USA > Connecticut > New London County > A modern history of New London County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 6
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In August, 18.10, it was voted by the directors that the office of the company should be at the office of John DeWitt (its first secretary) in Norwich. By common understanding its office has always remained in Norwich, the present home-office building at Nos. 59-61 Broadway having been purchased by it in 1913 and developed for handling its business in the most modern and efficient manner.
The first policy contract issued, adopted on August 4th, 1840, was a model instrument, and as in the early days the State did not attempt to control the N.L .- 1-30
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form of policy and each company doing business in Connecticut did so on its own contract, with minor amendments the original policy-contract of the company held for fifty-three years. In 1893 there was introduced into the General Statutes of Connecticut by act of legislature a specified standard form of policy to which all companies doing business in the State must conform. Though this prescribed form of fire insurance contract has now been extant in Connecticut for twenty-eight years, it is a peculiar fact that even to-day frequently an assured will take his company to task for clauses in the agree- ment which he infers may have been written into the instrument arbitrarily by his own individual company, and with malice aforethought to his disad- vantage. This is particularly true in some cases following loss. The com- panies are not responsible; 'tis the law of the State, and even the size of type to be used in the printing is specified ( !).
Since the first board of directors elected in 1840, in all there have been forty-six individuals directing the affairs of the company in that capacity. The present directors are F. H. Allen, H. H. Gallup, S. A. Gilbert, W. F. Lester, S. B. Palmer, W. H. Prothero, N. D. Sevin, and E. A. Tracy of Nor- wich ; J. K. Guy of Middletown ; C. R. Marvin of Deep River ; F. A. Stevens of Meriden; and O. E. Wulf of Putnam.
Joseph Backus was the first president of the company, being elected at its first meeting, and serving until March Ist, 1844, when he was succeeded by Joel W. White, who was in turn succeeded by Jonathan G. Huntington in 1848. Mr. Huntington presided over the destinies of the Company for fifteen years, and was its presiding officer when he died, and his successor, Elijah A. Bill, was elected on April 21st, 1859. On January 13th, 1868, Eben- ezer F. Parker was elected president. Mr. Parker's long term extended to January 15th, 1895, when he was obliged to retire, Charles J. Winters being elected in his place. The office was held by Mr. Winters until February 3rd, 1903, when the present president of the company, Hon. Henry H. Gallup, was elected.
The first secretary was John DeWitt, whose faithful service during its years of inception was invaluable to the company. He retained the office until on December 10th, 1847, it was necessary to name Joshua H. DeWitt as secretary pro tem., being confirmed secretary in March, 1849. Mr. DeWitt resigned on July Ist, 1853, the secretaryship being taken temporarily by Horace Whitaker until the election of John L. Devotion on December 30th, 1853. For twenty-two years Mr. Devotion filled the office, and was secretary of the company at his death in February, 1875. During the remainder of 1875 there was no secretary elected in the interim, Clarence J. Fillmore and P. St. M. Andrews acting pro tem. At the succeeding annual meeting held on January 24th, 1876, Clarence J. Fillmore was elected secretary, resigning on July 24th, 1878. He was immediately followed by William Roath, who was confirmed secretary of the company on January 23rd, 1879. Mr. Roath resigned on January 19th, 1885. On January 23rd. 1885, Jerome F. Williams was elected secretary, retaining the office until his sudden death in the office of the company on April 28th, 1902. Bela P. Learned was elected June 19th, 1902, being succeeded by Frank L. Lathrop on February 3rd, 1903. Mr.
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Lathrop resigned on January 19th, 1909, and was succeeded by Walter F. Lester, present secretary.
The first recorded loss registers a quaint note on the minutes: "Voted, That the Secretary cause the House of George Kelley to be painted at the end and the injury sustained by the late fire on Said House repaired." The growth of the company in the early years was that of any new organization of the nature, necessarily conservative. The first concrete tabulation of premium income and loss outgo appears in 1842, when the losses paid were $1,028.24 (premiums $2,011.42). Ten years later the losses paid were $4,768.82 (pre- miums $4,468.66!). In 1920 nearly four hundred losses were paid, covering every township in Connecticut and amounting to $63,817.91 (premiums $190,468.58).
