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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-03-31, Page 17Citizens News, March 31/76 - Page 17 Hay Mutual still growing from si:.a;000i.c.: 517,094,000 in 100 years On February 14, 1976, when directors and policyholders of the Hay Township Farmer's Mutual Fire Insurance Company gather- ed at the Hay Township Hall for the annual meeting, it marked the completion of 100 years of service to the community. In that century, insurance pro- tection carried by the company has grown from a humble $138,100 in 1875 to a record $11,094,160 in force at the pre- sent time. To mark the centennial of the company, a souvenir centennial booklet was published in 1975 and sent to all policyholders. It reviews the history of the company from its conception to the present day and points out many interesting facts about the firm. The Hay Township Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company appears to have been conceived in August of 1874 when a number of area residents published a notice in the township of Hay calling for a meeting to discuss the establish the company. Dated August 8, 1874, it stated: "The undersigned members of the Evangelical Association and others have concluded to call a Public Meeting of the said members and others on Saturday, September 5, 1874, 6 o'clock p.m. in the meeting house on the Bronson Line in the Town- ship of Hay of which this shall be notice to consult whether it is expedient to establish a Farmers' Fire Insurance Company upon the Mutual Principle for the County of Huron." Signed: Henry V. Dirstein, John B. Geiger, Jacob Kaercher, Daniel Hamacher, Daniel A. Geiger, Michael Zeller, William McKie, Abraham Lehman, Henry Ortwein, William Wing, Gottlieb Merner, Christian Oswald, Daniel Surerus. The minutes of that first meet- ing show that about forty people attended. Henry V. Dirstein was elected chairman and Wil- liam McKie was named secretary pro tem. A motion passed was moved by William Lehman and second. d by Abraham Lehman that Henry V. Dirstein, Adam Sachs and Daniel Surerus "open up subscription books to secure subscribers for the purpose of securing a license to become a registerd corporation, transacting Mutual Fire Insurance business in the Province of Ontario." About 120 farmers signed up for insurance which totalled $138,100. The published history tells us that "On January 1, 1875 at 3 o'clock at the request of ten subscribers, a public meeting was held at the Salem Church on the Goshen Line, Lot 5, Con. 10, Township of Hay (of which due notice was given to every sub- scriber), for the purpose of adopting a name of the Company, the election of Directors and the Manager Secretary -Treasurer 1875-1880 Henry V. Dirstein location of the Head Office. Mr. John B, Geiger was elected Chairman and Henry V. Dirstein, Secretary. On motion of Henry V. Dir - stein, seconded by Michael Kaercher, it was resolved that the Company should be known as "The Hay Township Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Com - pan " The Chairman then requested the subscribers present to ballot for nine Directors which resulted as follows, viz: John B. Geiger, Henry V. Dirstein, Samuel Rannie, David Hostetler, Henry Boller, Adam