Although contemporary New Yorker's might not think much about the name Degrauw, it was prominent family that gave much to the development of this City and the one that mirrored it on the other side of the East River – Brooklyn.
John W. Degrauw was born on May 21, 1797 in New York's First Ward into a fire department family. His father, two uncles and three brothers were all members of Aetna Engine 16. It was said that when fire broke out in a coach factory on Chatham Street in 1812, it was a fourteen-year-old John Degrauw who went yelling "FIRE!" down the streets until the bell in the jail near City Hall was rung to call out the firemen. John also joined Engine 16 in 1816 and eventually was elected Foreman. Later in his career he was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fire Department as well as its President for several years. After the Great Fire of 1835 he was instrumental in the formation of two new hose companies.
In addition to his service with the Fire Department, John W. Degrauw was elected to represent New York County in the New York State Assembly as a member of the Jacksonian (Democrat) party in 1833 and 1834. During his tenure he pushed for the designation of Brooklyn as a city.
He was a very successful commission merchant by trade. His son Abraham joined him in this trade as well as in his service in the Fire Department. In 1844 the elder Degrauw had a house built in Brooklyn for his son. The structure at 219 Clinton Street still stands today and is one of the few free-standing private dwellings in the borough. It was the first private home to have an elevator.
The Degrauws were as active in civic endeavors in Brooklyn as they were across the river in New York. John Degrauw was President of the Brooklyn Horticultural Society. Abraham, like his father, became a fireman in Brooklyn Ladder Company 4 and was President of the Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department before losing his life in the line-of-duty (see entry for Abraham J. W. Degrauw.) Degraw Street (although the spelling is different) is named after this prominent family that gave so much to the cities they loved.
John W. Degrauw was born on May 21, 1797 in New York's First Ward into a fire department family. His father, two uncles and three brothers were all members of Aetna Engine 16. It was said that when fire broke out in a coach factory on Chatham Street in 1812, it was a fourteen-year-old John Degrauw who went yelling "FIRE!" down the streets until the bell in the jail near City Hall was rung to call out the firemen. John also joined Engine 16 in 1816 and eventually was elected Foreman. Later in his career he was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fire Department as well as its President for several years. After the Great Fire of 1835 he was instrumental in the formation of two new hose companies.
In addition to his service with the Fire Department, John W. Degrauw was elected to represent New York County in the New York State Assembly as a member of the Jacksonian (Democrat) party in 1833 and 1834. During his tenure he pushed for the designation of Brooklyn as a city.
He was a very successful commission merchant by trade. His son Abraham joined him in this trade as well as in his service in the Fire Department. In 1844 the elder Degrauw had a house built in Brooklyn for his son. The structure at 219 Clinton Street still stands today and is one of the few free-standing private dwellings in the borough. It was the first private home to have an elevator.
The Degrauws were as active in civic endeavors in Brooklyn as they were across the river in New York. John Degrauw was President of the Brooklyn Horticultural Society. Abraham, like his father, became a fireman in Brooklyn Ladder Company 4 and was President of the Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department before losing his life in the line-of-duty (see entry for Abraham J. W. Degrauw.) Degraw Street (although the spelling is different) is named after this prominent family that gave so much to the cities they loved.
Although contemporary New Yorker's might not think much about the name Degrauw, it was prominent family that gave much to the development of this City and the one that mirrored it on the other side of the East River – Brooklyn.
John W. Degrauw was born on May 21, 1797 in New York's First Ward into a fire department family. His father, two uncles and three brothers were all members of Aetna Engine 16. It was said that when fire broke out in a coach factory on Chatham Street in 1812, it was a fourteen-year-old John Degrauw who went yelling "FIRE!" down the streets until the bell in the jail near City Hall was rung to call out the firemen. John also joined Engine 16 in 1816 and eventually was elected Foreman. Later in his career he was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fire Department as well as its President for several years. After the Great Fire of 1835 he was instrumental in the formation of two new hose companies.
In addition to his service with the Fire Department, John W. Degrauw was elected to represent New York County in the New York State Assembly as a member of the Jacksonian (Democrat) party in 1833 and 1834. During his tenure he pushed for the designation of Brooklyn as a city.
He was a very successful commission merchant by trade. His son Abraham joined him in this trade as well as in his service in the Fire Department. In 1844 the elder Degrauw had a house built in Brooklyn for his son. The structure at 219 Clinton Street still stands today and is one of the few free-standing private dwellings in the borough. It was the first private home to have an elevator.
The Degrauws were as active in civic endeavors in Brooklyn as they were across the river in New York. John Degrauw was President of the Brooklyn Horticultural Society. Abraham, like his father, became a fireman in Brooklyn Ladder Company 4 and was President of the Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department before losing his life in the line-of-duty (see entry for Abraham J. W. Degrauw.) Degraw Street (although the spelling is different) is named after this prominent family that gave so much to the cities they loved.
John W. Degrauw was born on May 21, 1797 in New York's First Ward into a fire department family. His father, two uncles and three brothers were all members of Aetna Engine 16. It was said that when fire broke out in a coach factory on Chatham Street in 1812, it was a fourteen-year-old John Degrauw who went yelling "FIRE!" down the streets until the bell in the jail near City Hall was rung to call out the firemen. John also joined Engine 16 in 1816 and eventually was elected Foreman. Later in his career he was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fire Department as well as its President for several years. After the Great Fire of 1835 he was instrumental in the formation of two new hose companies.
In addition to his service with the Fire Department, John W. Degrauw was elected to represent New York County in the New York State Assembly as a member of the Jacksonian (Democrat) party in 1833 and 1834. During his tenure he pushed for the designation of Brooklyn as a city.
He was a very successful commission merchant by trade. His son Abraham joined him in this trade as well as in his service in the Fire Department. In 1844 the elder Degrauw had a house built in Brooklyn for his son. The structure at 219 Clinton Street still stands today and is one of the few free-standing private dwellings in the borough. It was the first private home to have an elevator.
The Degrauws were as active in civic endeavors in Brooklyn as they were across the river in New York. John Degrauw was President of the Brooklyn Horticultural Society. Abraham, like his father, became a fireman in Brooklyn Ladder Company 4 and was President of the Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department before losing his life in the line-of-duty (see entry for Abraham J. W. Degrauw.) Degraw Street (although the spelling is different) is named after this prominent family that gave so much to the cities they loved.
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