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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.