The Vidette-Messenger Centennial EditionThe 1936 special edition celebrating Porter County's centennial year . . . .
The following article has been transcribed from the August 18, 1936, issue of The Vidette-Messenger, published in Valparaiso, Indiana. This particular special edition focuses on Porter County's centennial celebration and contains a 94-page compendium of Porter County history up to that time.
Return to the index of articles from The Vidette-Messenger's Porter County Centennial special edition.
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso,
Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 3, Page 12.
INSURANCE MUTUAL IS A SUCCESS
The Porter
County Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company with over three and a half million
dollars of insurance outstanding, was organized in the early part of 1902, and
the first policies were issued on May 2 of this year.
John W. Brummitt, local realtor, was the first president of the company, and
when the company had written its first million dollars of insurance, Mr.
Brummitt was so elated that he tendered the directors of the company with a
banquet. Joseph A. Stephenson was vice-president; P. A. Marquart, secretary, and
Jasper N. Finney, treasurer. These officers, with Amos B. Lantz, B. F. Jones,
Charles A. Anderson, and A. W. Furness, constituted the first board of
directors. When the company was three weeks old a $300 fire occurred. This
nearly broke up the company, but the members paid their assessment and the
company continued. From then on the company grew and prospered. At one time it
had $5,000,000 of insurance outstanding.
Amos B. Lantz, who died recently, was an officer of the company for many years,
and served as president of the organization for twenty years, until ill health
compelled him to resign.
Charles M. Sheffield is president of the company; Emory Dye, vice-president, and
Martin L. Galbreath, secretary and treasurer. Peter A. Marquart of the company
prior to Mr. Galbreath.
Directors of the company are: Charles M. Sheffield, W. J. Trost, James Lenburg,
Justus Turk, Leroy Selman, Emory Dye and Lawrence Casbon.
The company is a member of the Indiana Mutual Union, and writes insurance on all
farm property for protection against fire. It is also agent for the Indiana
Farmers' Mutual Insurance company, which writes cyclone insurance.
The offices of the company are located in the Salyer building above the Meagher
drug store, corner Washington and Lincolnway, Valparaiso.
Article transcribed by Steven R. Shook