Sachs, Daniel Surerus, Bernhard Faist and Abraham Lehman. And on mo- tion, it was resolved that the Head Office of the Company should be in Zurich. Immediately after the meeting, a copy of the list of subscribers, resolutions, minutes and advertisements were filed in the Registry Office in Goderich pursuant to the Insur- ance laws of the Province of Ontario. On January '9, 1875, the Direct- ors convened at Prang's Hotel, Zurich, when all members were present and on motion of Henry V. Dirstein, seconded by Henry Boller, Mr. John B. Geiger was elected President of the Company and Mr. Henry V. Dirstein, Man- ager and Secretary -Treasurer. On motion of John B. Geirger, seconded by Abraham Lehman, Samuel Rannie was elected Vice - President and Henry V. Dirstein Agent of the Company. It was resolved that the Agent receive $1.50 as fees for every application written by him and accepted by the Board of Directors and a fur- ther sum of 104 for every assess- ment levied and collected by the Treasurer, and that the first cash premiums to be paid by the applicant shall be 5 mills on the dollar, or 5e for every $100. of Insurance written and that only non -hazardous farmers' risks, churches and school houses shall be insured in the company fore a term of five years." At this first meeting, the di- rectors considered their own remuneration and decided that Manager Secretary -Treasurer 1880-1933 Henry Eilber they would attend meetings with no pay for the first year with the exception that their dinners be paid for by the company. "The following tables show the names of Presidents, Vice - Presidents, Managers and Secretary:Treasurers, Auditors, General Agents, Directors, Fire Hazards Inspector, and Office Staff of the Company and the years served by each in their respective capacities. Also the amount at risk, assets and losses given at five-year intervals since the organization of the Company. PRESIDENTS: 1875-79 John B. Geiger; 1880-81 Hugh Love Sr.; 1882 John B, Geiger; 1883 William Lewis; 1884 Thomas Yearley; 1885 John B. Geiger; 1886 Peter Douglas; 1887 Daniel Surerus; 1888 John Torrance; 1889 Henry Heyrock; 1890 Sam- uel Brokenshire; 1891 John Bak- er; 1892 Peter Douglas; 1893 Thomas Yearley; 1894 John Tor- rance; 1895 Peter Douglas; 1896 William B..Battler ; 1897 Samuel Brokenshire; 1898 William Lacaont; 1899 John Sherritt; 1900 Justus Mellick; 1901 Wil- liamYearley; 1902 Peter Douglas; 1903 William Consitt; 1904 John C. Kalbfleisch; 1905 Benjamin Surerus; 1906 Jacob Kellerman; 1907 Christian Stade; 1908 Wil- liam Lamont; 1909 John Sherrit; 1910 William Consitt; 1911 Fred Willert; 1912 John Sparrow; 1913 George McEwen; 1914 William Lamont; 1915 William Consitt; 1916 Christian Stade; 1917 Fred Willert; 1918 John Sparrow; 1919 John Pfaff; 1920 John P. Rau; 1921 Oscar Klopp; 1922 Stephen Webb; 1923 Christian Stade; 1924 William Consitt; 1925 John A. Manson; 1926 David Lippert; 1927 Goldie Graham; 1928 W.R. Elliott; 1929 John P. Rau; 1930 William H. Sweitzer; 1931 Peter Martene; 1932 John Armstrong; 1933 Oscar Klopp; 1934 Reuben A. Goetz; 1935 Albert Hendrick; 1936 George Armstrong; 1937 Fred J. Haberer; 1938 John Armstrong; 1939 William H. Sweitzer; 1940 Thomas Webb; 1941 Henry C. Beaver; 1942 Manager