USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > Centennial, 1836-1936. A brief account of the more significant events in the history of the county of Middlesex and of the growth of the Middlesex Mutual Assurance Company > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
Other resolutions pledged allegiance to the con- stitution and support for the families of volunteers in case of need. A committee consisting of Messrs. Ben- jamin Douglas (then lieutenant-governor ), William G. Hackstaff, W. P. Vinal, M. H. Griffin, C. C. Hubbard and Rev. Jeremiah Taylor, was appointed to carry out the resolution pertaining to caring for families of volun- teers. Benjamin Douglas told his workmen, "If any of them wished to volunteer their services for the govern- ment he would provide for their families during their absence and if they should gloriously fall on the battle-
.[ 44 ].
93
PEOPLE'S FIRE
INSURANCE COMPANY ASSETS $325.000.00 1865
Middlesex Moutual Aussurance bo.
MUTUA
D. W. CAMP, S. BABCOCK AND D. W. CHASE IN THE 80'S
field in defense of their country's flag, their wives and children should not want as long as he had a dollar to call his own."
The churches took up the battle cry. Clergymen electrified their audiences with patriotic sermons. Mass meetings were held in the churches. The halls of Wes- leyan rang with patriotic songs. On parade and plat- form the student body gave its enthusiastic support to the cause for which it was to carry arms.
On April 17, 1861, Governor Buckingham called for a regiment of volunteers, but instead of getting ten companies fifty-four enlisted. On April 20 the first full company, Company A, of the Second Connecticut Vol- unteers was complete. Every man enlisted on that day and every man was a resident of Middletown. That was only the beginning of Middletown's contribution. From a total population of 8,620 people in 1860, Middletown gave 958 men to the cause of liberty and the preserva- tion of the Union. They were at Bull Run, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Spotsylvania, Wilderness, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Cold Harbor, Fredericksburg, Shilo, Stone River, Petersburg and in many other lesser battles of the war. Their bravery and ability under fire is exemplified most brilliantly in the history of the Four- teenth Connecticut, the First Connecticut Heavy Artil- lery and the Twenty-fourth. They represented every class of society. They held every rank in the army from private to major-general.
In the dark hours of 1863, when the heart of the North was heavy and faltering at the terrible cost in lives, suffering and money, Middletown had an unusu- ally large number of strong and influential men in the pulpit, at the bar and in the schools who contributed
.[ 45 ].
much to the sentiment "fight on for country". With the influence of this group, the newspapers, the essayists, the poets and lecturers, the faltering turned to grim, unwavering determination which led to glorious victory.
From the money standpoint Middletown gave heavily, contributing approximately $5,360, 106.87 for Civil War purposes, or over $36 per man for every one of the 1474 who voted in the campaign which elected Lincoln president.
Of all Connecticut towns, Middletown stood seventh in the amount of money spent for war purposes, being outdone only by the larger towns of New Haven, Waterbury, Hartford, Norwich, Bridgeport and Dan- bury.
III
HROUGHOUT THE ERA of railroad pro- motion two men, William S. Camp and O. V. Coffin, both later to become pres- idents of the Middlesex Mutual Assur- ance Company, played prominent parts. As a progressive merchant Mr. Camp was chosen to secure lands for the Hartford and New Haven railroad. Mr. Coffin participated in the first reorganization of the New York and Boston Rail- road Company and was one of the original incorpora- tors of the Connecticut Valley Railroad. Always in the vanguard of progress these men saw in the growth of insurance a powerful new safeguard and stimulus to business. Mr. Camp had seen the young and tender Middlesex Mutual weather the financial storms of 1837
.[ 46 ].
and 1845 without wavering. He later secured a position with the company which led to the presidency in 1854. Mr. Coffin likewise saw the Middlesex Mutual stand firm against the railroad storms and became its presi- dent in 1884.
The progress that pushed the Middlesex Mutual out of its makeshift headquarters in John Smith's jewelry store to its first equipped offices in the basement of the Universalist Church in 1853, was in large meas- ure due to the conservative policy of company officials. They not only most carefully scrutinized all applica- tions before issuing policies, but also withstood the urge that comes with growth to expand over state lines. The wisdom of that policy was proved when many mutual and stock companies in New York and elsewhere be- came insolvent after the heavy fire losses in New York in 1845, others in Philadelphia, Boston and the famous Chicago fire in 1871.
