Daniel Glazier

(July 1, 1835-Mar. 11, 1873). Fire chief and the first Indianapolis fireman to die in the line of duty, Daniel Glazier was born in Uniontown, Maryland. He moved to Marion County with his parents in 1838. In 1850, he became a resident of the city and five years later joined the volunteer fire company named The Unions. The volunteer companies disbanded in favor of a municipal fire department in 1859, and in 1860 Glazier became engineer of the Indianapolis Fire Department‘s (IFD) Fire Engine No. 3, located at the former Unions’ firehouse. In 1870, Glazier was elected Chief Fire Engineer in consideration of his “fearlessness of danger, efficiency, and generous conduct.”

On March 11, 1873, Glazier led his men into a fire at the Woodburn Sarven Wheel Company building (see Fires). Glazier was killed, and several firemen were injured when one of the building’s walls collapsed on top of them. The funeral, held at Glazier’s home at 185 South New Jersey Street, was one of the largest in the city up to that time. Glazier’s legacy included two sons who became firemen.

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