By-law 2 of the original rules stated the purpose for which the Company was organized : the insurance of dwelling houses primarily, though furniture, barns and out-buildings were also mentioned, as well as libraries and other public buildings. As a matter of fact, however, in common with all of the New England mutual companies, the main subjects of insurance were private dwelling houses and their contents. This soon took them by necessity into the rural districts, and at the present time this class of companies is the insurer of practically all farm property in New England, and to a very large measure in the entire country. Apparently the scope of operation was not sufficient, for in May, 1841, it was voted by the directors that "hereafter this office will extend their risques to stores and merchandise." It is doubtful if, without this added latitude, the company could have gained a broad business. The premiums soon began to increase, and in 1860 the total for the year was $5,745.08. Growth was slow during the period influenced by the Civil War, and in 1886, about twenty years after the close of the war, showed only $7,072.71. Succeeding this, expansion was more rapid, and in 1900 premium income was $29,981.04. In the past twenty years the figures are as follows: 1905, $51,882.97 ; 1910, $65,807.29; 1915, $112,348.00; while in 1920 the gross premium income was $190,468.58, and less reinsurance and return premium, a net of $162,674.17. Since its organization the combined premium income of the company has been nearly two and one-half millions, and the entire loss payment about one and one-half millions. The recent rapid growth of the company is evidenced by the fact that more than one-half of the figures of premium just quoted have been received in the past twelve years; and in the past fifteen years about one-half of the total losses have been paid. The premium income of a week to-day is nearly equivalent to that for a year fifty years ago.
The first agent appointed to represent the company outside of Norwich was A. C. Lippitt, in New London, on December 22nd, 1842; the second similar appointment was Samuel W. Wood, of Ledyard, to cover the territory in the towns of Ledyard, Stonington, North Stonington, Groton, Preston and Griswold. Other appointments were slowly made until fifteen years later, in 1855, ten agents were in the field. On April 16th, 1849, Timothy T. Merwin was appointed "for taking insurance in the City of Boston and Vicinity." The name of Enoch Hobart appears on the records for some years succeeding.
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though it is not possible to determine the amount of business transacted in Boston ; probably this was small. It is also impossible to establish the facts relative to the activity of the company in New York, and it would appear that little was done.
Two living agents have represented the company for a period approaching fifty years. James K. Guy was appointed agent, first for the city of Meriden, in 1877; he is now agent in Middletown, having been located there for many years. Silas Chapman, Jr., agent for the city of Hartford and vicinity, first became connected with the company in 1879, and is still representing it in his field. The office of William C. Atwater & Sons in Derby has represented the company continuously for over fifty-one years. William C. Atwater was appointed agent in 1870, his business being immediately taken up by his sons at his decease on March 19th, 1909.
The present personnel of agents numbers sixty-four, covering every city, town and hamlet in Connecticut. Thirty-five of these have represented the company twenty-five years or more. The company is entered only in Con- necticut, and does no business outside of its home State. In its own field, however, in 1919 it out-ranked one hundred and fifty-six of the one hundred and seventy-eight American and foreign companies doing business in Con- necticut in amount of premium received. Of the twenty-one companies doing a larger business, a large proportion were the great stock companies of Hart- ford. Indeed, outside of Connecticut companies, only nine American and five foreign companies exceeded its business in the State.
A total of two hundred and twenty-eight thousand eight hundred and forty-nine (228,849) policies have been issued to this date (May 17th, 1921). In the year 1920 a total income of $210,406.78 was received, and the last annual statement on December 31st, 1920, shows gross assets of $490,027.33. All liabilities amounted to $222,798.36, this figure being made up of an item of $1,480.50 covering unpaid current losses in process of adjustment, and an unearned premium reserve of $221,317.86; this is the reserve held by State law to protect risks in force, as referred to in a previous paragraph. In the aggregate the company carries risks in Connecticut amounting to about thirty- five million dollars.
The present officers are: Henry H. Gallup, president; Walter F. Lester, secretary ; William H. Prothero, treasurer ; Arthur L. Peale, assistant secre- tary. The last quinquennial examination of the company by Hon. Burton Mansfield, Insurance Commissioner of Connecticut, was completed in De- cember, 1920, and in the official report of the results made by Actuary Thomas F. Tarbell, committee for the examination, appears the following: "In general I find that the New London County Mutual Fire Insurance Company is in very good financial condition; its loss settlements are made promptly and with fairness to the insured; its business is carried on efficiently; and its underwriting policy is conservative."
In 1859 the fourth fire insurance company to be organized in Norwich was instituted by capitalists of that city under the name of the Thames Fire Insurance Company, beginning with a capital of $113,700, increasing to $200,000 in 1864. The president of the company was Amos W. Prentice,
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and its secretaries O. P. Rice, 1859; B. B. Whittemore, 1864. Having settled all claims, the company went out of business in 1866, the stockholders receiv- ing fifty per cent. of the face value of their shares.