Secretary -Treasurer 1933-1952 Herbert K. Either Goldie Graham; 1943 Oscar Klopp; 1944 Thomas Love; 1945 John Armstrong; 1946 Arthur Finkbeiner; 1947 Henry C. Bea- ver; 1948 Reinhold Miller; 1949 Fred J. Haberer; 1950 William H. Love; 1951 William Haugh; 1952 Ezra Webb; 1953 Clarence Parke; 1954 Oscar Klopp; 1955 William Haugh; 1956 Otto Wil- lert; 1957 Reinhold Miller; 1958 Fred J. Haberer; 1959 Ezra Webb; 1960 Harvey Taylor; 1961 Albert Keys; 1962 Max Turnbull; 1963 John Scotchmer; 1964 Ed- mond Hendrick; 1965 Theodore Steinbach; 1966 Reinhold Miller; 1967 Ezra Webb; 1968 Max Turnbull; 1969 John Scotchmer; 1970 Edward Lamport; 1971 Leo- nard Erb; 1972 Melvin Webster; 1973 Arnold McCann; 1974 Donald Campbell. VICE-PRESIDENTS: 1875-76 Samuel Rannie; 1877-80 William Lewis; 1881 John B. Geiger; 1882-83 Hugh Love, Sr.; 1884 Henry Heyrock; 1885 Peter Doug- las; 1886 Daniel Surerus; 1887 John Torrance; 1888 Henry Hey - rock; 1889 Thomas Yearley; 1890 John Baker; 1891 Peter Douglas; 1892 Thomas Yearley; 1893 Just- us Mellick; 1894 Henry Lippert; 1895 William B. Battler; 1896 Samuel Brokenshire; 1897 Wil- liam Lamont; 1898 John Sherritt; 1899 Justus Mellick; 1900 Wil- liam Yearley; 1901 Robert Mc- Mordie; 1902 Samuel Broken- shire; 1903 John C. Kalbfleisch; 1904 Benjamin Surerus; 1905 Jacob Kellerman; 1906 Christian Stade; 1907 William Lamont; 1908 Jbhn Sherritt; 1909 Will- iam Consitt; 1910 Fred Willert; 1911 John E. Sparrow; 1912 George McEwen; 1913 William Lamont; 1914 John C. Kalb- fleisch; 1915 John Sherritt; 1916 Frederick Willert; 1917 John Sparrow; 1918 Roy Sherritt; 1919 John P. Rau; 1920 Oscar Klopp; 1921 Stephen Webb; 1922 Chris- tian Stade; 1923 William Consitt; 1924 John A. Manson; 1925 David Lippert; 1926 Goldie Gra- ham; 1927 Christian Stade; 1928 John P. Rau; 1929 William .H. Sweitzer; 1930 William Consitt; Attit, Manager Secretary -Treasurer 1952-1964 Reginald G. Black 1931 John Armstrong; 1932 Rein- hold Miller; 1933 Reuben A. Goetz; 1934 Albert Hendrick; 1935 George Armstrong; 1936 Fred J. Haberer; 1937 John Arm- strong; 1938 William H. Sweitzer; 1939 Thomas Webb; 1940 Henry C. Beaver; 1941 Goldie Graham; 1942 Oscar Klopp; 1943 Thomas Love; 1944 John Armstrong; 1945 Arthur Finkbeiner; 1946 Henry C. Beaver; 1947 Reinhold Miller; 1948 Fred J. Haberer; 1949 Wil- liam H. Love; 1950 William Haugh; 1951 Ezra Webb; 1952 Clarence Parke; 1953 Oscar Klopp; 1954 William Haugh; 1955 Otto Willert 1956 Reinhold Mil- ler; 1957 Fred J. Haberer; 1958 William H. Love; 1959 Harvey Taylor; 1960 Albert Keys; 1961 Max Turnbull; 1962 John Scotch - mer; 1963 Edmond Hendrick; 1964 Theodore Steinbach; 1965 Reinhold Miller; 1966 Ezra Webb; 1967 Harvey Taylor; 1967 Max Turnbull; 1968 John Scotch - mer; 1969 Edward Lamport; 1970 Leonard Erb; 1971 Melvin Web- ster; 1972 Arnold McCann; 1973 Donald Campbell; 1974 Cecil Desjardine. AUDITORS: 1875 Daniel Stein- bach and John Mathewson; 1876 August G. Ehnes and Wil- liam Wilson; 1877 Robert Brown and Samuel Foster; 1878 William Wilson and Samuel Foster; 1879 Charles Eilber and Daniel Stein- bach; 1880 George Baird and Daniel Steinbach; 1881 Daniel Steinbach and William Wilson; 1882-91 William Curry and John Boderick; 1892 John Broderich and Charles Zwicker; 1893-95 William Curry