1898 Revenues: Insurance Agents

Insurance companies and agents used millions of 1898 documentary revenue stamps, in particular, the 1/2 cent, 4, 40 and 80 cent stamps, though their cancels may be found on every value in the documentary series. This page, and its sister page Insurance Companies, include a list of cancels posted on this website. You are invited to browse the links below and view the scans of canceled stamps.

The US 1898 War Revenue Law taxed insurace policies as follows:

Life Insurance: Policy of insurance...upon life or lives, for each one hundred dollars or fractional part thereof, eight cents on the amount insured: Provided, That on all policies, for life insurance only, issued on the industrial or weekly payment plan of insurance, the tax shall be forty per centum of the amount of the first weekly premium. Fraternal and cooperative societies providing insurance-type programs were exempt from these taxes.

Marine, Inland & Fire Insurance: Each policy ... upon property of any description ... whether against peril by sea or inland waters, or by fire or lightning, upon the amount of premium charged [shall be taxed] one-half of one percent on each dollar or fractional part thereof.

Casualty, Fidelity & Guarantee Insurance: Each policy of insurance ... of the nature of indemnity for loss, damage or bond or obligation...transacting the business of accident, fidelity, employer's liability, plate glass, steam boiler, burglary, elevator, automatic sprinkler ... and each bond undertaking or recognizance, conditioned for the performance of any office...or guaranteeing titles to real estate or mercantile credits...[taxed] one half of one cent on each dollar or fractional part thereof.

The following list of links includes insurance agents, both those dedicated to specific insurance companies and mostly, those operating independently and selling the policies of multiple insurance companies. This list includes but a small fraction of the insurance agents operating during the 1898 tax period. There were likely thousands of agents selling policies, so collecting and identifying these cancels can provide a philatelist with a lifetime project. As such, this list of links is a work in progress, and will be added to as new material is posted and as your editor thinks to append this list.

Alexander & Trammell, Martinsburg, West Virginia

Alexander & Trammell,

MAR

1901

Martinsburg, W. Va.

from The Martinsburg Herald, December 7, 1901

Anderson & Dorr, Pensacola, Florida

from Maloney's Pensacola City Directory, 1900

ANDERSON & DORR

JUN

1900

PENSACOLA.

Frank Appleby, Asbury Park, NJ

Theodore Frank Appleby

FRANK APPLEBY

APR

1899

ASBURY PARK, N. J.

Appleby was engaged in the insurance business during the 1898 tax period, but he would also begin a successful political career during that time, including as Mayor of Asbury Park from 1899 to 1906. It is possible, even likely, that the stamp above was used on a check that had nothing to do with his insurance interests. Prior to becoming mayor Appleby would serve on the state board of education and would continue on the board until 1902. Appleby was elected to the 67th Congress in the House of Representatives. He would lose his next election for the 68th Congress, regaining his seat in the following election. Before he could be seated in 1924 he would pass away in Baltimore, MD. During his term in congress Appleby would introduce a bill designed to limit oil pollution. The bill would eventually become the 1924 Oil Pollution Act.

Austin & Woolverton, Albany, NY

Austin & Woolverton

Albany, N. Y.

6/17/99

from The City of Albany, July 1888

Avery & Pendleton, Brooklyn, NY

Avery & Pendleton were agents for Niagara Fire Insurance.

Avery & Pendleton,

Jun

1899

B'KLYN, N.Y.

A. Bailey, Gardiner, Maine

A. BAILEY

SEP

1899

GARDINER, MAINE

from The Insurance Yearbook of 1893, listing the officers of the Southern Kennebec County Board of Fire Underwriters. Mr. Bailey was the vice-president.

Baldwin & Frick, Baltimore, MD

from R. L. Polk's Baltimore City Directory, 1913

BALDWIN & FRICK

MAY 24

1899

BALTIMORE

Barbee & Castleman, Louisville, Kentucky

from The Insurance Yearbook 1895

BARBEE & CASTLEMAN

JAN

1900

R. O. Barksdale, Washington, Georgia

The R. O. Barksdale home in Washington, GA

R. O. BARKSDALE

AGENT,

Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Co.

WASHINGTON.....GA.

A. E. Barrows Co., Connersville, Indiana

Advert, The National Jewish Post, December 23, 1949

A. E. BARROWS,

APR

1901

CONNERSVILLE, IND.

Bates & Hogsett, Kansas City, MO

Bates & Hogsett

JAN

1899

from Rough Notes, October 12, 1916

Beach & Sweet, Providence, Rhode Island

from the 23rd Annual Report of The New England Association of Fire Chiefs, 1945

BEACH & SWEET

AUG

1900

PROV. R. I.