Fire Insurance Agents in the County .- Many a fling has been taken at the good old doctor whose supplementary occupation was that of soliciting life-insurance, as well as the merchant whose sign announced to the public his engagement in the dual business of undertaking and fire insurance.
As a matter of fact, at its inception, insurance, particularly the branch of fire insurance, did not achieve recognition as the important element in the commercial world it enjoys now, and in the early days a sparse living would be that of the man depending alone on his emoluments as a fire insurance agent. Thus the grocer would frequently employ his proverbial back-room for another purpose than that for which back rooms were supposed to be used, and occasionally would flourish his pen in the execution of a fire insurance policy therein; the tinsmith would pause in his labors to issue contracts of protection to his neighbors; and even the lowly barber between tonsorial efforts frequently sought auxiliary income through representation of a fire insurance company. Modern tendency in the smaller places is inclined still to link the fire insurance business with other lines of endeavor, a very common combination being that of real estate and insurance pursuits.
One of the earliest appointments in New London county as agent for an outside company is that of Jonathan George Washington Trumbull, who was designated as such by the Hartford Fire Insurance Company for Norwich and vicinity in the year that company was chartered, 1810. The Hartford Fire has been represented continuously in this vicinity by successive appointments as follows : Russell Hubbard, May, 1823; Samuel H. Starr, November, 1838; Charles B. Andrews, November, 1845; Ebenezer Learned, May, 1846; Perkins & Learned, April, 1866; Thomas H. Perkins, August, 1869; Perkins & Parker Bros., March, 1879; Parker Bros., August, 1880; and John F. Parker, January, 1886, who still represents it. The present incumbent, however, began his connection with the insurance business on June 27th, 1865, on that date be- coming clerk for Thomas H. Perkins. Mr. Parker, while being connected by succession with probably the oldest continuous agency in the county, is also second in his term of identification with the fire insurance business, being superceded only by Alden A. Baker of Colchester.
Alden A. Baker, agent in Colchester on original personal appointment for nearly fifty-eight years, is easily the dean of the business in New London county and possibly in the State. Mr. Baker was appointed on October Ist, 1864, as the first agent in Colchester for the City Fire Insurance Company of Hartford, this company having long since retired from business. He has since represented other companies by subsequent appointments, now repre- senting the Ætna Insurance Company and the Hartford County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, both of Hartford.
Among living agents the next in term of connection is Jerome S. Ander- son of Stonington, who is in his fiftieth year as agent. Mr. Anderson was appointed in January, 1872, and, like Mr. Baker in Colchester, organized his
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agency individually, and has also similarly continued in business without associates. He now represents ten of the leading companies.
Others now in the business who have been identified with it in the county for thirty years or more are, in order : Frank L. Lathrop, of the firm of J. L. Lathrop & Sons, of Norwich; Frank W. Batty, of the firm of T. E. Packer & Co., of Mystic; Horace C. Learned, of the firm of J. C. Learned & Sons, of New London ; Harley B. Buell and Samuel P. Willard, of the firm of Buell & Willard, Colchester ; Henry L. Bailey, agent at Groton ; Walter F. Lester, secretary of the New London County Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Norwich; George H. Robinson, agent at Stonington; Royal G. Holmes, of the firm of N. Tarrant & Co., Norwich; Frank I. Royce, agent at Norwich ; and Miss Janie L. Edgar, agent at New London. Others who have had a substantial connection with the business are Isaac S. Jones, William F. Hill, Ebenezer Learned, and Miss Margaret Fuller, in Norwich; Sidney H. Miner, J. M. Graves, Wallace R. Johnson, William S. Chappell, Samuel Prince, James R. May, Fitch D. Crandall, P. Hall Shurts and Reginald W. Rowland, in New London; Frederick S. Leonard, Jewett City; William E. Manning, Yantic; Daniel B. Denison and Frank H. Hinckley, Mystic; Alvah B. Cone, Groton; William P. Adams, Colchester; Charles J. Manwaring, Niantic. Many other agencies exist in the county of more recent organization, a number of which have come to be leading elements in the business.
In the past thirty-five years the number of agents has nearly quadrupled. The list published by the Connecticut Insurance Department in 1886 embraces twenty-nine names in New London county. In 1921 the list shows one hundred and eight. Of the twenty-nine shown in the list of 1886, only eleven appear identically the same in 1921.
