FIRE AND LIFE INSURANCE. 169 



No. 14. 



FIRE AND LIFE INSURANCE.i 

 FIRE INSURANCE. 



The caution and care of the citizens of our city and county are fairly 

 exemplified in the many Companies for protection from fire, both in the 

 city and the county. In the county we have the ^'■Lancaster Coimhj 

 Mutual^^^ the ^'Farmers' Mutual,^'' ^'■Northern Mulual,'^ and one in the 

 northern part of the county, without a Charter, the members being 

 joined together agreeing to pay their respective shares of losses sustained 

 by their neighbors (belonging to the association.) 



This form of Mutual Insurance, dates its origin from about the year 

 1609. It is said that about that year a proposition was made to Count 

 Anthony Giinther von Oldenburg, in Germany, that as a new species of 

 finance, he should insure the houses of his subjects against fire, each 

 paying for $100 valuation, $1 yearly. The Count would not accede to 

 this scheme although he thought it might be well if a company of indi- 

 viduals could be formed to insure each others' houses, but he doubted 

 whether it could by him be "honorably, justly and irreproachably insti- 

 tuted without tempting Providence, without incurring the censure of 

 neighbors, and without disgracing his name and dignity." 



The New Mennonites do not insure their property, it being contrary to 

 the discipline of their Church, but when any of their members sustain 

 a loss by fire, it is made up by contributions from the members. 



The first Stock Company, the ''Lancaster City and County,'' was 

 chartered in the year 1838, with $200,000 capital, and located in Lan- 

 caster, of which the late James Evans was President, and John Zimmer- 

 man, Secretary. After a few years of prosperity, financial troubles 

 overtook the country, and the Company having lost a large amount by 

 the old Girard Bank, it was deemed advisable to wind up its affairs, which 

 was done in 1846. During the year 1868, it was resuscitated and is now 

 apparently doing a good business. 



In 1854, the '' Inland Insurance and Deposit Company,'' was chartered 

 with the addition of an Insurance Department, and is still continued. 



In 1861, the ''Lancaster ITome Mutual;' was chartered, and has been 

 brought to its present prosperous condition, mainly by its first and only 

 Secretary, C. H. Lefevre, Esq. h\ our neighboring town of Columbia, 

 we have the " Columbia Insurance Company," Stock and Mutual, and 



1 Contributed by Hugh S. Gara, Esq. 