D. B. Bell, Pittsburgh

Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album:

D. B. BELL.

AUG 9 1898

Pittsburg, Pa.

D. B. BELL.

SEP 28 1899

Pittsburgh, Pa.

from The Travelers Record, August 1900

Bennett, Hutchinson & Company, Evansville, Indiana

Henry S. Bennett and Alex Hutchinson were partners.

Bennett,

Hutchinson & Co.,

SEP 1 1898

Insurance.

Bennett,

Hutchinson & Co.,

SEP 1 1898

Insurance.

Bennett,

Hutchinson & Co.,

SEP 20 1898

Insurance.

Bennett,

Hutchinson & Co.,

SEP 25 1898

Insurance.

Bennett,

Hutchinson & Co.,

SEP 1 1898

Insurance.

J. J. Benson, Detroit

Advert The Insurance Herald Handbook of Michigan 1896,

Fidelity & Casualty Company,

J.J. Benson Resident Manager

J.J. BENSON, RESIDENT MANAGER

OCT

1898

DETROIT, MICH.

Benswanger & Hast, Pittsburgh

from the American Exchange & Review, November 1900

Note in the ad that Mssrs. Benswanger & Hast are specialists in whisky insurance. Curious this. The Whisky Rebellion was fomented in western Pennsylvania by local distillers, many revolutionary war vets, who thought they were being taxed without representation. I can't imagine the desire for insurance for whisky was a holdover from more than 100 years before. I wonder why they sold, and people bought, whisky insurance?

BENSWANGER

NOV 3 1899

& HAST

BENSWANGER

NOV 3 1899

& HAST

Birckhead & Son, Baltimore

From Polk's Baltimore City Directory, 1901

BIRCKHEAD & SON,

AUG

1898

BALTO. MD.

BIRCKHEAD & SON,

SEP

1898

BALTO. MD.

BIRCKHEAD & SON,

SEP

1898

BALTO, MD.

J. H. Boatwright & Son Insurance, Wilmington, NC

J. H. Boatwright and Son

Wilmington, N. C.

NOV 30 1900

From the volume Wilmington, The Metropolis and Port of North Carolina: Its Advantages and Interests, 1912:

H. J. Bowell & Company, Merrill, Wisconsin

Advert from Wright's Merrill City Directory of 1925

H. J. BOWELL,

DEC

1898

MERRILL, WIS.

Briggs Carson, Tifton, Georgia

from The Gazette of Tifton, Georgia, June 2, 1899

BRIGGS CARSON

SEP 1 1898

TIFTON, GEORGIA

L. Burge, Hayes & Co., Boston

from the Portland Daily Press, May 6, 1898

The Spanish American War was in its early days at the time of this L. Burge Hayes classified ad. Seems like the firm was capitalizing on fear. Some must have believed that the Spanish might bombard American cities from their ships?

L. Burge Hayes & Co.

FEB 8 1899

Boston.

L. Burge Hayes & Co.

Feb 6 1899

Boston.

L. Burge Hayes & Co.

DEC 9 1900

Boston.

Butler & Haldan, San Francisco

from The Daily Alta California, September 6, 1882

Butler & Haldan

DEC 12 189?

Butler & Haldan

JAN 31 1899

Butler & Hewitt, San Francisco

Butler & Hewitt was not formed until January 1, 1901. See the cancels of the predecessor firm, Butler & Haldan.

BUTLER & HEWITT

JAN 7 1901

BUTLER & HEWITT

JAN 7 1901

Callender & Co., Peoria, IL

from the Bradley Polytechnic yearbook of 1935

CALLENDER & CO.

AUG

1900

PEORIA, ILL.

CALLENDER & CO.

JAN

1900

PEORIA, ILL.

Campbell & Kellner, Buffalo

from The Insurance Yearbook, 1895

Robert T. Chafin, Toledo, OH

Robt. T. Chafin.

NOV 1 1900

from The Western Underwriter of 1905. Mr. Chafin would organize the Zenobia Insurance Agency that year. During the 1898 tax period he was either independent or in a different partnership.

Silas Chapman, Hartford, CT

from The Hartford Bazar Budget, June 2, 1880

SILAS CHAPMAN, JR.

JAN

1899

HARTFORD, CONN.

Chase & Schanfeld, Minneapolis

from The American Jewish World of St. Paul & Minneapolis, December 29, 1922

CHASE & SCHANFELD

The erstwhile Metropolitan Life Building in Minneapolis.