In the foregoing, reference is made only to living fire insurance agents in New London county, and it is impossible to record in full the agencies that have come and gone. Interesting facts, however, relate to the origin of the older existent agencies, some of which find their inception previous to the middle of the last century. Of these the three oldest (and all organized previous to 1850) are B. P. Learned & Company and James E. Fuller & Com- pany in Norwich, and J. C. Learned & Sons in New London. The first men- tioned was founded by Ebenezer Learned, in May, 1846. In October, 1870, it was taken over by his son, Bela P. Learned, and conducted in the name of the latter until May, 1903, when the firm of B. P. Learned & Company was established, Ebenezer Learned (son of Bela P.) and Walter F. Lester becoming partners. Mr. Lester withdrew from the firm in January, 1909, upon election to the secretaryship of the New London County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and on March 10th, 1910, Bela P. Learned died. Since that date the agency has been continued in the name of B. P. Learned & Company by Ebenezer Learned, grandson of its founder.
In 1847, J. C. Learned established the agency now known as J. C. Learned & Sons, in New London. In 1865 Walter Learned, a son, became a member of the firm under the name of J. C. Learned & Son, and in 1882 Horace C. Learned, another son, was admitted to partnership, the firm then becoming
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J. C. Learned & Sons, the senior member continuing his connection up to the time of his death in 1892. Walter Learned died in 1915, and the agency is now operated by Horace C. Learned under the last adopted title.
Up to 1842, Ebenezer Fuller was engaged in Norwich in the dry goods business. Ceasing the dry goods business in that year, it is quite probable that he at once engaged in the business of fire insurance, even if he had not pre- viously combined the two pursuits. Through these facts it is quite possible that this agency antedates the two agencies just referred to, and may be the earliest instituted firm now conducted by a member of the family of the organizer. The first definite evidence, however, of Ebenezer Fuller's con- nection with the business is the record of his being agent in 1848 (how much earlier cannot be ascertained, though the connection began previously) of the Middlesex Mutual Assurance Company of Middletown, Connecticut, of which company he was a director from June, 1857, to June, 1866. James Ebenezer Fuller, son of Ebenezer Fuller, succeeded him and conducted the agency for a great many years. Upon his recent death, the business was continued by his daughter, Margaret Fuller, who conducts it under the title of James E. Fuller & Company.
Some time prior to 1856, Charles H. Denison started an agency in Mystic, but in that year associated wih himself Thomas E. Packer, the firm becoming Denison & Packer. In 1875 William H. Potter entered the firm under the title of Denison, Packer & Company, continuing until 1882, when Messrs. Denison and Potter withdrew. Mr. Packer then operating the agency alone, on May 7th, 1882, began the employment of his son-in-law, Frank W. Batty, as clerk, who in 1884 was admitted, the firm becoming T. E. Packer & Com- pany. This firm continued in business until the death of Mr. Packer in October, 1903, left Mr. Batty as the only member. The agency is still con- tinued under the same title by Mr. Batty, having associated with himself Mrs. Addie B. (Packer) Batty in April, 1920.
The agency in New London now operated by Janie L. Edgar was organ- ized by Miss Edgar's father, Thomas Edgar, in 1861. Through admission of his son, George P. Edgar, in 1877, the name became Thomas & George P. Edgar, being changed in 1886 to Thomas Edgar as originally. At the death of Thomas Edgar in 1909, the agency was taken by his daughter, who con- ducts it in her own name.
Henry L. Bailey, agent in Groton, is direct successor to the agency organ- ized in that township in July, 1864, by Asa Perkins (2nd). Mr. Bailey pur- chased the business in July, 1890, and continues it individually. At one time Mr. Perkins was a popular school-master, and it is interesting to note that his agency evolved from that profession.
Reference has already been made to the agency of Alden A. Baker, estab- lished in Colchester in 1864, and of Mr. Baker's unique distinction in con- tinuously and individually maintaining its operation to the present time.
In Colchester, Salmon C. Gillette organized an agency some time prior to 1869, successors to whom are Messrs. Buell & Willard of that place.
