of completely restoring the tub, and even offered to bring the "Old Lady" back to Frederick for a visit after she completed her new wardrobe. Upon hearing from Vince, Lydia was, at least, pleased to know the "Old Lady" was in hand tub heaven.
But the story does not end there. About a year after purchase, Vince again called and offered the sell the "Old Lady" for the amount paid at auction. It seemed the hand tub association had purchased two more hand tubs that were from New England and would rather have the funds to restore the local units.
Lydia was elated, and the work began to raise the funds. With a few well placed news articles and the help of some very generous donors, the "Old Lady" came back to Frederick County. Vince Jarwicz personally trailered the "Old Lady" all the way from New Hampshire to Frederick.
Lydia Butterworth never saw the "Old Lady". She knew she was back in Frederick, but three days before she was to see the grand return, Lydia lost her battle with cancer. The passion for the history of our fire service and her personal commitment to preserve the items of our rich tradition will live as long as the "Old Lady" remains in Frederick County.
As this article is published, efforts are underway to raise money for the Frederick County Fire & Rescue Museum and Preservation Society, Inc. to use the former Emmitsburg Ambulance Company building as a county fire museum and beginning of the National Fire Heritage Center. With the cooperation of the Board of County Commissioners, this dream may come true. The "Old Lady" and Lydia Butterworth will forever have a cherished place in our county fire service history.
