The beginnings of the Tasley Volunteer Fire Co. can be traced to the year 1926, when a fire at A. J. Lilliston’s sawmill “on the stone road in the heart of the town” caught fire. There was no firefighting apparatus in the area at the time, and it took two days and two nights of fighting the fire with townspeople forming bucket brigades to extinguish it. Luckily, no one was injured and the only property lost was that of Mr. Lilliston. This was the fourth fire occurring in Tasley in the previous three months.

Just a week later, citizens of Tasley met at West & Wessell’s store at the request of Mr. T. T. “Mac” McJilton. Mr. McJilton, a well known National Biscuit Co. salesman and resident of Tasley, had been thinking of organizing a fire company for some time but had never had such an opportunity to approach the townspeople. At this meeting, Tuesday, February 1st, 1926, a Board of Directors was appointed and together with the people of the community a total of $312.00 was pledged to purchase a 35 gallon hand drawn soda acid chemical engine and several hand operated fire extinguishers. (Incidentally, these pledges were recorded on the back of a National Biscuit Company order form.) An order was placed through H. R. Bennett Co. of Parksley, which was the local dealer for Robinson Fire Apparatus, and the new equipment arrived about February 5th. Mr. Lilliston donated land and lumber to build a building to house the new equipment. T.T. McJilton was named President of the new company and John Rew was named it’s Fire Chief.

The first fire the newly organized Tasley Volunteer Fire Company was called to was on April 13th, 1926 at the Peninsula Fair Association’s fairgrounds at Tasley. A fire discovered by passersby burned 37 stables and three prize racehorses before being checked. By cutting the row of stables in half and throwing approximately 200 gallons of chemicals on the blaze, it was finally extinguished. Losses were around $5000.00. The account of the blaze as reported by the Eastern Shore News revealed that the caretaker of the stables “lit a stove to heat water and went to another stable nearby.” He did not know of the conflagration until two firefighters arrived on the scene. The paper also made a point of showing just how well the chemical cart and volunteer fire company worked and what a benefit it was to the area. This inspired the volunteers to work for a larger fire protection unit.

In July, the first fireman’s carnival was held in front of T. R. James’ ice plant in Tasley. The carnival was so successful that another one was held in September, and over $1400.00 was raised. For many years, the Tasley Firemen’s Carnival was an annual event that provided a large part of the fire company’s annual operating budget.

These funds, along with monies raised by a series of moving pictures given by the Opera House in Parksley, the Bijou Theater at Onley, the Auditorium at Onancock and the American Theater at Wachapreague; a $1000.00 contribution from Accomack County in September of 1927; and the generous support and contributions of Tasley’s 150 citizens and those from surrounding areas allowed the fire company to purchase its first motorized engine and construct a 24 by 36 foot two story concrete block firehouse.

The new engine was delivered on October 12th, 1927. It was a “Deluge – Master Fire Fighter” triple combination machine manufactured by the Prospect Fire Engine Company of Prospect, Ohio. The truck featured a 450 gallon per minute bronze fire pump, two 35 gallon chemical tanks, 400 feet of chemical hose, 1000 feet of “gum and wax treated” 2 ½ inch hose, and all necessary hooks, ladders, axes, etc. Mounted on a two and a half ton Biederman truck chassis, it boasted a 70 horsepower engine capable of making 65 miles per hour. The engine cost $6500.00 and hose was $1360.00 extra.

H. E. Thomas, general manager of the Prospect company, came down with the equipment and trained the men on its operation. Two demonstrations were given at Onancock, where the pump showed its ability to throw water from the Hopkins property to Prior’s Wharf across the creek. Fire Marshall F.E. Soule of Pennsylvania addressed the company at a meeting in the old West and Wessell’s Store, stressing what a valuable asset a volunteer fire company is to a rural community. Fire Chiefs from Wilmington, Delaware and Norfolk, Virginia offered to send their best-trained men to Tasley to help teach them firefighting techniques.

The new engine responded to its first call on October 13th in Locustville where “an abandoned home adjoining the Swanger property on the north was burned.” The newspaper article goes on to say that “the fire company arrived in time to save the outbuildings and adjoining homes.”

