Farmers Mutual Insurance Company Meeting (1905)

Columbia City Commercial Mail ~ Friday June 9, 1905

The Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance association of Whitley county held their annual meeting in the Linvill rink Saturday. The forenoon meeting was not very largely attended but in the afternoon the room was well filled with people. The forenoon session was occupied in the reading of the secretary’s report of the losses by fire, lightning and otherwise, and also the report of the condition of the company was read and is very favorable.

It is as follows:
Amount of policies in force June 4, 1904, $2,922,280; amount written during past year $830,911; amount cancelled $214,360; amount expired $416,615; net gain $149,936; amount in force June 3, 1905, $3,072,216; amount of expenses during past year excepting losses $580.67.

In the afternoon Wesley Todd of Des Moines, Iowa, gave a very interesting and beneficial talk on the subject, “Nature of Electricity and how to control it.” The officers of last year were all reelected and are as follows: Irvin J. Krider, pres., L. W. Dunfee, sec., Thomas Jellison, actuary, Directors: Irvin J. Krider, W. G. Tinkham, L. W. Dunfee, Thomas Jellison and Jacob Keiser.

The following are the losses sustained by the company during the year beginning June 4th, 1904 and ending June 3, 1905:

• Lewis Weisweber house and contents damaged by fire June 3rd, ’04 $26.60
• D. A. Watson house damaged by fire June 7, ’04. $5.00
• Lawrence Wigent horse killed by lightning June 24, ’04. $125.00
• T. E. Adams house damaged by lightning July 7, ’04. $15.00
• William F. Myers barn and contents destroyed by fire July 27th, loss $630.75
• Martha Kyler barn and contents destroyed by fire Aug. 14th, loss, $1,000.00
• O. Gandy, steer killed by lightning Aug. 13th, loss, $44.00
• Solomon Sell barn damaged by lightning Aug. 18th, loss, $7.00
• Perry Thomas house and contents destroyed by fire Mch. 5th, loss $325.00
• Mary Strickler house destroyed by fire Mch. 25th, loss $200.00
• Adam Yagel & Sons barn and contents, wagon and livestock destroyed by fire Oct. 20th, 1904 loss $1,025.19
• J. F. Dickerson contents of barn destroyed by fire Oct. 20th, $37.50
• Adam Yagel house and contents destroyed by fire March 28, 1905. Loss $542.35
• Lewis Weisweber barn damaged by lightning May 4th, $10.00
• Oliver Millege barn and contents destroyed by fire April 24th, $199.03
• Emmanuel Geiger barn and contents destroyed by fire May 9th, loss $1,100
• R. J. Cooper house damaged by fire May 3, 1905 loss $35
• George Wappus colt killed by lightning Sept. 26th loss $45
• William Hartman, summer and wood house destroyed by fire Oct. 2nd loss $49.50
• C. M. Maynard house and contents damaged by fire Oct. 7th, loss $7.00
• John Kepler, hog house and hog damage by lightning, Oct. 8, loss $10
• Henry L. Frida contents of house destroyed by fire on Nov. 9, loss $150
• Henry W. Lawrence, hay ladders and wagon damaged by fire Nov. 17, $10
• Charles McNamara barn and contents destroyed by fire Nov. 19, $1,029
• John Matson, house and contents damaged by fire Jan. 14, 1905, $13.50
• George W. Prugh house and contents destroyed by fire Feb. 16th, loss $1,075
• Henry Millage house and contents destroyed by fire May 29, 1905, loss $663.45
• Henry Sell, calf killed by lightning May 29, $10
• Samuel F. Beeson barn and live stock destroyed by lightning May 11, loss $335

- Thomas Jellison, Actuary