Between 1870 and 1900 the following existent agencies were established: Selden & Royce (now Frank I. Royce) Norwich, 1870; N. Tarrant & Com-
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pany, Norwich, 1871 ; Jerome S. Anderson, Stonington, 1872; J. L. Lathrop & Sons, Norwich, 1872; James H. Hill, New London, 1875; H. C. Weaver & Company, New London, 1876; J. E. Leonard & Son, Jewett City, 1882; E. V. Daboll & Company, New London, 1888; William P. Adams & Son, Colchester, 1888; George H. Robinson, Stonington, 1890; Sidney H. Miner, New London, 1894; Isaac S. Jones, Norwich, 1897; W. E. Manning, Yantic, 1898; James E. May, New London, 1898; A. B. Cone, Groton, 1900; and D. B. Denison, Mystic, 1900.
A number of important agencies have commenced business since 1900, and the following is a complete list of all agencies in New London county :
Colchester-William P. Adams & Son, Alden A. Baker, Buell & Willard, George Cutler, and Walter B. Lombard.
Franklin-R. W. Woodward.
Groton-Frank W. Allen, Henry L. Bailey, Frank L. Brake, Raymond C. Bugbee, Alvah B. Cone, W. Irving Dowsett, and Lydia E. Morgan.
Jewett City-Burdick & McNicol, John A. Hourigan, J. E. Leonard & Son and Herbert C. Webster.
Lyme-J. F. Bugbee, Edgar R. Champion and George P. Ely.
Montville-George H. Bradford, Charles R. Carlyle, John F. Casto.
Mystic-D. B. Denison, James Foley, Frank H. Hinckley, Newton H. Maynard, T. E. Packer & Company, John W. Phillips.
New London-D. M. Buckley, John J. Burns, A. C. Caracausa, W. S. Chappell, Jerome J. Collins, F. D. Crandall & Son, Elisha V. Daboll & Com- pany, Thomas F. Dorsey, Jr., Janie L. Edgar, Samuel Girven, F. L. Goss, George Goss, Marie M. Grove, James H. Hill, M. H. Hollandersky, Wallace R. Johnson, J. C. Learned & Sons, Louis B. Lincoln, Reuben Lord & Com- pany, Archibald S. MacFarland, James R. May, McGinley Bros., Inc., Sidney H. Miner. James Moran, Thomas R. Murray & Son, Charles C. Perkins, Samuel Prince, Allen C. Richards, Patrick A. Sheridan, P. Hall Shurts & Son, Anthony Silva, The Standard Realty Co., Augustus C. Stearns, John H. Walker, H. C. Weaver & Company, Thomas T. Wetmore, Jr.
Niantic-Charles J. Manwaring, E. C. Russell, Henry J. Weldon.
Noank-C. Hull Anderson, Gertrude B. Sawyer.
Norwich-Joseph S. Adams, Frank L. Arnold, Thomas H. Beckley, Harold S. Burt, Carter's Insurance Agency, James L. Case, Archa W. Coit, Angello V. Covello, John F. Craney, Francis D. Donohue, Louis J. Fontaine, Charles D. Foster, James E. Fuller & Company, William F. Hill & Son, G. Curtis Hull, Isaac S. Jones, George A. Lathrop, J. L. Lathrop & Sons, B. P. Learned & Co., Herbert M. Lerou, Louis H. Maples, John A. Moran, John F. Parker, Edmund A. Prentice, Lee R. Robbins, Royce Insurance Agency, N. Tarrant & Company.
Pawcatuck-Albert G. Martin, Charles A. Morgan.
Stonington-Jerome S. Anderson, Harry H. Doty, Lewis E. Hammond, Matthew T. Leahy, Oscar F. Pendelton, George H. Robinson.
Waterford-Alonzo M. Beebe, William C. Saunders.
Yantic-William E. Manning.
It would appear that New London county has acquitted itself well as relates to the matter of fire insurance. Its insurance companies have pro- tected many million dollars' worth of property ; its fire insurance agents have been among the very earliest in the field in representation of companies of
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every class and country, affording the broadest facilities in the insurance world.
It would hardly be fair to refrain from a word as to the people of New London county generally in their bearing on the subject of fire insurance. Their attitude of the early days made possible the cradling of insurance insti- tutions in the community and created an atmosphere of receptivity. In addition to helpng to organize such functions, they stood loyally behind them and their actual support sustained them. They have ever been ready to cooperate with insuring companies in the betterment of the physical hazard and condition of property under their control. If any company has ever withdrawn from the county on account of its unfavorable underwriting ex- perience, such withdrawal is not evident. The attitude of business interests in general toward a given section may be quite clearly indicated by the bear- ing of the insurers toward the assured; this with reference to the great fire insurance companies doing business the world over. And it may truthfully be said that such companies have a very cordial feeling for this section of Connecticut; New London county business has proven profitable to them through the attributes of its people.
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