Evidence of the care in laying the early foundation stones is to be found in the fact that the first regular salaries ever paid by the company were that $100 per year paid to the secretary in 1856, and $150 to the assistant secretary in the same year. More funds rolled in that year from a large number of new policyholders. In 1857 the secretary had his salary tripled and the assistant secretary was raised to $800. Even the treas- urer received $50 salary that year.
In 1859 the company's charter was amended so as to permit omission of the premium note and the writing of a non-assessable standard form of policy, still written to the present day. In spite of the war, in 1861 the secretary's salary was made $600 and his assistant's $900.
.[ 47 ].
To aid the Northern cause, Middlesex Mutual bought $2000 worth of government bonds in 1863.
Within the war decade, which spelled financial ruin for many business organizations and individuals, Mid- dlesex Mutual forged steadily ahead from $5,000,000 worth of business in force and a surplus of $43,000 to $12,500,000 in force and a surplus of $138,000. In pursuance of its policy of carefully selected risks and of investing only in real estate, government bonds and bank stocks, the company bought ground in 1866 south of its offices in the Universalist Church, and by 1867 had completed a 3-story building (known as the Mid- dlesex Building, 181 Main Street) which was for a number of years the pride of the city. Upon completion, the company's offices were removed to the second floor north, with the first floor being occupied by the Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank and the First National Bank. The second floor south was occupied by the Peoples Insurance Company. At one time or another practically all of Middletown's fraternal societies either had permanent headquarters in the building or used it for occasional affairs. Practically every night saw the building lighted up for some society affair.
On November 29, 1867, O. V. Coffin, who had become treasurer of the company earlier in the year, took over the job of janitor of the building which in- cluded the double duty of sweeping the office twice a week and keeping fires-all for $4 per week. Thus did the one-time Governor of Connecticut (1895-1897) and the later president of Middlesex Mutual Assurance Company ( 1884-1917) accept humble tasks as possible stepping stones to greater responsibility and a better station in life.
·[ 48 ].
Zł HOS ISSAVAIS
NEW YORK STORE
THE HOME OF GOVERNOR O. VINCENT COFFIN, PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY ISS4-1917
The decade of 1870 to 1880 brought even a greater growth than its predecessor, enlarging the personnel and increasing salaries. Starting off the period, Daniel W. Chase, a former Secretary but now retired, was em- ployed the day of the annual meeting, February 10, as a clerk and voted a salary of $150 for his first year. Of- ficers elected on that day were W. R. Galpin, president, with a salary of $400 per year; Horace F. Boardman, secretary, with a salary of $2000; C. W. Harris, assist- ant secretary with a salary of $1500; and O. V. Coffin treasurer at $150. It was voted also to divide $300 pro rata among the directors who attended board meetings during the coming year.
Typical of the monthly expense items of the com- pany during the Seventies is a list of expenses paid dur- ing June 1870 as follows :
Post Office Box Drawer
$ 1.00
Postage Stamps
11.00
Watering Street
5.00
Return Premiums
7.90
Advertising
1.00
Janitor
6.00
Revenue Stamps
101.50
During 1870 the company paid over $1200 for rev- enue stamps. Thus, as the company's record book stated "the cost of the Civil War is at this time being taken care of in part by the company". On December 13, Orange Judd Hall on the Wesleyan campus was insured for $ 5000 at the rate of 90 cents per $100 for the then largest policy ever issued by the company. The building, still standing today, has a rate of $1.64 per $100.
.[ 49 ].
Entering the Eighties the company first investigated the possibility of using steam as a heating system, but decided against it until later. In April 1881 the Knights of Pythias rented the company's hall as a lodge head- quarters, and on February 14 of the following year a future president of the company, Daniel William Camp, entered the service of the company at a salary of $200 a year. Upon the removal of the Farmers and Me- chanics Savings Bank from the first floor of the Mid- dlesex Building in September 1882, the company estab- lished its own headquarters in the space vacated.
Up to this time Middlesex Mutual's agency force had been built up to a point where it had representatives and a fair volume of business in practically every sec- tion of the state.
