David S. Scannell ( – March 30, 1893) was an American

firefighter A firefighter is a first responder and rescuer extensively trained in firefighting, primarily to extinguish hazardous fires that threaten life, property, and the environment as well as to rescue people and in some cases or jurisdictions also ...

, law enforcement official, and veteran of the Mexican–American War.

Biography

Scannell was born in New York City in about 1820, and began working as a volunteer firefighter when he was just twelve years old. In 1846 he volunteered to fight during the Mexican–American War, and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 2nd Regiment of Foot of New York. His unit fought at the battles of Veracruz, Cerro Gordo,

Contreras Contreras is a Spanish surname of toponymic origin, for "from the surrounding area". It is a common family name in the Hispanic-speaking world. People *Adán Amezcua Contreras (born c. 1969), Mexican co-leader (with his two younger brothers) of t ...

Churubusco Churubusco is a neighbourhood of Mexico City. Under the current territorial division of the Mexican Federal District, it is a part of the borough ''(delegación)'' of Coyoacán. It is centred on the former Franciscan monastery ''(ex convento de C ...

, Chapultepec and Garita de Belen. His unit experienced extremely heavy casualties, but Scannell returned to New York uninjured. In 1851 he moved from New York to California during the

California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...

. He joined San Francisco's volunteer fire department, and enrolled in a local militia. Scannell was San Francisco's third elected Sheriff, serving from 1855 to 1856. When San Francisco Fire Department transitioned from an organization staffed by volunteers to one staffed by full-time paid staff Scannell served as its first fire chief.

Death and legacy

Scannell died on March 30, 1893, in San Francisco. He was buried in

Lone Mountain Cemetery Lone Mountain Cemetery was a complex of cemeteries in the Lone Mountain (California), Lone Mountain neighborhood of San Francisco, California on the land bounded by the present-day California Street, Geary Boulevard, Parker Avenue, and Presidio ...

. His remains were moved to Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California before 1941. Scannell's will and testament established an award, the David S. Scannell Medal, to be given annually to an outstanding San Francisco firefighter. In 1909, the city named a fireboat after him, the '' David Scanell''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scannell, David S. 1820s births 1893 deaths American fire chiefs People from New York City Burials at Laurel Hill Cemetery (San Francisco) Burials at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park People from San Francisco American people of the Mexican–American War California sheriffs