The Village of Freeville was formed as a result of the addition of railroad lines throughout our area, just after the Civil War. Before that about a half dozen or so people lived through out the area.
    The Fire Company building site was previously occupied by a blacksmith shop run by a gentleman known as Weaver. By 1908 several fires had taken their toll on the village. The villagers had no means of fighting them except by the simple ineffective bucket brigade.
    It was W.B. Strong, a salesman for the Groton Bridge Co., who was one of the strongest advocates for fire protection. He lived in Freeville and had just finished building a new house.
    Finally after a fire that burned Willey's Store, and that almost destroyed numerous surrounding buildings. A village special election was held to vote on whether a new station was to be built. The vote passed only through much persuasion by Strong and A.B. Genung (another strong supporter of fire protection).
    At the same time a meeting was held to vote on the name of the fire company. The vote was far from unanimous for the name, but W.B. Strong won and his name still graces our department. Strong himself donated 500 dollars to the department in the fall of 1908.
   At the 1st annual meeting held on April 7th, 1909 an election was held for officers:
2 Companies were formed
Officers
Chemical Co. No. 1
Hook and Ladder No. 2
George S. Hart, Foreman
        Perry Hanshaw, Asst. Foreman
        Wm J. Shaver Jr., Secretary          Or Bert Egan (Conflicting documents)
        Wm E.. Sutfin, Treasurer		 Used a high wheeled two-tank chemical built engine. It was to be pulled by manpower with a two wheeled cart to carry the cans of soda and bottles of acid behind it. Used a big hook and ladder truck. At the time, it was considered one of the biggest and the best.