All the while, the Tasley Fire Company was responding to many large fires. Some of the more notable calls are listed below through May of 1939.

April 1926 – fire destroys 37 stables at Tasley Fairgrounds

October 1926 – Parksley High School burns

December 1926 – G. D. Crosley & Bro. store and barrel factory, Cashville, destroyed by fire

May 1927 – Tasley Railroad Agent J. W. Colona’s home burns, other homes damaged, Tasley

November 1927 – Geo. Scarborough’s barn, Tasley, catches fire. A large quantity of dynamite in the barn ignites and blows the barn to pieces.

January 1928 – O. L. Willett’s grist mill and garage burn, Greenbush

July 1928 – An explosion in a garage and resulting fire destroys or damages 9 businesses in Eastville

October 1928 – Fire in Keller destroys garage, barn, cornstack, storage building, and stables

March 1929 – Melfa Canning Company, two trucks and a tractor totally destroyed by fire

October 1929 – Five dwellings were damaged and Archie Wilkerson’s store was destroyed by fire, New Church

December 1929 – Northbound Pennsylvania Railroad excursion train traveling at 50 mph. wrecks just north of Onley due to broken rail. Two coaches overturn, additional three derail. Nine killed, twenty hospitalized.

February 1930 – Pepsi Cola Bottling Plant at Parksley destroyed in early morning fire

March 1930 – J. W. Savage’s store and dwelling burn, Wardtown

April 1930 – Scott’s Candy Co. damaged by fire, Tasley

June 1930 – Store and post office of Walter Daugherty burn, Daugherty

August 1930 – Exmore Pepsi Cola Bottling Works destroyed by fire

February 1931 – Eight businesses and homes destroyed in early morning Cheriton blaze

February 1931 – Seven buildings and several cars destroyed by fire at Accomac

April 1932 – Six homes and a church threatened by fire, Franktown

February 1933 – Roger Brothers store heavily damaged by fire, Onancock

March 1933 – John Rew’s restaurant at Tasley destroyed by fire

June 1936 – Fire destroys large chicken house and hatchery, Melfa

April 1937 – An Accomac lumber mill owned by A. G. Parsons destroyed by fire

January 1938 – Fire destroys Eichelberger’s store, Keller

January 1938 – Fire originating in the C. J. Prettyman building in Exmore destroys large part of town; losses over $50,000

January 1939 – A large house belonging to Ida Ailsworth was destroyed by fire, Accomac

Throughout this time, the Ladies Auxiliary continued to be very active; and the Tasley firemen’s carnival became an annual event. Fairs were held at the Peninsula Fairgrounds in Tasley for the benefit of the fire company.
	The fire company also had some more unusual fund raising methods, such as “chicken drives”. According to longtime Tasley member Warner Ray Hargis, Jr., in the days of the depression and beyond, people who could not afford to give money to the fire company gave chickens instead. The firemen would sell the chickens to poultry brokers and use the money to pay for firefighting equipment. Seeing the need for improved and more modern fire apparatus, the company and community worked diligently towards that goal.

On May 12th, 1939, the Tasley Fire Company’s second motorized fire engine was delivered. This engine was a 1939 Ford Seagrave. This open cab engine was equipped with an 85 horsepower Mercury motor, a 500 gallon per minute pump and a two hundred gallon water tank.

In 1940, the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company organized the first “Junior fire company” on the Eastern Shore Of Virginia. On October 10th of that year, 15 young men from ages 12 to 17, were organized by Mr. T.T. McJilton. Their main mission was to receive training in firefighting methods, so that when they reached adulthood, they would be prepared ahead of time to serve the fire company. They also acted as a reserve unit in the event of major calls.

The Tasley Junior Fire Company organized October 10, 1940. It consisted of several young men and officers as listed below:

President – Earl Marsh Jr.

Vice President – Clarence Mears

Secretary/Treasurer – Tom McJilton

Chief – James Scott

Asst. Chief – Norwood Bloxom

Other members were Howard West, Graham Bloxom, Carlton West, G. D. Taylor Jr. and Alton Bloxom.