As in the case of practically all successful corpora- tions, the expansion fever broke out among certain of the directors and officers. Although skillfully resisted at first by the conservatives who pointed with pride to the company's many years of healthy growth within its own bailiwick of Connecticut, while other companies by the dozen fell prey to the huge fire losses in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Boston, yet the tide was too strong in 1889 to resist further, and the company was admitted to do business in Massachusetts. The class of business given the company by its Massachusetts agents did not prove profitable, however, and in 1907 the company again found itself confined to Connecticut alone. Innovations were the order of the day. With fear and trembling, incandescent lights were installed in 1887. Shortly after the lights were installed, Samuel Babcock, today assistant secretary, was employed for the princely sum of $500 per year.
·[ 50 ].
With the coming of one of the worst snow blizzards on record in 1888 came the urge to acquire land, which was due to the endeavor of Governor Coffin, then presi- dent, to own a tract with the idea of building a hotel thereon. While enough land was acquired, the desire of Governor Coffin was never carried through. How- ever, in 1891 the craving for possession of property was satisfied with the construction of an addition to the Middlesex Building to accommodate the Southern New England Telephone Company.
On the Steele property acquired on College Street, running from Main to Broad Streets, the directors voted in May 1891, at the behest of Governor Coffin, to use some of its spare cash to erect an opera house as a contribution to the artistic development of Middletown and Middlesex County. A prominent architect, Francis H. Kimball, was engaged to draw the plans and con- struction was started late in the summer of 1891. Com- pleted in May 1892, it was first named Music Hall, due to the then strong opposition to naming it a theatre. Adjoining the Middlesex Building, the Music Hall stretched upward 80 feet on an 80' x 200' foundation, and in its beauty of design, inside and out, comfort and equipment, including a $7,800 organ, it ranked favor- ably with the noted Metropolitan Opera House of the day. It seated 1066, had a stage 44' deep, 68' wide and 62' high. No expense had been spared; no detail of excellence was overlooked to make the company's con- tribution to the city a true "work of art" down to the finest detail. A few days after its dedication May 26, 1892, with the Oratorio "St. Paul" given by a chorus of 500 from choral societies of Middletown, New Britain and Hartford, assisted by the Germania Orches-
.[ 5] ].
tra of Boston, the building caught fire and partly burned from a defective fuse, causing a loss of $30,000. Re- built with a practically new interior and equipment, except the organ, it was opened again as the Middle- town Theatre October 1, 1892 (or '93) with Joseph Jefferson in "Rip Van Winkle".
From 1893 to 1924 the Opera House was managed by Harry Engel. During that period many of the most prominent actors in the country, as well as numerous musical organizations, staged plays and oratorios. In it were also staged special high school and college events. As everywhere else the motion picture gradually made such inroads into the available entertainment budget that it became impossible by the early 20's to support road shows or musicales. So in 1924 the opera house was sold to the G & B circuit company, a vaude- ville organization. Two years later it was acquired by the Grand Theatre and finally sold to the Arrigoni interests.
IV
P RESIDENT OF THE COMPANY since 1929, N. Evan Davis, first entered the em- ploy of Middlesex Mutual as a clerk in 1897. In 1918 Mr. Davis was made assistant secretary and with the death of D. W. Camp in 1926 he became treasurer. Three years later, when James K. Guy was made chairman, he was elected president.
Prosperity, rather than necessity, and a desire on the part of company officials to make another contribu-
.[ 52 ].
tion to real estate values and architectural beauty of Middletown, prompted the decision to build a new home. A building committee was named as follows : President, James K. Guy; Director Henry S. Birdseye of Derby, and Treasurer N. Evan Davis of Middle- town.
The colonial home of William B. Brewer on the corner of Broad and Court Streets was bought as a site in 1926 and torn down in 1927. Edward B. Caldwell, Jr., of Bridgeport, was engaged as the architect to design an insurance home that would carry out the New England tradition. The architect, the H. Wales Lines Company as contractors, and N. Evan Davis as Super- visor worked in harmony to complete, in July 1928, a building of the proper traditional type expressive of a company dating back almost to Colonial times. With few exceptions materials used were taken from New England. Setting between brick terraced walls topped with white marble at either side of the lot, this stately structure, faced with Connecticut brick and trimmed with Vermont marble and Massachusetts granite at the base, rises in Greek temple fashion with four imposing columns in front. Two walks lead to the pulpit-like approach, and between the walks is a grass plot. Hedge effects set off the walls and add beauty to the general landscape. The roof is of Vermont slate in variegated colors and graduated sizes. The entrance porch is guarded by bronze railings and lighted with bronze standard lamps, and the doors flanked by Ionic pilasters supporting a bracketed marble entablature.
