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A note was recently shared with Firegeezer.com by Thomas Parquette from Branson, Missouri, and is being published here with his permission. It's a touching story that connects three generations of firefighters in the Chicago Fire Department.
Hi 'Geezer',
I thought you might find this interesting. The image was taken around 1885 and shows Engine Company 11 of the Chicago Fire Department. The newspaper clipping it was published in 40 years later, in 1925, comes from an obscure fire-related publication.
The second firefighter from the left is my great-grandfather, George Geis. He died in the line of duty around 1902 when a wall collapsed on him. His father, also named George Geis, was one of the first firefighters with the Chicago Fire Department and lost his life during the Great Chicago Fire in the 1870s.
George Geis, the son of the man in the photo, was my grandfather. He was a firefighter in Chicago and witnessed the shift from horse-drawn to motorized equipment. He was part of the final call for Buck, Beauty & Dan, the last horse-drawn engine team in the city. (I also have a picture of that event.) Tragically, he was critically injured when a drunk driver hit the ladder truck he was driving. He passed away from his injuries in the early 1930s, and at the time, he received no compensation from the city—something that wasn’t even considered back then, as the union was still in its early stages.
All three men were career firefighters, sharing the same name except for their middle initials. Each died in the line of duty or due to their service. They were all members of the Chicago Fire Department. My uncle, Stephen Geis, went on to become Chief of the Downers Grove Fire Department in the 1950s, and his son, my cousin, is also a full-time firefighter today.
I thought you’d appreciate this family history. I’d like to thank the Fire Museum of Chicago for their invaluable help in researching and verifying the details. This photo is sourced from their archives. Keep up the amazing work—you're doing something special with your content. Your writing is engaging and always brings a smile.
Thomas Parquette
Branson, Missouri
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