Other companies soon followed suit, and to this day many fire companies on the Shore have a separate group of “junior members” or “cadets”, though current laws strictly limit their activities.

The decade of the 1940’s also saw the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company become increasingly active in fire fighting activities as well as community service. Church services were held in the upstairs of the fire station for several years, until the congregation was able to raise enough money to build a church in 1948, which was, coincidently, constructed directly across the street from the firehouse. Tremendous fires destroying major buildings and in some cases, entire business districts occurred in the neighboring towns of Bloxom, Onley, Melfa, Onancock, Parksley and Exmore.

Some notable calls of this time period are listed from 1939 through April of 1953:

January 1940 – Late night fire razes Roger Colonna’s store and another house, Keller February 1940 – Fire heavily damages Roger’s building, North and Markets Streets, Onancock February 1940 – Six businesses were totally destroyed or heavily damaged by fire, Bloxom July 1940 – “Elliesland”, home of the Folly Creek Country Club, burns in afternoon blaze, Accomac October 1940 – Tasley firemen sent to Horntown to extinguish a fire in a mill there December 1940 – Planter’s Manufacturing Co. near Tasley destroyed by fire February 1941 – Hance West’s Sinclair filling station burned, Nelsonia February 1942 – Eastern Shore Baking Plant damaged by fire, Onley February 1942 – The produce, seed, and fertilizer business of Frank Drummond destroyed, Melfa
	April 1944 – Bijou Theater, Onley, fell prey to flames and was damaged, according to the Peninsula Enterprise April 7th, 1944 edition, when “(the projectionst) was showing Ann Sothern in ‘Swing Shift Maize’ when the film broke and exploded at 8:05 o’clock.” November 1942 – R. C. Ashby’s hardware store and L. B. Phillip’s grocery burn, threaten several homes, Belle Haven September 1943 – 3000 gallon gasoline and fuel oil spill and resulting fire threatened to destroy H. C. Watson Oil Co. bulk plant, Onley October 1944 – Part of Virginia Mill & Lumber Co. destroyed by $20,000 fire, Belle Haven December 1944 – Seven companies fought a blaze which destroyed the former Cavalier Restaurant, Exmore
January 1950 – Fire guts the Eastern Shore Publishing Company, housing the weekly paper the Eastern Shore News, Onancock. Damages estimated at $75,000.00 May 1945 – Fire destroys $12,500.00 of lumber and machinery at William Timmons & Sons mill, near Silver Beach July 1945 – A lightning strike sets a fire that consumed a 2 ½ acre warehouse at G. L. Webster’s factory, Cheriton. Losses were expected to reach one million dollars. February 1948 – An exploding oil burner destroyed Fitzhugh Parker’s store and residence near Savageville
	June 1952 – Lewis Brothers Lumber Co. suffers $10,000.00 mill fire, Accomac March 1950 – Fire completely burned landmark Fox Hotel and W. C. Jacob’s produce office, Onley June 1950 – H. A. West’s lumber mill suffers $10,000.00 fire loss, Tasley November 1951 – Historic Bowman’s Folly, built by Gen. John Cropper in 1815, heavily damaged by fire, Accomac February 1952 – The large three story Mrs. C. M. Dunton home declared a total loss in afternoon fire, Onley July 1952 – Baker’s 5 and 10 Cent store was totally destroyed by $75,000.00 fire, Parksley March 1953 – Fire gutted the service station and home of Milton Taylor, Nelsonia

As time went on, the fire company realized the need to improve and update their equipment. In 1953, the third engine of Tasley Volunteer Fire Company was delivered. It was a Ford Seagrave with a 500 gallon tank and a 500 GPM two stage pump.

For a time, the fire company kept three engines in service, the 1927 Prospect sitting outside of the two bay engine house. The company decided it would be best to sell “Old Hess”. As luck would have it, the nearby community of Bloxom was forming a volunteer fire company in 1954. Their officers and those from Tasley got together, established a purchase price of $300.00, and in a short time Tasley’s first motorized unit became the first engine of the newly formed Bloxom Volunteer Fire Company and served the Bloxom community for several years.

More coming soon....