Inside, the spacious vestibule projects into the main first floor room 37' x 50' with spaces provided at either side for the officers' desks. In the center work space
·[ 53 ].
24' x 50' are high desks and 80 specially built files where the reports of all agents are kept. Off the rear of the main room, with its high walls, beamed ceilings, Ionic pilasters and large arched windows, is a central corridor leading to marble stairs which rise to the spacious directors' room on the mezzanine floor. Off the corridor are the stenographers' room, coat room, tele- phone room and toilet room. A marble wainscot of 4 1/2' extends around the walls of the main room and up the stairs through the hall of the mezzanine floor. Floors of the vestibule and public space are of marble, the remainder of the first floor being covered with rubber tile.
The directors' room on the mezzanine is spacious, having wood paneled wall, wainscot divided by Ionic pilasters, beamed and paneled ceilings, rubber tiled floors and a large fire place with marble at one end. All woodwork throughout the main portion of the building is painted, except the American black walnut doors. The paint color scheme on the main floor is light grey green, light ivory and cream, while in the directors' room dark ivory is predominant.
The basement provides a large storage space in addition to that required for the indirect vapor heating plant, and to the rear of the building is a ramp leading to a concrete court for parking cars.
The near-colonial tradition of the company has been preserved not only in the building, but also in the spirit of hospitality which is expressed in terms of a standing invitation to the public to inspect the building and its many objects of historical interest. For instance, on a platform above the entrance vestibule is an old hand- drawn, hand pumper fire apparatus which was used
.[ 54 ].
probably for the last time (unless repairs are made) during the Tercentenary celebration in a competitive fire fighting demonstration with a modern engine. Near the engine are old style firemen's helmets, leather water pails used by the famous bucket brigade of by-gone years, axes, pike poles and other items of equipment once considered the last word in fire-fighting apparatus.
Other items of interest include Policy No. 6 written June 29, 1836. It is framed and hanging on the wall for inspection. Policy No. 234,719 today still covers the same property. On the wall of the mezzanine hangs an old illustrated map of Middletown in 185 1 showing the homes of the first three presidents of the company. In the directors' room above the fireplace is a striking mural by Northam H. Gould, depicting old and present day Middletown. Aside from these choice reminders of life in Middletown before 1850, a quiet serenity per- vades the building as if in silent and everlasting memory of those courageous souls who first sought protection behind the stockades in Mattabesett and those whose later planning and conscientious efforts made possible the modern institution of protection-Middlesex Mu- tual Assurance Company.
.[ 55 ].
Chapter Four At the Helm and in the Field
F ROM THE PIONEERING DAYS of fire insurance notes and back room meetings in John Smith's jewelry store until the present, Middlesex Mu- tual Assurance Company's policy has been guided by sincere men of integrity-men with ambition to build slowly an insurance institution that would wax stronger with the years rather than to blossom forth in an orgy of high premium income, overbalanced with hazardous risks, perhaps to reap the headaches with the dying embers of an unfortunate conflagration. From Presi- dent Richard Hubbard to N. Evan Davis, the eleventh incumbent in the president's chair, none have lost sight
.[ 56 ].
of the company's small beginnings and the great haz- ards associated with almost any type of risk in the days when a fire well under way usually meant the payment of full coverage because of the lack of efficient fire-fight- ing equipment. With the exception of the ambitious excursion into Massachusetts in 1889 which lasted only a few years, bringing nothing in return but furrowed brows and losses out of all proportion to premium in- come, the policy of conservatism first adopted has been largely continued through the years by directors, presi- dents and all other officials. Doubtless the incorporators would disagree with that which we call conservatism of today, especially if they could return from the grave for an inspection trip through the present dignified home of the company. But in this swiftly moving power era when the so-called radicalism of a decade ago is the conservatism of today, one must look beneath the sur- face before judgment can be properly levied. One brief examination of the company's books should convince even these pioneers of the whale oil lamp period that the company today has sunk and spread its roots far deeper into the soil of financial safety than was ever dreamed of by its leaders at the end of its first quarter century; that it was even more justified in adding to Middletown's taxable values and architectural beauty by the erection of its present "temple of protection" than were the directors in authorizing the establishment of the first permanent headquarters in the basement of the Universalist Church in 1853.
