. 



J. H. "John Henry" Kelker, manager, 

 has been with the company since its 

 organization. For a number of years, 

 he served as oflFice manager and comp- 

 troller for the lAA. Whats Kelker 

 like? Well, he's quiet but friendly, 

 able and conscientious. Efficiency, econ- 

 omy and service are his creeds. 



Under Mr. Kelker's direction is an 

 office force of 17 people. Howard 

 Jokisch, former secretary, is ffeldmah 

 and adjuster. Allen Gribben settles 

 smaller claims and looks after changes 

 in policies. Kelker's hard working, 

 right-hand man is a young woman, 

 Edith Marsh. She has been with the 

 company since its beginning and knows 

 all the angles of office routine. 



This year has been a hard one for 

 fire insurance companies. Dry fields 

 have been quick to flare up at the care- 

 less toss of a match or cigarette stub. 

 Terrible heat has caused damp hay, 

 oily rags and other inflammable mater- 

 ials to burst into flame. Lightning, 

 too, has taken a heavy toll of farm 

 buildings and hvestock. 



Insurance is a co-operative affair. It 

 started in rural communities in the 

 early days when neighbors were drawn 

 closely together by common dangers 

 and problems. In mutual companies, 

 each policyholder shares in his neigh- 

 bor's loss. When fire losses are small, 

 the cost measured by insurance rates 

 is low. But, when fire losses are great, 

 cost of insurance is high. Thus, each 

 member has a deep interest in guard- 

 ing against fire on his own and his 

 neighbor's farm. All community ef- 

 forts for fire prevention should be 

 warmly supported. 



The story of Earl Bristle of White- 

 side County illustrates how fires can 

 be prevented. Mr. Bristle knew that 

 his hay mow was heating. But he 

 couldn't find any trace of fire. The 

 family made it a. .rule to leave some- 

 one at home at all' times to watch for 



■: NOTICE 

 Illinois Agricultural Assodation 

 Election of Delegates 



Notice is fiereby given that in connection 

 with the annual meetings of all County Farm 

 Bureaus to be held during the months of 

 November, and December, 1936, at the hour 

 and place to be determined by the Board of 

 Directors of each respective County Farm 

 Bureau, the members in good standing of 

 such County Farm Bureaus and who are also 

 qualified voting members of Illinois Agri- 

 cultural Association, shall elect a delegate or 

 delegates to represent such members of 

 Illinois Agricultural Association and vote 

 on all matters before the next annual meeting 

 or any special meeting of the Association, 

 including the election of officers and di- 

 rectors as provided for in the By-Laws of 

 the Association, 



During November, the anniul meeting of 

 the Ford County Farm Bureau will be held. 



During December, annual meetings will be 

 held in Bureau, Clark, Coles, Cook, Craw- 

 ford-Jasper, DeWitt, DuPage, Edgar, Ed- 

 wards, Effingham, Franklin. Grundy, Henry, 

 Iroquois. Jackson, Jersey. Johnson, Kane, 

 Kendall, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, McLean, 

 Massac, Morgan, Moultrie. Piatt. Pope- 

 Hardin. Randolph, Richland, Rock-Island. 

 Saline. Stephenson. Tazewell. Union, Ver- 

 milion and Wabash Counues. 



(Signed) Paul E. Mathias, 

 October 16. 1956 Corporate Secretary 



fire. One day smoke was seen coming 

 from the barn. The fire brigade at 

 Morrison several miles away was called. 

 When the hay was torn apart, they 

 found it smoldering. A large hole had 

 been burned in the middle of the mow. 

 Only lack of air and the alertness of 

 the owner had kept the barn from 

 going up in flames. 



A fire hazard inspection service was 

 recently launched by the safety depart- 

 ment of the Illinois Agricultural As- 

 sociation. A farm to farm survey dis- 

 closed many fire hazards. Out of this 

 survey will grow a definite plan for fire 

 prevention. 



Long study of causes of farm fires 

 has led to the following recommenda- 



"WHAT! ANOTHER FIRE?" 

 AlUn Gribben, left, chief tabuletor it on the 

 trail of a cash customer. The ladles an getting 

 out premium notices, checking claims. 



tions: 1. Repair defective chimneys and 

 flues! 2. Install lightning rods on build- 

 ings! 3. Put a fireproof roof on the 

 home to avoid ignition from sparks! 

 4. Keep gasoline and petroleum prod- 

 ucts in metal containers outdoors away 

 from buildings! 5. Don't smoke around 

 farm buildings! 6. Keep matches in 

 safety containers! 7. Don't burn grass 

 and rubbish when it's windy! 8. Throw 

 dirt on hot coals! 9- Protect wood 

 exposed to heat around stoves! 



Officers and directors of Farmers 

 Mutual Reinsurance Company arc 

 George F. TuUock, president; J. J. 

 Hornung, vice-president; L. E. Lingen- 

 felter, secretary; R. A. Cowles, treas- 

 urer; J. H. Kelker, executive secretary 

 and manager; Edith Marsh and Doro- 

 thy Zenor, assistant secretaries; Nor- 

 man G. Flagg, Moro; H. A. Cress, 

 Hillsboro; G. W. Lenhart, George- 

 town; J. M. Beckett, Blue Mound; 

 G. F. Hayes, Galva, and Clifton Davis, 

 Jacksonville. 



Cash patronage dividend checks amounting 



to $8,276 were presented to the 491 Farm 

 Bureau members of Montgomery County who 

 purchased their petroleum products and sup- 

 plies from their local service company, it 

 was disclosed at the tenth annual meeting of 

 the Montgomery County Fanners Oil Company 

 held on October 17. "The average amount re- 

 turned per Farm Bureau member was $16.86. 

 Dividends of 12 per cent were paid on all 

 rural delivery of petroleum products and 9 

 per cent on merchandise distributed through 

 the filling stations, according to Virgil 

 Beaver, manager. President Fred E. Hern- 

 don represented the Illinois Farm Supply 

 Company. 



A 73 per cent increase in net sales tfaii 



last year enabled the Warren County Service 

 Company to distribute cash dividends of 

 $9,132 to its Farm Bureau patrons, according 

 to announcement made by H. C. Odell, 

 manager, at the annual meeting of the com- 

 pany held in Monmouth. October 12. The 

 patronage checks averaged $13.89. More 

 than 500 farmers attended the meeting who 

 heard Fred E. Herndon, president of Illinois 

 Farm Supply Company talk on "Organized 

 Farmers in Business." 



NOVEMBER. 1936 