and John Brod- erick; 1896-1909 John Broderick and August G. Ehnes; 1910-11 Henry Neeb and August G.. Ehnes; 1912-17 Jacob Haberer and August G. Ehnes; 1918-24 Andrew F. Hess and William H. Pfile; 1925-29 Andrew F. Hess and William S. Johnston; 1930- 32 Andrew F. Hess and Arthur Weber; 1933 Kenneth Routledge and Arthur Weber; 1934-38 Kenneth Routledge and Jacob W. Haberer; 1939-63 Jacob W. Haberer and George Deichert; 1964-68 Touche, Ross, Bailey & Smart, London; 1969-74 Touche, Ross & Co., London. GENERAL AGENTS: 1875-79 Henry V. Dirstein; 1880-82 Henry Present Manager Secretary -Treasurer John R. Consitt Eilber; 1882 George Park and Merino Surerus; 1883-89 Edward Bossenberry; 1889-1921 Gabriel Holtzmann; 1922-37 William Lamont; 1937-57 Reuben A. Goetz; 1957-67 William Haugh; 1957-70 Clarence Parke; 1967- 74 Edmond Hendrich; 1970 ---- John Scotchmer. DIRECTORS: 1 year, Robert Anderson 1879; 15 years, George W. Armstrong 1933-47; 19 years, John Armstrong 1931-49; 14 years, John Baker 1885-98; 9 years, William Battler 1894- 99 & 1903-05; 15 years, Henry C. Beaver 1938-52; 6 years, Henry Boller 1875-77, 1879 & 1881-82; 19 years, Samuel Brokenshire 1884-90 & 1892-1903; 4 .years, W.T. Caldwell 1914-17; 4 years, Donald Campbell 1971---; 32 years, William Consitt 1902- 33; 5 years Cecil Desjardine 1970---; 8 years, Henry V. Dir - stein 1875-82; 3 years, George Douglas 1905-07; 26 years, Peter Douglas 1878-79 & 1881-1904; 2 years, W.R. Elliott 1927-28; 9 years, Leonard Erb 1966---; 6 years, Bernhard Faist 1875-76 & 1880-83; 12 years, John B. Geiger 1875-82 & 1885-88; 6 years, Reuben A. Goetz 1932-37; 31 years, Goldie Graham 1923-53; 2 years, William Graham 1180 & 1883; 26 years, Fred J. Haberer 1934-48, 1950-60; 10 years, Will- iam Haugh 1948-57; 12 years, AIbert Hendrick 1933-44; 10 years, Edmond Hendrick 1958-67, 12 years, Henry Heyrock 1880- 91; 1 year, Septimus Hogarth 1879; 4 years, David Hostetler 1875-78; 13 years, Jacob Kaerch- er 1884-96; 1 year, Michael Kaercher 1877; 16 years, John C. Kalbfleisch 1889 & 1900-14: 6 years, Jacob Kellerman 1902- 1907; 8 years, Albert Keys 1958- 65; 40 years, Oscar Klopp 1918- 57; 27 years, William Lamont 1895-1921; 4 years, Edward Lam- port 1967-70; 2 years, James Lang 1976-77; 1 year, Abraham Lehman 1875; 6 years, William Lewis 1877-80 & 1883-84; 4 years, David Lippert 1923-26; 3 years, Henry Lippert 1892-93; 6 years, Hugh Love, Sr. 1879-84; 5 years, Thomas Love 1943-47; 11 years, William Love 1948-58; 9 years, John Manson 1922-30; 3 years, Peter Martene 1929-31; 4 years, Elmore McBride 1971---; 7 years, Arnold McCann 1968---; 1 year, Daniel McColl 1878; 5 years, Robert McMordie 1909-13; 9 years, Justus Mellick 1891-93 & 1897-1902; 33 years, Reinhold Miller 1930-32 & 1945-74; 3 years, Henry Neeb 1915-17; 8 years, Clarence Parke 1950-57; 16 years, John Pfaff 1915-30; 3 years, Benjamin Phillips 1906- 08; 2 years, Samuel Rannie 1875- 76; 15 years, John P. Rau 1918- 32; 1 year, Adam Sachs 1875; 1 year, John H. Schnell 1892; 12 years, John Scotchmer 1959- 70; 18 years, John Sherritt 1898- 1915; 3 years, Roy Sherritt 1916- ' 18; 15 years, John Sparrow 1909- 123; 24 years, Christian Stade '1904-27; 14 years Theodore Steinbach 1.961-- 12 years, Ben - (continued on page 19)