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Timeline of John Stanhope Damrell
John Damrell was Boston’s Fire Chief during Boston’s Great
Fire of 1872 and later became Boston’s
Inspector of Buildings during the 1880’s. Damrell brought a new level of
professionalism and organization to firefighting and was instrumental in
creating modern building codes at the national level.
Docema constructed this timeline from a variety of sources
including census records, city archives, city directories, and
published obituaries.

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John Damrell's Family
Tree [view
image]
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Birth – Age 12
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Childhood [read more]
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June 29, 1829
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John S.
Damrell born in Boston
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1830 -
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Family
moves to East Cambridge
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1835 -
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Little
sister and mother die
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1835 -
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Works
summers on farm in Haverhill, north of Boston
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1840 -
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Father
dies and a guardian is appointed
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1835-42
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Attends
school in Cambridge and Boston
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Age 12 – 17
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Youth [read
more]
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1842-46 -
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Apprenticeship
to Cambridge carpenter, Isaac Melvin
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1846 -
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Returns
to Boston as a journeyman carpenter
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Age 17 – 21
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Early Career [read
more]
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1846-55 -
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Hired by builder,
D.P. Gross, and quickly becomes a foreman
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1846 -
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First
volunteers in the Boston Fire Department
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Age 21- 38
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Family Growth &
Career Advancement [read more]
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1850 -
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John
marries Susan Emily Hill in Cambridge
Lives at
4 Champney Street, Boston, with uncle’s family
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1851 -
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First
child, Ann Elizabeth, is born (she died before 1860 census)
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1853 -
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Damrell
is elected Clerk of Cataract Engine No. 4
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1854 -
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He is
elected Assistant Foreman of Cataract Engine No. 4
Second
child, John Edward Stanhope, is born (called E.S.)
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1855 -
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Third
child, Carolyn Maria, is born (called Carrie)
Moves to
own home at 3 Champney Street, next to uncle
Elected
Foreman of Cataract Engine No. 4
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1856 -
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Begins building
business with James Long of Somerville
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1857 -
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Elected
to Common Council (takes year off from BFD)
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1858 -
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Elected
as Assistant Engineer for BFD moves to 15 West Center Street, Boston, renamed
28 Anderson
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1859 -
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Fourth
child, Charles Stanhope, is born
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1863 -
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Fifth child,
Susan Emily is born, but dies at one year of age
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1866 -
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Moves to
60 Temple Street, Boston
Elected
Chief Engineer of BFD
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Age 38 – 45
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Chief Engineer Boston
Fire Department [read more]
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1867 -
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Reports
on problems with hydrants and water pressure; and the problem of no
enforcement authority for building inspection during construction
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1869-71 -
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Reports
ongoing concerns about water supply
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1871 -
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Building
inspector office established to oversee construction & enforce codes Damrell
travels to Chicago to see fire ruins and reports findings
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Fall 1872 -
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Horse
disease strikes and Contingency Plan
is developed
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Nov. 1872 -
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Boston’s
Great Fire
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Spring 1873 -
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Commission
reports on the “Causes and Management
of the Great Fire”
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April 1873 -
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Damrell
is re-elected Chief Engineer of BFD
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June 1873 -
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Damrell
urges the establishment of a national organization of fire chiefs
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Fall 1873 -
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Founder
and first president of National
Association of Fire Engineers (NAFE)
Damrell
resigns after BFD is reorganized and Fire Commission established
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Age 45–75
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Boston Building
Inspector [read more]
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1874 -77 -
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Damrell
continues active leadership role in NAFE
Establishes
J.S. Damrell and Son
Continues
leadership in Massachusetts State
Firemen’s Association and Firemen’s
Life and Relief Association
Continues
as Sunday School Superintendent for First Methodist Episcopal Church on
Temple Street
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1877 -
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Assumes
position of Chief of City Department of Building Inspection
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1878 -
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Daughter,
Carrie Damrell Burlen, dies at age 22
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1879 -
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Damrell
leads a coalition advocating amendment to building codes
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1883 -
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Damrell
reports to City Council on “Unsafe
Buildings in Case of Fire”
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1884 -
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Building Code Report was presented by Damrell to the
NAFE Convention
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1891 -
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Damrell
founded and was elected first
President of the National Association of Commissioners and
Inspectors of Public Buildings. (NACIPB)
Joins
leaders of other national organizations in discussion of national models for
building codes
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1893 -
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Wife,
Susan, dies of cancer
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1894 -
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Re-elected President of NACIPB at annual conference held in
Boston
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1896 -
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Buys
property in Dover, MA adjacent to son, Charles’ home
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1901 -
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Delivers
speech on ‘The Fire Department, Past, Present and Future,’ at the gathering
of the Massachusetts fire chiefs
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1902 -
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Attends International Association of Fire Chiefs
(formerly NAFE)
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1903 -
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Submits
his last Annual Report for the
Building Department
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1905 -
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John S.
Damrell died in Boston at age of 77.
He had served Boston and the cause of firefighting, fire prevention,
and fire safety for 58 years
The first
National Model Building Code is established
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