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The
artifact of the month for February, 2005, is a silver-colored badge,
probably worn by Robert “Bob” Logan, Jr, when he served with the
Healdsburg Fire Department in the late 1880’s. It says “RESCUE 4
H.F.D.” and is printed over a crossed hook and ladder. The badge was
donated by Logan’s son’s wife in 1968.
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Bob
Logan’s father, Captain Robert Sterling Logan, was a native of
Scotland who immigrated to the United States as a child. As a
young man in Ohio, Captain Logan entered the shoemaking trade.
He married his wife, Barbara Smith, in Cincinnati in 1860. When
the Civil War broke out he became Captain of the 5th
Ohio Regulars, and served in many of the major battles.
Following the war the Logans (parents and five children: Jessie,
Emma, Bob, Harry, and Tom) came to San Francisco, California.
There they resided about five years before moving north to
Healdsburg in 1881. Captain Logan opened a cobbler’s shop on the
northwest corner of West Street (Healdsburg Avenue) and Matheson
Street (where Hotel Healdsburg’s Café Newsstand stands today).
Bob Logan, born in 1865, in Cincinnati, Ohio,
arrived in Healdsburg as a teen. The oldest Logan son, Bob
worked in his father’s cobbler shop. He was also an active
member of the Healdsburg Fire Department, to which he was
elected Chief Engineer by vote of his fellow firemen in
December, 1888. (He was Chief in 1889.) At that time the Fire
Department operated out of the large Healdsburg City Hall, built
in 1886, on the southeast corner of Matheson and Center Streets.
During the 1880’s membership in the fire department was
all-volunteer, and in addition to fighting fires, members took
part in many social activities, including banquets, parades, and
competitions against departments from other town.
Bob Logan lived with his parents in Healdsburg
about ten years, until he obtained a job as a mail carrier with
the San Francisco post office in 1890. From then until his death
in 1932, when he died on the job, Bob Logan worked as a mail
carrier in San Francisco. (His brother, Harry, also worked for
the Healdsburg Fire Department, and then the San Francisco Post
Office.) The brothers enjoyed coming up to Healdsburg to visit
their parents during vacations. With his wife Rose Schniede, Bob
had two sons, Robert and Herbert. |
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The Healdsburg Fire Department
Hook & Ladder Team in front of City Hall, c. 1889 (Chief
Engineer Tom Logan is standing on top of wagon. |
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The Logan Cobbler Shop at the
northwest corner of West St. (now Healdsburg Ave.) and
Matheson Street, c. 1886. Captain Logan is third from the
left, and Bob Logan is third from the right. |
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Closeup of Logan Shoe-Making
sign, c.1886 |
Chief Fire Engineer, Bob Logan,
c.1889 |
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References:
“Death of Captain Logan.” Healdsburg Tribune, February 15, 1917.
“Death of Mrs. Robert Logan.” Healdsburg Tribune, June 3, 1915.
“Firemen’s Election.” Healdsburg Enterprise; December 15, 1888.
“Harry Logan, Retired Bay City Mail Carrier, Dies.” Healdsburg
Tribune, December, 8, 1944.
Nardi, Tom. “Robert S. Logan: Healdsburg’s “Other” Civil War
Hero.” Russian River Recorder, Winter 1996: Issue 55.
“Robert Logan Dies Suddenly.” Healdsburg Tribune, December 8,
1944.
Shobe, Marie. “The First Century of the Healdsburg Fire
Department.” Russian River Recorder, Autumn 2002: Issue 78.
“Thomas Logan is Found Dead.” The Sotoyome Scimitar, October 16,
1930
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