Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

MINUTE BOOKS:

All entries 1900 and later of Volume 3 of the Policy Holders General Meeting Minutes are CLOSED.

Use Restrictions

MINUTE BOOKS:

The Board of Directors and Policy Holders Minute books, 1796-1899, are on microfilm and should be served instead of the originals. (Misc. reels 460a, 460b, 460c, 2160)

The targets are incorrect on Misc. Reels 460a-c. The ending date for Vol. 3 is 1828, not 1942 as indicated. For a complete film copy of Vol. 3 of the Policy Holders Minutes, See Misc. Reel 2160. The version on Misc. Reel 460a is incomplete.

Preferred Citation

Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia. General Business Records, 1795-1965. Accession 28135, Business Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

This collection came to the Library of Virginia in seven accessions. The bulk of the collection came as one accession: Gift of the Mutual Assurance Society, Richmond, Virginia (Accession 28135). THIS ACCESSION, 28135, IS USED TO DESCRIBE AND IDENTIFY THE ENTIRE GENERAL BUSINESS RECORDS COLLECTION.

At later dates other integral Mutual Assurance Society records were donated to the Library of Virginia and are interfiled within the larger collection.

Statement showing the value of certain houses in Fredericksburg, 1796 and 1822. Lent for copying by Mr. George H.S. King, Fredericksburg, Virginia (Accession 24644).

List of sundry debts, 1814-1820. Purchased (Accession 26238).

Statement showing the value of certain houses in Fredericksburg, 1796 and 1822. Gift of Mr. George H.S. King, Fredericksburg, Virginia (Accession 26893).

Minute books, 1795-1942. Gift of the Mutual Assurance Society, Richmond, Virginia (Accession 30178).

Records, 1849-1952. Gift of the Mutual Assurance Society, Richmond, Virginia (Accession 33942).

Minute books, 1795-1980. Gift of the Mutual Assurance Society, Richmond, Virginia (Accession 37025).

Biographical/Historical Information

The following is a brief outline of the Mutual Assurance Society's history. The history of the company has been the subject of several publications, which should be consulted for more in-depth presentations:

- John B. Danforth and Herbert A. Claiborne. "Historical Sketch of the Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia, From its Organization in 1794 to 1879." (W.E. Jones, 1879) - Richard Love. "Founded Upon Benevolence: A Bicentennial History of the Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia." (The Valentine: 1994)

The Mutual Assurance Society against Fire on Buildings, of the State of Virginia, was incorporated by the General Assembly on 22 December 1794. The plan of the society was suggested by William Frederick Ast, a Prussian then residing in Richmond, and is alleged to have been modeled after a system of mutual guarantee introduced by Frederick the Great.

As required by the act of incorporation, a subscription of three million dollars was necessary before the charter could be carried into effect. As a result, the organizational meeting of the society was not held until 24 December 1795. At that meeting, a constitution, rules, and regulations were adopted and officers selected. The general office of the society was to be in Richmond, Virginia. Management was to be by the president and directors, while the principal agent and cashier-general were charged with administrative duties. The following officers were selected: William Foushee, President; James Bradder, James Brown, Jacob J. Cohen, Andrew Dunscomb, William Duval, Robert Mitchell, George Pickett, and Bushrod Washington, Directors for Richmond and vicinity; Robert Bolling, Director for Petersburg; George French, Director for Fredericksburg; Alexander St. Clair, Director for Staunton; Jonah Thompson, Director for Alexandria; John Peyton, Director for Winchester; Thomas Newton, Director for Norfolk; Jacquelin Ambler, Cashier-General; and William F. Ast, Principal agent. The society eventually insured property in Virginia, West Virginia (until 1868), and the District of Columbia. Policies began to be written in March 1796. One of the first policies was written for John Marshall, the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court; other early clients included Thomas Jefferson, "Light-Horse" Harry Lee, James Monroe, and Bushrod Washington.