Razed in 1961. Former location of the office of Chase & Schanfeld.

Library of Congress photo.

Chubb & Son, New York

CHUBB & SON

JUN

1900

N. Y.

Calling card from the early Chubb organization.

Chubb is now one of the largest insurance companies in the world.

Milton Clark Company, Rochester, NY

from The Rochester House Directory, 1907

MILTON CLARK CO.

1900

Frank A. Colley, Boston

from The Boston Post, April 12, 1894

Colley was an agent for Essex Mutual Insurance

FRANK A. COLLEY

S. O. Cotton & Brother, Houston, TX

S. O. COTTON & BRO.

OCT 12 1900

HOUSTON, TEX.

from The Insurance Yearbook 1901

It doesn't get much more southern sounding than a bunch of guys named Rufus Cage, Stonewall Bond, and J. M. Cotton.

"Ya'll seen Rufus 'n Stonewall?

"Yeah, they're over yonder at Cotton's place.

Please be aware that I grew up in south Louisiana, and spent chunks of my youth in north Louisiana, southern Mississippi and northern Alabama. I know these things.

Davant & Company, Savannah, GA

DAVANT & CO.

JUN

1901

Savannah's The Searchlight newspaper from January 5, 1907 with Richard J. Davant of Davant & Company listed as an endorsed candidate for city Alderman. The Searchlight was published by the Democratic League and was overtly political.

Dockery & Co., Waco, TX

from The Waco Times, February 8, 1900

DOCKERY & COMPANY,

SEP

1900

WACO, TEX.

from Directory of The City of Waco, 1902

Ducat & Lyon, Chicago

DUCAT & LYON,

SEP

1899

INSURANCE.

Ducat & Lyon were agents for the Home Insurance Company of New York. Tornado insurance would have had a larger customer base in Chicago than New York.

Poster

W. T. Durand, Milwaukee

from the American Agency Bulletin, September 1905.

Two Durands were selling insurance in Milwaukee in 1905, and in neighboring offices too. I'm looking for a Loyal Durand cancel.

W. T. DURAND

JUN

1899

MILWAUKEE. WIS

W. T. DURAND

DEC

1898

MILWAUKEE. WIS

Edwards & Kenney, Pittsburg

from the Pittsburgh Dispatch, September 20, 1889

EDWARDS &

KENNEY.

AUG 9 1899

EDWARDS &

KENNEY.

AUG 9 1899

H. D. Eichelberger & Company, Richmond, VA + Bisects

from the 1897 Virginia Federation of Labor Directory

Stamps from the Travelers mini-album:

H. D. Eichelberger partial cancel with 718 E. Main St. address

H. D. EICHELBERGER & CO.

NOV

1899

RICHMOND, VA

H. E. EICHELBERGER & CO.

JAN

1899

H. D. EICHELBERGER & CO.

JAN

1900

David Thompson sent this scan of an R163 with an Eichelberger CDS; there are no R163s in the Travelers album:

H. D. EICHELBERGER & CO.

MAR

1899

RICHMOND, VA.

An H. D. Eichelberger promotional poster associating their firm with a group of men who swore an oath to their country, were nearly all educated at West Point, and then betrayed their country and fellow officers. Of course an insurance firm in Richmond, Virginia would do this.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the Travelers "mini-album" is the presence of eight examples of one cent bisects, with two R154s and six R163s neatly bisected and tied to insurance document fragments. Six of the eight examples are shown here:

HDE&Co

9/8/98

manuscript cancel tying stamps to document

H. D. Eichelberger & Co.

STATE AGENTS.

Handstamp cancels. This and all subsequent examples of the R163 bisects are tied to their documents, which are Travelers accident insurance contracts.

Ellison, Coolidge & Company, Boston

from The Ideal Watertown, February 23, 1898

Ellison, Coolidge & Co.

Dec

1898

Ellison, Coolidge & Co.

JAN

1899

Ferguson & Wallace, Saginaw, MI

Ferguson & Wallace,

MAR

1899

Saginaw, M.

Ferguson & Wallace,

APR

1899

Saginaw, M.

scans by David Thompson

Ferguson & Wallace were William Wallace and Frank A. Ferguson. Based in Saginaw, Michigan, their company sold insurance and surety bonds.

