The Relief Fire Club was formed in Salem, Massachusetts, on June 24, 1803. The Articles of Association were revised in 1835. The number of members was not to exceed forty-five. The stated purposed of the organization was to "afford relief and assistance to the persons and property of each other" and "to promote harmony and good fellowship among new members." Each member was to furnish himself with a pair of new buckets. Two ladders, thirty-four feet long, were to be procured by the club. On the notice of fire, each member was to immediately report with his buckets and bag to the dwelling, store, or shop of the member he deemed to be in most danger.

The earliest record of a meeting in this collection is one that was held November 14, 1824, at the Salem Hotel. A moderator was chosen for each meeting, and meetings were held four times a year in February, May, August, and November. Among moderators chosen were: Benjamin Crowninshield, Joseph Ropes, Joseph Sprague, Capt. Samuel Cook, and Dr. Samuel Johnson. Meetings were later held at the Lafayette Coffee House and the Mansion House.