Insurance offered by the society was against all losses and damages occasioned accidentally by fire. Rates of hazard were determined by the material composition of the buildings, by the uses to which the buildings were put, and by what may be kept in them. Mills, playhouses, liveries, and buildings containing machinery propelled by steam or in which combustible articles were stored could be insured only by special contract. Revaluations of insured property were required every seven years or whenever additions were made to a policy.

Until 1819, the society returned to policy holders the interest accumulated on its reserve fund in excess of the amount deemed necessary to pay annual claims for losses and damages. When costs exceeded income, the society was authorized to require members to pay quotas, the amount depending on the sum insured and the rate of the hazard. Insured property was considered security and could be sold to obtain the quotas. Annual quotas were not regularly required until 1809.

During its history the society made numerous revisions in its constitution. In 1805, the number of directors was reduced, and in 1809 the offices of president, cashier-general, and the directors were abolished. In their place a committee was to be appointed by the annual general meeting. While property located in towns and rural areas was initially insured alike, a constitutional change in 1805 established town and country branches. Funds were divided between the two branches and the premiums, quotas, and claims were kept separately. Because of heavy losses sustained by the country branch, no new insurance of rural property was issued after 15 August 1818. The country branch was eventually abolished in March 1822.

Up to the Civil War, the society was financially secure and prosperous. Although war risks were not taken by the society and any damage caused by invasion was not covered by the assurance, the financial crisis caused by inflation, currency depreciation, and the loss of investments with the fall of the Confederacy left the society: without a dollar in money. However, the society's reserve fund, required by law, enabled it to recover rapidly from the effects of the war.

In May 1905 work was completed on a new nine story office building for the Mutual Assurance Society, located in downtown Richmond. The company survived World War I and World War II intact, even abating quotas for its members in 1945. During the tenure of G. Moffett King Sr. and Jr., the Society made several changes in the types of policies it wrote. Coverage was extended and homeowner's insurance was offered, which eventually became the Society's primary insurance product. The articles of incorporation were amended in 1982 to change the name from The Mutual Assurance Society Against Fire on Buildings of the State of Virginia, to its present name, Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia. In 1991 the offices in downtown Richmond were sold and the company relocated to the west end of Richmond. After 210 years the company continues to prosper in Virginia, remaining the oldest incorporated business in Virginia.

Principal Agents include: William F. Ast 24 Dec. 1795- 20 Sept. 1807; Samuel Greenhow 7 Jan. 1808-17 Feb. 1815; James Rawlings 4 March 1815-12 April 1837; John Rutherford 19 April 1837-3 Aug. 1866; Herbert A. Claiborne 13 Aug. 1866-15 Feb. 1902; Edwin A. Palmer 24 Feb. 1902-12 Nov. 1928; W. Meade Addison 23 Nov. 1928-7 Jan. 1954; G. Moffett King 7 Jan. 1954-1 Feb. 1960; G. Moffett King, Jr. 1 Feb. 1960-12 Sept. 1966; S. Vernon Priddy, Jr. 6 Dec. 1966-1981; L. Gerald Roach 1981-.

Presidents include: William Foushee 24 Dec. 1795-13 Aug. 1804, Resigned; Alexander McRae 13 Aug. 1804-16 Feb. 1809, Office abolished.

Scope and Content

The Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia General Business Records are housed in 142 boxes and arranged into six series. Series have been designated for I. Administrative Records; II. Correspondence, Incoming; III. Correspondence, Outgoing; IV. General Accounts; V. Inspection Reports; and VI. Collection lists and Town and Country Quotas.

The records include account books, bylaws, checkbooks, claims, collection lists, constitutions, correspondence, deeds, inspection reports, journals, minutes, notices to withdraw insurance, receipts, town and country quotas, vouchers, and wills. These records document the history of one of the earliest insurance agencies in Virginia. Many notable Virginian's such as Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, and Bushrod Washington held policies with the company.

The Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia Records are organized into two distinct groupings, General Business Records (Accession 28135) and Declarations and Revaluations of Assurance (Accession 30177). Although the Declarations and Revaluations are considered part of the Mutual Assurance Records, the size and scope of the collection made it necessary to create a more separate distinction within the collection. This separation was created because of the way in which the records were accessed and in order to make the General Business records more readily available.