John E. Finnegan, San Francisco

This post includes Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album. John E. Finnegan used simple initials to cancel these stamps:

J. E. F.

MAR 1 1899

OCT. ?? 1899

J. E. F.

Travelers Agents were occasionally responsible for making insurance payments for notorious accidents:

from The Travelers Record, April 1898

J. Hughes, a Pullman Palace Car Co. employee was hurt in a Union Pacific accident in such a way that he states that his injuries were known to all Pullman employees from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The February 10, 1897 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle tells the the story in brief:

Eat your heart out, Elon Musk:

from The Travelers Record, August 1902

I think it likely that Eugene Levy's electric car was an electric street trolley, maybe what we might call a cable car today?

Firman & Webb, Rochester, NY

Advert in The Rochester House Directory, 1901

FIRMAN & WEBB.

JUL

1900

J. W. Fitzgerald & Co., Little Falls, NY

J. W. FITZGERALD & CO., AGENTS

LITTLE FALLS, N. Y.

JUNE 4 1901

F. E. Ford, St. Paul, MN

This post includes Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album. Today are the cancels of F. E. Ford of St. Paul, MN.

Mr. John K. West of Detroit, Minnesota, received injuries from a collision with a runaway horse. He filed a claim and received $60 from The Travelers. He thanked his agent, Mr. F. E. Ford:

from The Travelers Record, November 1902

F. E. Ford cancels:

F. E. FORD, State Agent.

MAR

1899

Walter Fowler, West Superior, WI

Tennis & Greeley,

OCT

1900

W. Superior, Wis.

WALTER FOWLER

JAN

1899

W. Superior

There is nothing in the world that is as interesting as squabbles between insurance agents and insurers. When the insurance agents Tennis and Greeley failed, a dustup developed over a $73.83 premium in West Superior, Wisconsin. Read the story below in The Western Underwriter.

Thanks to Dave Thompson for finding this article, and reminding me of an old post on this site on Tennis & Greeley.

from The Western Underwriter,

March 19, 1903

Frost, Luckey & Son, Poughkeepsie, NY

from the Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle, February 8, 1895

Frost, Luckey & Son,

JUN 9 1901

Poughkeepsie, N. Y.

Frederick K. Gaston, New York

from the Building Trades Employers Association Bulletin, January 1906

FREDERICK K. GASTON

JAN

1899

NEW YORK

B. Geer & Son, Saginaw, MI

from The Michigan Miner, December 1, 1898

B. Geer & Son,

FEB 1 1900

Saginaw

Gentle & Ludwig, Houlton, Maine

from The Aroostook Pioneer, 1895 Spring Illustrated Edition

Gentle & Ludwig.

FEB 15 1901

Houlton, Me.

Homer G. Gilmore, Springfield, Mass

This post includes Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album:

Homer G. Gilmore

AUG

1898

Springfield, Mass.

Charles L. Gove, Albany, NY

CHAS. L. GOVE

-1899-

ALBANY, N. Y.

CHAS. L. GOVE

-1899-

ALBANY, N. Y.

CHAS. L. GOVE

-1900-

ALBANY, N. Y.

Albany Directory, 1889. In 1889 Charles Gove was in partnership with Stephen L. Foster.

S. C. Green, Henderson, Kentucky

S. C. GREEN

APR 29 1901

Henderson, Ky.

S. C. Green was a founding member of the Local Undewriters' Association of Kentucky in 1896. From Hayden's Annual Cyclopedia, 1899-1900.

R. H. Guibord, Plattsburgh, NY

R. H. GUIBORD,

APR

1899

Plattsburgh.

Mr. Guibord was a graduate of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and was frequently referenced in the University's alumni magazine.

Hall & Henshaw, New York

from The Monthly Journal of Insurance Economics, August, 1906

HALL & HENSHAW.

AUG

1898

NEW YORK.

May 28, 1899

July 14, 1898

Charles N. Hammon, Chicago

Charles N. Hammon was a Travelers Insurance agent based in Chicago, and frequently wrote accident policies for railroad employees and for travelers on those railroads, as Chicago was one of the world's great railroad hubs.

He was frequently acknowledged and thanked in the journal The Travelers Record for his services by policy holders after Travelers adjusters paid the claims on the policies he sold them:

Both acknowledgements were published in The Travelers Record.

Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album:

CNH

8/16/98

manuscript cancel

C N H

8/16/98

manuscript cancel

C.N.H.

Mar 11/1899

C. N. H.

NOV 1 1899

CHICAGO

C. N. H.

SEP 25 1899

CHICAGO

C. N. H.

JUL ? 1899

CHICAGO

Hays Brothers, Waco, Texas

HAYS BROS.

