Miles Stemple – A Real Conshohocken Hero

Miles Stemple

A Real Conshohocken Hero

By Jack Coll

1-29-25

     This is a story about an incredible man named Miles “Miley” Stemple.  Miley was born to William and Elizabeth (Hornkeith) Stemple on February 12, 1849, in Plymouth Township on Whiskey Lane, (Colwell Lane) at the junction of Mill Road which at the time was the property of Alan Wood Iron and Steel Company just outside Conshohocken Village.  Conshohocken wasn’t incorporated until a year later in 1850. 

     Miley attended the Eight Square School House once located on West North Lane in Plymouth Township, the school house was later the residence of the Racich family. The location of the school is currently an entrance-way into an apartment complex.

     Miley’s family moved to Washington Street, then a main thoroughfare of the community in Conshohocken when he was a young boy and he completed his education at the Third Avenue School.  Miley’s father William was an extensive dealer in horses and cattle and did considerable hauling for the blast furnaces in the Spring Mill area.

     As a youngster Miley took an active part in this work and for a number of years was more or less identified with his father’s business and other interest along these similar lines, he later took a job at the steel mill of the Schuylkill Iron and Steel Works once owned by Jawood Lukens who built his small mansion at the corner of East Sixth Avenue and Fayette Street, the site is currently occupied by the 7-11 convenience store. 

     In 1873, when Miley was 24 years old a fire at the Plymouth Blast Furnace got out of control of the workers and the town had no fire department to call on.  So, the fire department of Norristown was called upon to travel to Conshohocken in an effort to save the plant from total destruction.  Had this fire not been controlled and the furnace destroyed, there would have been much suffering in the town as the furnace and foundry were the town’s principal industries and their stoppage would have thrown many of the community’s men out of work.

     One must remember that the Norristown Fire Department at that time was equipped with a horse and hand-drawn water wagon and by the time the horses were strapped to the water tank on wheels it was a long way to pull the water-loaded tank on dirt roads from Norristown taking about an hour.

     Following the fire at the Blast Furnace a meeting was called at Davey Stemple’s Hall once located on Forrest Street between Hector and Elm Streets, on a Saturday evening, December 13, 1873 to form what would become the Washington Hose and Steam Fire Company, in early 1874 the company chartered and the growth of the fire company began.

     Miles Stemple became an early member of the fire department and due to his efforts throughout the rest of his life the Washington Fire Company became one of the most noted fire companies within a four-state radius. Miley was a very popular figure throughout the community and in no-time became the fire chief of the organization.

     The company’s first apparatus consisted of an old hand-drawn engine purchased from the Wilmington, Delaware, fire department.  Through Miley’s efforts this was quickly replaced by a model American-La France steamer, and a pair of fine horses. (The horses names were Sam and Frank)

     Once the Conshohocken Washington Fire Company incorporated, the appropriation from the borough was way too meager to meet the cost of any improvements even with the fire company’s members all paying dues in an effort to meet any improvement cost.  Miley conceived the idea of going into business for the company.  He purchased a dray wagon and solicited hauling from the business firms throughout the borough and beyond.  The proceeds made through the business were turned over to the fire department for improvements as well as meeting the monthly expenses.  It was Miley who paid for the wagon and horses and it was Miley who worked the hauling business and it was Miley who turned over every cent he earned to help better the fire company and help purchase improved fire equipment.

     As the years passed a modern motor combination truck was purchased, the $6,000 cost for the truck was paid with the money Miley earned in the hauling business.  Further additions to the equipment and building were his constant ambition, and were realized from time to time through his tireless efforts.   

     When the first two story building was erected for the fire company on a piece of ground the fire company purchased from the borough on Hector Street in 1876, it was Miley who paid a good portion of the $3, 800. For the erection of the two-story building.  The third story of the building was added in 1908 at a cost of $10,000.  The third floor became a social hall, the social hall was used by members on Saturday night firehouse get-togethers where the sound of live music and dancing, along with a few drinks went deep into Sunday mornings and the Hall was also rented out as a source of income for the company.  Miles Stemple agreed to supply the $10,000 for the third floor addition accepting only the company’s word in recognition of the obligation.

     During the entire history of the department every penny received by him for the department was accounted for with the most careful precision and every penny devoted to the particular object for which it was intended.  

     Miley also served on Conshohocken Borough Council from 1905 until 1919.  During that fourteen year stretch many changes and improvements were made by council for the betterment of the town, including years of planning a new concreate bridge connecting the two Conshohocken boroughs. During his term on council, he was a strong supporter of road improvements, many of the borough’s streets were still dirt roads, and the re-grading of Fayette Street, which by that time had become the borough’s main throughfare. Miley was praised for his dedication and work as chairman of the trees and pavements committee, it was said at the time of his death that his work as the chairman constituted a monument to his memory second only to the fire department.

     Then came the fire at the Moose Home on May 30, 1920, he was at the firehouse when the alarm sounded, Miley did what fireman do and hopped on the truck and drove the distance of one block to find the Moose Home, then located at the corner of Spring Mill Avenue and Harry Street. At the age of 72 years old Miley thought nothing of entering the building as he was the first one on the scene, set, and raced up the ladder and made his way to the third floor, said to have been looking for any occupants of the building when the floor gave-way under him.  He fell upon joists beneath him suffering severe injuries.  An injury to his arm received immediate attention, but no one seemed too concerned about the internal effects from the fall, believing them to be negligible.

     It took nearly a year for the internal Moose Lodge fire injuries to catch-up to Miley, the fall had damaged his liver and kidney and complications had set-in, slowly bringing his life to a close.  On March 14, 1921, he answered his final call as an active fireman. 

      Knowing that his time was short, he made all the funeral arrangements even going to Riverside Cemetery in a motor car and choosing his burial plot.  He made all the arrangements for a smooth transition at the fire house.

     He died at his home on August 20, 1921, at his own request the funeral obsequies were held at the fire house where he laid in state in the second-floor parlor so that the community could pay their respects.  It was reported that more than 5,000 people passed through the firehouse to pay respect to the Father of Conshohocken fire-fighters.

     Most all of the businesses in town both retail and industrial factories all closed down upon hearing about Miley’s death on August 20, 1921.

     Fireman from towns across the state of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware all came to Conshohocken to pay their respects.  It was reported that nearly two hundred cars traveled in the procession that included members of the John F. DeHaven Post and many fire-trucks to Riverside Cemetery where the driveway leading into the cemetery was lined with people and many of the mourners paying respects couldn’t make it through the cemetery gates due to the thickness of the crowd.

     When the procession left Conshohocken heading for Norristown, Fayette Street, Hector Street and other prominent roads and highways were shut-down so the nearly two-hundred cars and trucks in the funeral procession could make their way to the cemetery. 

     “The universal esteem in which Mr. Stemple was held was clearly attested by the profound regret expressed by all.  The memory of his usefulness and the gallant spirit which inspired all his activities will long be cherished by the people of this community, who feel that they are indeed blessed in his having been among them.” (Taken from a sketch from the Montgomery County, “A History” by Clifton S. Hunsicker, 1923)

     Miley and his wife Margaret McGraugh left behind a legacy of firefighting Stemples that spanned more than a century, firefighting family members included

Reuben Stemple, William Stemple, Jesse Stemple Sr., Jesse Stemple Jr., and Jesse R. Stemple.

God Bless our all of our firefighters