This finding aid is for the General Business Records only. The Declarations and Revaluations of Assurance, 1796-1966, have a partial finding aid available in the Archives Research Room. The policies, 1796- 1867, are indexed. For post 1867, Sanborn maps are available to help locate policies. The Declarations and Revaluations of Assurance consist of forms numbered and designated as a new policy or revaluation. Policies include the name of the insured, place of residence, location of the insured property (with references to contiguous property), the name of the occupant of the property, a description and estimated value of each structure insured, and the date and signature of the insured. An appraisers statement regarding the value of the property is also included on each policy. At the bottom of each policy appears a sketch of the insured property. Revaluations of assurance contain the same information and reference to the prior declaration number.

A more in-depth description of the collection can be found in the series level description. It is recommended that the researcher read the series level scope and content notes thoroughly before accessing the collection.

SERIES I: ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS (1795-1899)

The Administrative Records series is housed in 11 boxes and arranged alphabetically by folder title. This series consists of annual statements, bylaws, constitutions and resolutions, and minutes.

Included are published pamphlets on the "Constitution, Rules and Regulations of the Mutual Assurance Society, 1856," and "A Collection of the Acts of Legislature of Virginia." The "Collection of the Acts of Legislature of Virginia," include transcripts of the original act establishing the company, 1794 and 1795, along with several amendments, 1799-1822, regarding insurance for orphans and widows, reorganization of the board, and abolishing the country branch. Both of the pamphlets are indexed. Also included is the "Historical Sketch of the Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia, From its Organization in 1794 to 1879," compiled by John B. Danforth and Herbert A. Claiborne.

The minutes consist of Board of Directors (Standing Committee) Minute books, Volumes 1-10, 1796-1897, and Policy Holders (General Meetings) Minute books, Volumes 1-3, 1795-1899. The rules and regulations adopted by the subscribers of the Mutual Assurance Society in 1795 provided for an annual General Meeting of the membership (policy holders). At the General Meetings financial statements of the Society were reviewed and members of the Standing Committee (Board of Directors) were selected. Any revision of the rules and regulations of the Society were also submitted to the General Meeting for consideration. (Available on microfilm Miscellaneous Reels 460a-c and 2160)

The Standing Committee supervised the business operation of the Society and was composed of the President and Board of Directors. The minutes of their monthly meetings record authorization for payments for losses; acts of incorporation; agreements; approval of special contracts of assurance; appointment of special agents and other officers; consideration of the forms for declarations; powers of attorney and bonds; resolutions; and review of the financial statements of the Society.

SERIES II: CORRESPONDENCE, INCOMING (1795-1865)

The Correspondence, Incoming series is housed in 52 boxes and arranged alphabetically by last name of correspondent, then chronologically by year. The series includes correspondence from agents and subscribers throughout Virginia. Each letter is endorsed on the back with the authors name and date received. The majority of the letters were sent to Principal Agents William F. Ast, Samuel Greenhow, James Rawlings, and Col. John Rutherford.

Most of the letters are from Mutual Assurance Society agents in the field. Topics of the agents correspondence includes lists of new subscribers, account information, losses paid, hiring and firing of agents, inability to work due to illness, and the difficulties in collecting dues. Some of the letters include small drawings of houses insured.

Topics of the subscribers correspondence include inquiries regarding newly purchased properties, informing the company when a house was sold that was previously insured by Mutual Assurance, requesting extended coverage for additions they made to the house (these sometimes include drawings), stock dividends, inquiring about claims due, and complaints against Mutual Assurance Society rate increases and problems with their agents. Often the letters include information on the owners of homes, including names of previous owners. These letters are a good source of information regarding the growth of Virginia towns, local architecture and businesses, and also of local catastrophes, such as large town fires (for example 1804 in Norfolk and 1815 in Petersburg).