JAN

1900

WACO, TEXAS

A fire at a cotton gin at West Station led Mr. T. D. Hays of Hays Bros to make a trip to the gin to investigate and perhaps make an insurance adjustment. There was no need:

from The Waco Daily News, September 9, 1891

Heeman, Kranz & Co., Toledo, OH

from Official Laws Regulating Construction of Buildings, City of Toledo, 1907

Heeman, Kranz & Co.

Mar

1901

Toledo, O.

Heffernan & Burleigh, Plattsburgh, NY

from The Plattsburgh Sentinel, April 12, 1889

HEFFERNAN & BURLEIGH,

JUL

1899

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.

Charles E. Hochstetler, Kansas City

This post includes Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album.

C. E. H. Agt.

NOV

1898

Travelers Ins. Co.

from The Travelers Record, May 1901

A Mr. Martin H. Thompson was thrown from his sleigh on Main Street in Kansas City and died. He carried a life insurance policy worth $5000. Remarkably, the thank you note indicates that he died on Feb 11, the death certificate was provided to The Travelers on Feb 14, and the payment was made on the 19th. No wonder The Travelers published this letter.

Holyoke & Russell, Marlboro, Mass

HOLYOKE & RUSSELL.

APR

1899

from The Standard Insurance Directory of New England from 1910

D. R. Hummer, Dover, N. J.

D. R. HUMMER,

SEP

1899

DOVER, N. J.

D. R. Hummer advertising blotter. His phone number was 25A.

G. Ph. Hunkel & Son, Milwaukee

from the American Agency Bulletin, September 1905

G. PH. HUNKEL & SON

DEC

1899

MILWAUKEE

James F. Hurt, Tazewell, VA

advert in The Tazewell Republican of June 16, 1898

In addition to Iced Tea, the Tazewell Republican of that day was dominated by headlines of the Spanish American War.

JAMES F. HURT,

APR

1901

INSURANCE.

Jerome Ingalls, Lynn, Mass

JEROME INGALLS & CO.

AUG

1899

LYNN, MASS.

from The Register of the Lynn Historical Society, 1915

Judd & Parsons, Holyoke, Mass

JUDD & PARSONS

JUL 15 1899

HOLYOKE, MASS.

J. S. Juno & Sons, Schenectady, NY

J. S. JUNO,

APR -3 1899

SCHENECTADY, N. Y.

from The American Agency Bulletin, September 1904

W. H. Kirke, Cleveland, Ohio

Advert from Cleveland Congregationalist of 1895

W. H. KIRKE

JUL 18 1899

CLEVELAND, O.

W. H. KIRKE

JUL 18 1899

CLEVELAND, O.

Thomas B. Knight & Co, Lynn, Mass

From The Parish Notes, St. Stephen's Memorial Church, February 1935

Thos. B. Knight,

JUL

1899

LYNN, MASS.

J. H. Leiding, Cincinnati, OH

from The Insurance Yearbook 1908

J. H. LEIDING

JAN

1901

Cincinnati, O.

Libby & Hussey, Portland, Maine

LIBBY & HUSSEY,

DEC

1900

Portland, Me.

Advert from The Portland Daily Press, June 18, 1902 for Libby & Hussey as agents of North British and Mercantile Insurance Company:

H. C. Little & Son, Lewiston, Maine

from The Bates Student, March 1910

H. C. LITTLE & SON.

FEB

1900

LEWISTON, ME

H. C. LITTLE & SON.

FEB

1900

LEWISTON, ME

Merrill, Dodge & Jackson Company, Toledo, Ohio

From The American Agency Bulletin, August 1910

Merrill, Dodge & Jackson.

1900

Meyst & Coates, Milwaukee

MEYST & COATES,

AGENTS

10/15/98

Fidelity & Casualty Co.

George E. Miller & Co., North Adams, Mass

GEO. F. MILLER,

INSURANCE

MAR 9 1901

BURLINGAME BLOCK,

ROOM 1.

NORTH ADAMS, MASS.

Advert in the North Adams directory:

Charles D. Mill, General Agent for New England Mutual Life

CHAS. D. MILL, Gen. Agt.

JAN

1901

N. E. M. L. I. Co.

CHAS. D. MILL, Gen. Agt.

JAN

1899

N. E. M. L. I. Co.

CHAS. D. MILLER, Gen. Agt.

DEC

1898

N. E. M. L. I. Co.

In 1996, NEMLI was merged into METLIFE and ceased to exist as a separate entity.

New Home Office Building in Copley Square in Boston. Former home of The New England Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Montgomery & Funkhouser, Chicago

The Insurance Yearbook, 1895

MONTGOMERY & FUNKHOUSER

JUN

1901

CHICAGO.

MONTGOMERY & FUNKHOUSER

SEP

1900

CHICAGO

METELLUS L. C. FUNKHOUSER

Negley & Flanegin, Pittsburgh

NEGLEY & FLANEGIN,

AUG

1900

P'GH, PA.

John H. Nolan, Chicago

This post includes Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album.

J. H. Nolan, General Agent Cancels

from The Travelers Record, May 1901

John T. Scott, a locomotive fireman (he kept the boiler's firebox stoked) died when his Chicago & Northwestern Railway locomotive fell into a turntable pit. His wife was paid $1000.

Nicholas G. Norcross, Lowell, Mass

from The Lowell Book, 1899

Nicholas G. Norcross

APR 17 1900

Lowell, Mass

Henry M. North, Augusta, GA

HENRY M. NORTH

AGENT

JAN 28 1901

AUGUSTA, GA.

Henry M. North advertisement from an Augusta, Georgia high school yearbook. Buy those whole life policies when you are young!

Unusual circular date stamp, especially from an insurance broker.

Robert O'Gorman & Company, Newark, NJ

from The Newark Evening Star, October 17, 1910

ROBERT O'GORMAN,

MAY

1900

NEWARK, N. J.

Noah H. Pangborn, Beaver Falls, PA

Private Noah H. Pangburn

(1840 - 1908)

Branch of Service: Infantry

Unit: 155th Pennsylvania Infantry

This image of Pangburn can be found at the Antietam on the Web site. I figure this photo was cropped from a larger photo of his unit. Pangburn's birth in 1840 made him a ripe age for service in the Union Army during the Civil War. He survived the war and would engage in the insurance business among other activities.

N. H. PANGBURN,

MAY

1899

BEAVER FALLS

Paton & Wheeler, Bradford, PA

From The Bradford Era, September 29, 1928

PATON & WHEELER, Insurance,

JAN

1900

Bradford, Pa.

PATON & WHEELER, Insurance

FEB

1900

Bradford, Pa.

Parker & Shipton, Pittsfield, Mass

PARKER & SHIPTON

JAN

1900

from The Standard Insurance Directory of New England, 1899

Perry & Herrick, Elmira, NY

from the Elmira New York Gazette, September 3, 1902

PERRY & HERRICK,

MAY

1900

Elmira, N.Y.

Phillips & Rebhan, Milwaukee

from the American Agency Bulletin, September 1905

PHILLIPS & REBHAN

MAY

1900

MILWAUKEE.

John M. Picton, Nashville, TN

picture from The Centennial Album of Nashville, Tennessee, 1896

JOHN M. PICTON,

JUL 29 1899

John B. Pirtle, Louisville, Kentucky

This post includes Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album.

J. B. PIRTLE.

SEP 16 1899

Louisville, Ky.

from The Travelers Record, November 1900

from The Travelers Record, February 1899

S. H. Pool, Philadelphia

S. H. POOL, RES. MGR.,

JUL

1899

PHILADELPHIA, PA.

S. H. Pool appears to have been a dedicated agent for the Fidelity and Casualty Company of New York. From the Insurance News of January 1910.

Horace W. Power, Cleveland

This post includes Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album.

H. W. POWER,

JUL

1898

CLEVELAND, O.

from The Travelers Record, April 1898

Charles Slough, an Engineer with the Big 4 Railway, broke his arm. His Travelers accident policy helped bail him out.

Raphael Brothers, Houston, TX

from the Houston Daily Post, March 25, 1894

RAPHAEL BROS.

1899

HOUSTON, TEX.

A. J. Reibling & Son, Rochester, NY

A. J. REIBLING & SON.

1898

from the Rochester City Directory of 1933

Risley & Cavileer, Atlantic City, NJ

Risley & Cavileer conducted an insurance and real estate business in Atlantic City. From the Philadelphia Blue Book 1899.

RISLEY & CAVILEER,

MAR

1899

ATLANTIC CITY, N. J.

G. Rosenblatt, Portland, Oregon

from The Sunday Oregonian, January 6, 1895

There may have been another G. Rosenblatt insurance agent somewhere in the US during the 1898 tax era but this is the only one that shows up with a reasonable search effort. The G. Rosenblatt on the cancels below is assumed to have been in the insurance business due to the the firms use of 1/2 cent stamps; the assumption is also supported by the use of the 4 and 5 cent stamps.

G. Rosenblatt

DEC 9 1899

G. Rosenblatt.

DEC 9 1899

G. Rosenblatt.

MAR 1 1899

G. Rosenblatt.

MAR 1 1899

Henry J. Ryan, New York

HENRY J. RYAN,

JAN -7 1899

GEN. AGENT.

from The Insurance Times, March, 1898

Lake W. Sanborn, Galesburg, IL

In 1882 Lake Sanborn organized the Mechanics Homestead and Loan Association in Galeburg, Illinios, and was elected secretary, a position he held until his death. Sanborn also represented various insurance companies as an agent. So he apparently ordered a circular date stamp that could function as his cancelling device no matter what hat he was wearing - lender or insurance agent. The cancel seemed peculiar to me at first inspection, but after reading his bio, "Agent or Sec'y" made perfect sense.

In 1905, Sanborn was elected Mayor of Galesburg.

LAKE W. SANBORN

MAR

1899

AGENT OR SEC'Y

Lake W. Sanborn

from Notable Men of Illinois & Their State, published in1912

George C. Sawyer, Syracuse, NY

This post includes Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album.

George C. Sawyer initial cancels:

G.C.S.

SEP

1899

from The Travelers Record, May 1899

G.C.S.

NOV

1899

G.C.S.

AUG

1899

D. D. Sayer, Chickasha, Indian Territory

D. D. SAYER,

INSURANCE AGENT,

CHICKASHA, I. T.

D. D. Sayer was President and on the Board of Directors of the Bank of Commerce in Chickasha, where he used his office there to represent his insurance business.

Extra special thanks to Frank Sente for this strip of three.

Schermerhorn & Company, Schenectady, NY

The Schermerhorns either mispelled the name of their town in their cancels or their was an alternative spelling common at the time.

SCHERMERHORN & CO

FIRE UNDERWRITERS,

SCHNECTADY, N. Y.

James H. Searles, Rome, NY

JAMES H. SEARLES.

JUN

1900

Rome, N. Y.

from The City of Rome, New York, 1896

Sheafer & Lowrey, Pottsville, PA

Advert for Sheafer & Lowrey, agents for The Liverpool & London & Globe Insurance Co.

SHEAFER & LOWREY,

MAY

1901

POTTSVILLE, PA.

Silsbee, Baker & Geer, Lynn, Mass

SILSBEE, BAKER & GEER,

OCT

1900

LYNN, MASS.

Sloper & May, Pittsfield, Mass

SLOPER & MAY,

JUL 31 1899

PITTSFIELD, MASS.

from The Insurance Directory of New England, 1910-11

Snow & Barker, Providence, RI

from The Insurance Yearbook for 1892

SNOW & BARKER,

AUG 11 1900

PROV. R. I.

Starkweather & Shepley, Providence, RI

from the Souvernir Book of The Providence Teacher's Bazaar, Infantry Hall, November 1901.

STARKWEATHER & SHEPLEY,

JAN 13 1900

PROVIDENCE, R. I.

Charles E. Stickney, Springfield, Mass

CHAS E STICKNEY

DEC 6 1900

Springfield, Mass.

from The History of the Department of Police Service, Springfield, 1900

George L. Story, Portland, OR

George L. Story

AUG 2 1898

Portland, - Oreg.

George L. Story

NOV 28 1898

Portland, - Oreg.

from the Salem Directory of 1871:

George L. Story was an energetic entrepreneur and by 1898 ran a fire insurance business.

Tennis & Greeley, West Superior, WI

Tennis & Greeley,

OCT

1900

W. Superior, Wis.

WALTER FOWLER

JAN

1899

W. Superior

Thanks to Dave Thompson for finding this article, and reminding me of an old post on this site on Tennis & Greeley.

from The Western Underwriter,

March 19, 1903

J. W. Thompson & Sons, Detroit

This post includes Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album.

J. W. Thompson & Sons

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

DETROIT, MICH

SEP 17 1898

In the album of Travelers cancels, J. W. Thompson & Sons are represented by two different types of handstamp cancels. The first is this straight line cancel referring to their offices located at The Detroit Chamber of Commerce. The second is a circular date stamp with no address.

CDS cancels:

J. W. T. & Sons, State Agents,

AUG

1899

DETROIT, MICH.

from The Travelers Record, June 1900

H. K. Summem was paid $666.66 by The Travelers due to the loss of his right foot.

Tippett & Baker, Dover, Delaware

TIPPETT & BAKER

APR

1899

DOVER, N.J.

TIPPETT & BAKER

APR

1899

DOVER, N.J.

Train & Harty, Savannah, GA

TRAIN & HARTY

OCT

1900

Savannah, Ga.

