Sipiweske Museum
Wawanesa, Manitoba
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The Little Village that Nurtured a Giant
The birth of a company
1
Alonzo Fowler Kempton came from Nova Scotia to Manitoba with his parents when he was 18 years old. He became a fire insurance salesman for a "stock" company. He soon realized the many problems farmers had dealing with the Eastern companies that charged high premiums.
This situation was the lightning rod for the idea of a local mutual insurance company. The idea was conceived by Kempton and his friend Charles Kerr as they enjoyed a jar of whiskey by a prairie campfire one evening. Kerr was an accountant in a nearby town.
Creating a company by farmers and for farmers would be less expensive, more efficient and have premiums due after harvest when they had money, had to be a winning combination for a new company .
In 1896 after convincing twenty farmers to invest $20.00 each and sign a banknote the company was off on its epic journey. Seven of these investors became directors with Kempton as Managing Director.
A room above Vanstone's Drug Store was rented for an office. The first policies were handwritten by Mr. Kerr and the year-end profit totalled $5.96.
2
Threshing Machine
1890's
Wawanesa, Manitoba, Canada
Credits:
Sipiweske Musuem
3
Nellie McClung
Circa 1895
Wawanesa, Manitoba, Canada
Credits:
Sipiweske Museum
4
Charles Kerr business card holder
Wawanesa, Manitoba, Canada
Credits:
Sipiweske Museum
5
Cheque
20 August 1898
Wawanesa, Manitoba, Canada
Credits:
Sipiweske Museum
6
Alonzo Fowler Kempton
1896
Wawanesa, Manitoba, Canada
Credits:
Sipiweske Musuem
7
Charles Kerr & daughter
Circa 1905
Wawanesa, Manitoba, Canada
Credits:
Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
8
Wawanesa Insurance Policy
April 18 1897
Wawanesa, Manitoba, Canada
Credits:
Sipiweske Museum
9
Board Of Directors - Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
1906
Wawanesa, Manitoba, Canada
Credits:
Sipiweske Museum
10
Dr. Vanstone's Drug store was the first home of the new company
Circa 1896
Wawanesa, Manitoba, Canada
Credits:
Sipiweske Museum
11
Farm Yard
1900
Wawanesa, Manitoba, Canada
Credits:
Sipiweske Museum
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