Also included are letters from local fire companies requesting donations or thanking Mutual for donating money to buy needed supplies. The Society gave money to create public water systems in Fredericksburg, Lynchburg, Manchester, Petersburg, and Richmond. The Society also donated money and equipment to city fire companies, bestowed awards on fireman, and gave money to buy fire engines.

There are very few letters existing from the Civil War era. Although the date range for the letters is up to 1865, there are only a handful of letters existing from 1861-1865, and those that do exist do not address the war. Some of the letters are fragile and have been removed for conservation work.

SERIES III: CORRESPONDENCE, OUTGOING (1805-1906) (bulk 1849-1899)

The Correspondence, Outgoing series includes 24 letterbook volumes housed in 17 boxes and arranged chronologically. The main correspondents of the letters were the Principal Agents of Mutual Assurance during the 1805-1899 period: William F. Ast, John Rutherfoord, and Herbert A. Claiborne. Most of the correspondence was with agents in the field relating to issues over increases in coverage, applications, losses, and requests for replacement policies. Many of the letterbooks include indexes at the beginning of the volumes.

Included are letters explaining the changes in the companies constitution and the hiring of town and country special agents in 1805, including a list of agents in 1805. Other topics include correspondence with the agents regarding applications and requesting further clarification on some applications and quotas, complaints from subscribers over policies, the growth of the company, Board of Director resolutions, company rules and policies, court cases in which subscribers sued the company over payments, interest paid to subscribers, questions over insuring buildings and what types of buildings were insurable, information received about the transfer of land and reassignment of insurance, and settlement of losses.

Of note is the letterbook dated 1860-1866, during the Civil War. The letters illustrate the effect the war had on Mutual Assurance Society. The letters address the society's policy to not pay for losses incurred from "riots, civil commotions, or insurrections, from the invasion of foreign enemies." In a letter dated 4 October 1862 from John Rutherfoord, he noted the decision to not pay for losses from a recent fire in Portsmouth, "resulting from the burning of the Navy yard at Gusport by the enemy." Rutherfoord then elaborates in his letter to agent John Herndon, Fredericksburg, "I congratulate you on the liberation of your town and people from the intolerable Yankees. I wish I could confidently congratulate you on the prospect of your not being molested by them again; it is apprehended by many that they will make another desperate effort before the winter to capture our city. I therefore suggest that if your conscience will permit, it may be expedient to push our collections before another invasion may drive away as refugees, many of your city."

Other topics of the 1860-1866 letterbook include the difficulties collecting bills during the war and agents' questions over rate quotes for buildings that were transformed to other uses, such as for hospitals. In further letters Rutherfoord writes to his agents in the field sympathizing with the community's hardships and fearing the war would last longer (25 July 1863). The letters also include routine business correspondence regarding the receipt of new policies, revaluations, transference of land and policies, and appointment of agents.

Many of the letters, post 1865, concern the issues of the devalued Confederate money, rising costs of building supplies, and the difficulty of collecting quotas in occupied cities. (A good example is a letter from John Rutherfoord dated 25 July 1865). There are also many letters in which the society had to reiterate its decision to not pay any claims for houses damaged from the war. After the war the society returned to regular business and worked to increase its profits.

Series IV: GENERAL ACCOUNTS (1799-1913) (bulk 1799-1865)

The General Accounts series is housed in 27 boxes and arranged alphabetically by folder title. This series consists of account books, bank deposit slips, certificates of qualifications, checkbooks, claims, daily report of risks, deeds, journals, notices to withdraw insurance, transfers of property and policies, vouchers and receipts, and wills.

The account books, 1873-1913, includes individual accounts for subscribers listing quotas and amounts due. The account books, 1873-1883 and 1883-1893 are indexed. Included are certificates of qualifications for special agents of Mutual Assurance, 1838-1866. These certificates consist of oaths taken by the agents in front of a magistrate of the county, declaring "he will faithfully and truly execute the duties of his office." The certificates are arranged alphabetically by agent's last name.

The claims, 1799-1861 (bulk 1815-1818), relate to the loss of property due to fire that the Mutual Assurance Society paid. These claims are arranged chronologically, with each claim foldered by claimant's last name. A list of all claimants' names is included in the finding aid. The claim forms contain the owner's name, location of fire, date, occupant of the house (often not the owner), and are notarized and signed by witnesses and agents. If a form was not included, an affidavit was made including the same information. These claim papers also included supporting documents, such as affidavits proving relationships for widows or heirs, estate accounts, land deeds, power of attorney, and wills. A list of wills included is available on the finding aid. (Some loose wills are also available at the end of the series.) The original insurance certificate for the home is also often included, along with correspondence, revaluation policies, and itemized lists of loss. Of note is the first claim filed with Mutual Assurance by Patrick McMara of Richmond, whose home was damaged in the course of a fire on 21 January 1797. Also of note is the 1815 claim by Robert Bolling (1759-1838) in Petersburg, which included several claims for homes and shops damaged by fire. The claims are of special interest because they trace large town fires that occurred, such as the 1804 fire in Norfolk, 1807 in Fredericksburg, and 1815 in Petersburg. Also of note is a statement showing the amount of losses in the towns branch, 1797-1828. This list is arranged alphabetically by town name and includes the name of claimant and how much they were compensated. (The vouchers and receipts are also a good source for researching claims paid out by Mutual.)

Included are 2 volumes, "Daily Report of Risks Per Annual Policies," 1885-1887 and 1887-1889, Numbers 1521-2188. These reports include information on policy renewals for Norfolk, Petersburg, and Suffolk, Virginia. The reports include policy holders names, amount of insurance, and a description and rough sketch of the property. Some of the reports also include an applicant's survey which includes questions regarding the materials used, when the house was built, if house was mortgaged, value of building, and fire safety questions.

Included are deeds, 1751-1826, arranged alphabetically by location (county or town name). A list of all deeds is included in the finding aid. Included are deeds from Bedford, Culpeper, Goochland, Henrico, Loudoun, Prince Edward and Stafford Counties; and Fredericksburg, Lynchburg, Norfolk, Petersburg, and Richmond. Possibly these deeds were used to prove claims or insurance on certain tracts of land. The notices to withdraw insurance, 1800-1865, are arranged chronologically then alphabetically by correspondent. These consist of correspondence from insurers informing Mutual Assurance of their decision to withdraw their coverage and are often notarized by the local county justice of the peace. Changes in the constitution of the Society is often noted as the reason for the withdrawal, especially in 1805. The transfer of property and policies, 1796-1859, are arranged chronologically then alphabetically by correspondent. These consist of correspondence with Mutual Assurance by subscribers informing of the sale of land insured by the company. The subscribers often note to whom they have sold the lots and ask that the insurance be transferred to the new owner. Lists of transfers are included for 1810 in Dinwiddie County and Petersburg and for 1859 in Portsmouth.

The vouchers and receipts, 1798-1899, are arranged chronologically in 16 boxes. The vouchers and receipts are mostly for losses paid to insurers. Also included are receipts from agents listing quotas collected and due from insurers, receipts for salaries, lawyers fees, and judgments. Included are receipts for office expenses such as advertising costs, ink purchases, printing costs, postage, and binding declarations books. Of note are receipts for yearly appropriations made to local fire companies.

Of note are the vouchers and receipts of Alexander H. Rutherfoord. Included are accounts, agreements, contracts, drawings, estimates, receipts, and specifications for the Rutherfoord-Hobson House and Linden Row houses in Richmond, Virginia. The Rutherfoord-Hobson house was built in 1842-1843 by Alexander Rutherfoord, on land bought from his father, Thomas Rutherfoord. The house was located at 2 W. Franklin Street, Richmond. The Linden Row houses were built between 1847-1853 at 110-118 East Franklin Street, Richmond. The lots had originally been purchased by Thomas Rutherfoord, the father of Samuel and Alexander Rutherfoord, and later sold to his brother-in-law, Parson Blair. In 1847 Fleming James built a row of five houses which were called Linden Square, later becoming Linden Row. In 1853 Samuel and Alexander Rutherfoord acquired the lots and continued to build five more houses like the ones built in 1847. These papers relating to these historic houses are of special interest to researchers interested in Richmond architecture.

SERIES V: INSPECTION REPORTS (1944-1965)

The Inspection Reports series consists of 21 volumes of reports on houses mainly in Richmond, Virginia, 1944-1965. Included are a few reports from Danville, Norfolk, Petersburg, Suffolk, and Winchester, Virginia. The reports include the location of the house, corresponding Sanborn map volume number, use of building (house, apt., office, church), distance from fire hydrant, number of stories, construction material, type of heating, age of building, estimate cost to rebuild, and general questions about the condition of the housekeeping and location of the house. The reports conclude with questions regarding the risk of the house, whether the neighborhood was improving or declining, and whether the neighborhood would in the future be converted to boarding houses or shopping areas. Many reports include small sketches of the buildings on the back of the forms. It is unknown why certain houses were included and although the reports are arranged numerically, there is no other consistency with street or house numbers.

SERIES VI: COLLECTION LISTS AND TOWN AND COUNTRY QUOTAS (1796-1884)

The Collection lists, 1847-1884, consist of 26 volumes and is housed in 11 boxes. The lists are indexed by town name and also include the collector's name. Included are the name of the insured, policy number, and principal and interest collected for the year, often including information on previous 3-4 years of collection.

The Town and Country quotas consist of 56 volumes, 1796- 1869, housed in 37 boxes. The volumes begin with a recapitulation of the amount insured in each county or town and include the number of buildings insured, net amount of insurance, premium and quota for the year. The remainder of the volumes lists by county or town the declaration number, names of subscribers, names of transferrees, number of buildings insured, amount of insurance, premium and quota on each declaration, when the quota was paid, the amount of the quota paid, and remarks. Included are quota volumes for the country branches, 1796-1822, and town branches, 1796-1869. The volumes are indexed by town or city name.

Revaluations of insured property were required every seven years or whenever additions were made to a policy. Until 1819, the Society returned to policy holders the interest accumulated on its reserve fund in excess of the amount deemed necessary to pay annual claims for losses and damages. When costs exceeded income, the Society was authorized to require members to pay "quotas," the amount depending on the sum insured and the rate of hazard. Insured property was considered security and could be sold to obtain the quotas. Annual quotas were not required until 1809. From 1809 to 1846 the rate of the assessment was twenty per cent of the premium. In 1805 the Society decided to divide its business into two distinct divisions- town and country branches. This decision was made because it was thought that fires in towns were liable to destroy hundreds of houses, where fires in the country would only consume one house. Although administered by a single board and group of officers, the newly separated town and country branches had their own agents, policies, and treasuries. Income and expenses were divided into two accounts, and newly assessed quotas and payments for losses were based on the income generated by each division. By 1810 though the Society realized that it was more difficult to collect quotas from the cash strapped farmers in the country than the more steadily employed urban workers. In 1819 the Society stopped issuing policies on country properties and in 1821 it eliminated the country branch altogether. The Society now limited its coverage to structures located in Virginia's towns and cities.

Also included are two volumes, Record for Towns, 1805-1814, and Revaluation of Towns, 1805-1814. These volumes lists by towns the property insured, giving the policy and declaration number, subscriber's name, use of the building, insurance value, amount of premium, and if the property was burnt or if the policy was withdrawn or transferred. Both volumes contain full name indexes at the end of the volume.

Also included is a statement showing the value of certain houses in Fredericksburg, 1796 and 1822. The list shows who owned the buildings in 1796, the valuation and type of building and who owned the buildings in 1822, valuation, and the amount of increase or decrease in the property values.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into six series. Series have been designated for: I. Administrative Records; II. Correspondence, Incoming; III. Correspondence, Outgoing; IV: General Accounts; V. Inspection Reports; and VI. Town and Country Quotas.