The first engine company was organized, with Frank S. Lawrence as Foreman

The evidence

• “After the burning of the Stevens House in 1853, the property owners agreed that it was necessary that better means to extinguish fires should be provided, and, under the leadership of Frank S. Lawrence and William Kemp, the first engine company was organized in October, 1854, with Mr. Lawrence as Foreman.”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/14-rock-county-ch08-janesville.md, PDF p. 568 / book p. 572

  Butterfield, C. W., et al. The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879. Cornell University Library via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/cu31924028871585.

  Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources