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RECALLING THE 100-year history of the Schryver Insurance Agency at Polo arc James Schryver (left) and his brother Martin III. Their grandfather started the agency, which will be 100 years old this Sunday. The agency is Polo’s oldest continuing business.Insurance Agency At Polo To Mark 100th AnniversaryBy MARGARET BROWNJournal-Standard CorrespondentPOLO - In 1872 Martin Schryver was discovered one day chopping up some old grocery boxes. When asked what he was doing, he replied that he was going into the insurance business and the boxes would serve as a desk.This Sunday the Schryver Insurance Agency will mark its 100th anniversary. Martin Schryver signed his first contract with the Union Central Life Insurance Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio, on Dec. 17, 1872.The company survived all the ups and downs connected with any business during the 100-year period, and now the insurance agency stands as Polo’s oldest continuing business.Schryver carried on the business for 34 years until he died of a heart attack on a business trip to Ottawa in 1906.Milledgeville Will Issue Sewer BondsMILLEDGEVILLE - The Milledgeville Village Board Monday night passed an ordinance for issuing $90,000 in sewer bonds at 4% per cent interest with the Milledgeville State Bank as paying agent.His son, Martin II, just 26 years old at the time, took over and did a record-breaking business.At the time of the death of Martin II in 1942, the agency was 30th in the nation of Union Central Agencies with $11,490,000 insurance in force.With the death of Martin II, his son, Martin III, who had joined the company in 1932, took over the business. James Schryver, Martin’s brother, joined the firm in 1946 after spending two years with the Army in France during World War II.Handwritten policies, often in two languages, depending on the nationality of the community, were the norm for the late 19th century.If a community was basically German the policies were written in German and English,” James Schryver said. Business trips were made by train and by horse and buggy all over Northern Illinois.As more coverage became necessary, policies became more sophisticated and more complicated. The company originally offered only life insurance but now offers fire, general, casualty and special package insurance.The coming of the automobile created new problems for the averagecitizen. While people in the old days were terribly, embarrassed if they were hit by a car, and got away from the scene as soon as possible, today people find it necessary to be protected from the possibility of financial disaster in case of an automobile accident.Martin III has a son, Walter, who is following in the Schryver footsteps and is head of the Inland Marine Underwriting Department of the Minneapolis branch of the St. Paul Insurance Companies.Thus the Schryver tradition adds up to insurance for four generations. And it might be five since there is also another Marlin, the son of Walter, who is 5 years old.Will Give Canned Goods To Needy FamiliesGERMAN VALLEY - Girls of Prairie Roses 4-H Club are building a Christmas tree of canned goods which will be delivered to needy families Dec. 22.The tree is located in German American State Bank here. Persons are invited to donate canned goods for the project.
Newspaper Details
Freeport Journal Standard
Freeport, Illinois, US
Wed, Dec 13, 1972
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Proquest T.
AF 16 Nov 2018
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