We had been thinking about it all fall and winter, how to stop the grass fires that came often when the train came through?  How to get help when the fireplace flue sparks caught the roof on fire of homes in the valley?  How do we protect people and property from the devastation of fire?  Hudson had a fire department but they were a big city and near the river.

On the 4th day of March, 1920, we (W. Gordon Cox, A. Ross Rider, Arthur L. Williams, William Schell, John Thomas, Leroy W. Dodge and J.H. Cox), the Congregational Church Men's fellowship came before Louis W. Rider, Notary Public, and executed a certificate of membership corporation to start a fire company in the Town of New Lebanon.

On the 30th day of March, 1920, we met with the Town Board of the Town of New Lebanon, we requested and received the backing of the town in perserverance of forming a fire corporation as stated in Section100 of Membership Corporation Law to act in the Town of New Lebanon.  On the 1st day of February, 1921, the certificate of incorporation for the Lebanon Valley Protective Association was filed in the office of the Secretary of State, State of New York sealed by A.W. Taft.

We are now official.  We received 2 buckets each to bring with us purchased by money we gave to provide water for whatever conflagration may occur.

On the 6th day of March, 1933, we had our first meeting with written minutes in the Tilden Company office.  We elected a Foreman, now known as Chief, A. Ross Rider and Assistant Foreman, now known as Assistant Chief, Charles Petit as well as a President J.H. Cox and Secretary Treasurer A. Ross Rider.  All of our improvements, members and deeds are noted in these minutes.

A. Ross Rider, Secretary