The slowest growth of the company occurred be- tween 1836 and 1860 when only five million was at risk and $43,000 set off as surplus. Since 1860 each decade up to 1910 showed an increase of around six
·[ 57 ].
million to seven million at risk with increases of $175,- 000 or better in surplus. In the period from 1910 to 1920 the amount at risk increased $15,000,000 and from 1920 to 1930 it jumped $17,000,000 more, and surplus kept increasing in satisfactory proportion. In 1935 the amount in surplus was practically double that of 1920 per million dollars at risk, showing ever-in- creasing strength. Today Middlesex Mutual ranks as one of the strongest companies in the country, a happy fact due, in part, to the cooperation of its loyal agents in securing and holding a good line of risks and to the careful selection, planning and wise investment policy of officials and directors.
Space permitting, a brief "Who's Who" of the directors and officers would be included here as interest- ing historically and as a fitting tribute to their intelli- gent and devoted services toward the cultivation of the "acorn" that is today "a century oak", but it seems in order that mention be made of some of the directors formerly connected with the company. In earlier days there were on our directorate such noteworthy men as William S. Camp, Middletown; Daniel O. Wheeler, Bridgeport; Henry Hotchkiss, New Haven; Russell Hoyt, Stamford; Thaddeus G. Birdseye, Derby; O. Vincent Coffin, Middletown; Phineas T. Barnum, Bridgeport; and James Staples, Bridgeport; and at later date we had the wise counsel of Frank B. Weeks, Charles G. R. Vinal, T. McDonald Russell, and How- ard H. Warner.
As in every business depending upon wide accept- ance of a product or service by the public, to the men in the field who have talked first hand with prospective purchasers, successfully, about Middlesex Mutual pro-
.[ 58 ].
MATTAT ESETT
THE ANCIENT PUMPER NOW ON THE GALLERY OF THE MIDDLESEX MUTUAL
tection is due a good share of the credit for the com- pany's success. From the day the first agent, Harvey Treadway, was appointed July 23, 1836, until the pres- ent, loyalty has been outstanding among Middlesex Mutual's agents. It was especially true during the formative period of fire insurance companies during the late 1800's and early part of this century when many flattering offers were made and regularly turned down by the majority of the company's agents. They pre- ferred stability and often lesser rewards that go with progressive conservatism rather than hazard their clients' property with an unknown.
A few examples of this loyalty so given and grate- fully received and appreciated include the following :
The Birdseye Insurance Agency of Derby which dates back to 1851 when a forebear, Thaddeus G. Birdseye was made an agent and in 1857 a director. He was succeeded by Thomas S. Birdseye, who also became a director in 1884, and still later by Henry S. Birdseye, a present director first elected in 1902.
The Marvins of Deep River, the Bissells of Rock- ville, the Staples of Bridgeport, and the Riches of South Manchester have also been connected with the progress of the company as agents, directors or both for many years.
During the first 70 years Middlesex Mutual wrote all policies at the home office from applications sent in by the agents, but during the past 15 years agents have been given authority to write their own policies sending to the home office only their daily reports. This method permits a small force of only eight employees, including the president, secretary, assistant secretary and treas- urer. From the early days when policies were chiefly
·[ 59 ]-
written on barns, houses, churches, schoolhouses and contents in Middlesex county, the company expanded its agency force to cover all portions of the state, insur- ing in an ever-increasing number of small towns and city properties. Insurance on small town properties has had its greatest impetus during the past twenty years, which is due to its wider acceptance on account of the improve- ment in fire-fighting equipment in those centers.
Middlesex Mutual's policy of providing "service and safety" to the humblest property owner is even more a reality because of its resources and 100 years of experience than it was when the first loss claim was paid in August 1837 in the amount of $250 to Seth Burr for his barn in Lyme. Since then the company has paid claims amounting to more than four million of dol- lars. It has ample reserves to qualify it as one of the strongest fire insurance companies in the United States and to protect fully its more than 40,000 policyholders.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.