The 1903 obituary of Joseph E. Harty of the firm Train & Harty as reported in the national insurance journal The Chronicle in April, 1903.

R. A. Travis & Company, Tarentum, PA

R. R. TRAVIS & CO.

OCT

1898

TARENTUM, PA.

Scan of a Bob Patetta stamp, originally posted on this site in 2011.

1940 Calendar cover

J. B. & J. M. Turnbull, Utica, NY

from The Hamilton Literary Magazine, June 1904

J. B. & J. M. TURNBULL

MAR

1900

Utica, N. Y.

Uncapher & McKinley, Marion, Ohio

State of Ohio Insurance License for 1901 for the Maryland Casualty Company and its agents, Uncapher & McKinley of Marion, Ohio. The license legally grants power of attorney to transact business in Ohio to Uncapher & McKinley; the POA was taxed 10 cents.

R168 stamp in the upper right corner of the license. The cancel is unclear. A cancel of The Maryland Casualty Company has featured twice on this site.

L. Van Cleef, Niagara Fallls, New York

L. Van Cleef

OCT 26 1898

Insurance

Nice block of four. But Mr. Van Cleef didn't leave behind much collateral material that I can find to complement his cancels.

E. A. Van Trump, Wilmington, Delaware

E. A. VAN TRUMP.

AUG

1900

WIL. DEL.

E. A. Van Trump was a general insurance agent in Wilmington for fire, marine, life & accident insurance. His office was located at the corner of 6th & Market Streets. The above stamp was likely used to pay the tax on insurance. Mr. Van Trump was also Secretary for the Wilmington Board of Trade.

The Delaware connection served the Van Trump family well, as Mr. Van Trump's son, E. A. Van Trump Jr., moved himself out west and became an agent for a rare and expensive car built by du Pont motors in Wilmington, Delaware.

Van Wyck & Quinn, Brooklyn, NY

VAN WYCK & QUINN

JUL

1898

MANAGERS.

Voss, Conrad & Company, San Francisco

VOSS, CONRAD & CO.

NOV

1900

SAN FRANCISCO

Voss, Conrad were agents for Thuringia and Frankfort Marine, Accident & Plate Glass. From The Jewish News of Northern California, September 18, 1903

Walke & Son, Norfolk, Virginia

Advert, Norfolk Landmark, July 11, 1889

Walke & Son,

NOV 4 1900

Norfolk, Va.

Ed. E. Walker & Co., Covington, KY

from the Covington, Kentucky High School Alumni bulletin 1905

ED. E. WALKER & CO.

DEC

1900

W. A. Warburton, Brooklyn, NY

W. A. WARBURTON,

1899

Brooklyn, N. Y.

W. A. WARBURTON,

1900

BROOKLYN, N. Y.

W. A. Warburn as a listed special agent for Aetna in 1896

John L. Way, St. Louis, MO

This post includes Travelers Insurance Agent cancels from the Travelers Insurance 1898 mini-album.

J. L. W.

SEP 30 1898

CANCELLED

The Travelers wrote accident insurance policies, and John L. Way's agency paid many of these types of claims which were documented by grateful policy holders in The Travelers Record, including burns from radiator steam, a crushed foot, and amputated fingers:

from The Travelers Record, April 1902

from The Travelers Record, June 1898

from The Travelers Record, February 1898

Charles H. Webster, Northfield, Mass

Charles H. Webster, Agt.

Northfield, Mass.

from The Standard Insurance Directory of New England, 1899

Mr. Webster represented several insurance companies, including Aetna and Home.

Weed & Parker Brothers, St. Paul, MN

from The American Exchange & Review, November 1900

WEED & PARKER BROS.

1899

T. K. Wilkins, Lima, OH

from Best's Insurance Reports, 1902

T. K. Wilkins and his buddies at the Amazon Insurance Company were up to dodgy stuff. According to the folks at Best's, Wilkens and his partners were running an unlicensed, "underground" insurance company. Best reports that Wilkens et al., "evidently fear [investigation] by outsiders. There is no reason for their refusal to furnish details [of the character of their assets]." Best's final conclusion: "The statement (shown above) is a ridiculous document. On the basis of the unearned premiums shown among the liabilities the company's net income cannot be more than $250 a month."

Wilkins is listed as the Secretary for Amazon Insurance. It is not clear that the Lima, Ohio canceled stamps below were used on Amazon documents, though Amazon Insurance was based in Lima despite having been incorporated in West Virginia. Maybe Wilkins' descendents can sue Jeff Bezos over the use of the Amazon name?