German fire & Wind Ins. Co., 1899 History

MANY

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 1/19/2007 at 00:39:33

I translated the following article from Der Carroll Demokrat, a German-language newspaper published in Carroll, Iowa, between about 1874 and 1920. It was originally published in a special 25th Anniversary Edition of the paper on Friday, 20 September 1899. Words in quotations are original. Any information in brackets or notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

The German Fire and Wind Insurance Company of Crawford, Carroll, and Neighboring Counties.

This insurance company was founded on 1 June 1878 at the Five Mile House, south of West Side [Crawford County], by the following farmers: Christian Grube, Peter Möller [Moeller], Michael Wiggers [or Wiggens], Hans Kruse, Claus Grube, Detlef Lehmkuhl, Heinrich Schröder [Schroeder], Jürgen Ohde, Adam Schneckloth, Wm. Kusel, Wm. Lüth [Lueth], Henry Grube, John Oeser, Wm. Wiese, Andreas Lentz, Nick. Schumann, Claus Thiedemann, Henry Kruse, Sr., Wm. Pruter, Carl Weidling, Geo. Lehmkuhl, Claus Schoel, John W. Möller [Moeller].

The first elected officials were: Wm. Pruter, president; Geo. Lehmkuhl, secretary; Christian Grube, treasurer.

On 1 January 1886, the company was incorporated for fire protection, and on 1 January 1889 it was incorporated for wind protection.

The following members have served in order as president: Wm. Pruter, Henry Sievers, Wm. Wiese, P. Reimers, John Steinhauer, Henry Kaspersen, and C. H. Flenker, the current president.

The secretaries have been: Geo. Lehmkuhl, 1 June 1878 to 1 January 1880; Jürgen Tank, 1 January 1880 to 1 January 1883; Henry Sievers, 1 January 1883 to the present.

The treasurers have been elected in the following order: Christian Grube, Wm. Pruter, and Peter Martens, the current treasurer.

Two auditors are elected annually to check the books of the officials and to present to the president a report on the condition of the books. The report is then presented to the general assembly on the first Monday in June each year.

Founded more than 21 years ago by 23 farmers with an insurance total of $25,000, the company now has 883 members and insures more than $1,500,000 worth of farm property. Each township receives an appraiser as soon as there are 10 or more members living there who wish to become an appraisal district. Presently, the company consists of 12 apraisal districts.