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By the Minutes: Tumultuous 1930-1940s

Shutterstock illustration ID: 249573553 American WW2 poster. 'Her America must stay free! Buy war bonds,' reads a poster showing a daydreaming teenage girl about to write in her diary. Ca. 1943. Used with permission.

American WW2 poster. ‘Her America must stay free! Buy war bonds,’ ca. 1943. Used with permission, Shutterstock

By HOWARD WIEDENHOEFT

Throughout their operations, Ixonia Mutual Insurance Company and Watertown Mutual Insurance Company steadfastly served the small town communities of southeastern Wisconsin. However, “small town” is not to say they operated in a bubble of oblivion to rest of the world. Both mutuals maintained a keen awareness of national and international affairs and proactively sought to protect their policyholders as best they could. [Read more…] about By the Minutes: Tumultuous 1930-1940s

By the Minutes: Board Directors and Their Meetings

Forward Mutual board of director meeting, 2017

A vision planning meeting held in 2016 by the Forward Mutual board of directors

By HOWARD WIEDENHOEFT

When Watertown Mutual Insurance Company and Ixonia Mutual Insurance Company were founded their boards of directors served very different purposes than they do today. They managed the day to day operations of their mutuals. They acted as agents selling policies and they adjusted all the claims. Each board met after the January annual meetings to elect officers. They met again in December to close and audit the books. They also met for special meetings when it was necessary to levee assessments or determine payment of claims. [Read more…] about By the Minutes: Board Directors and Their Meetings

By the Minutes: Supporting the Community’s Fire Protection

Ixonia Fire Department's first hand pumper, "Heritage of Ixonia"

Ixonia’s first hand pumper with chemical unit attached. Photo used with permission from the book Heritage of Ixonia, by Carl and Alida Jaeger.

By HOWARD WIEDENHOEFT

As trendy as barns have become for dance venues, the idea is hardly new. In fact, in 1923 the following resolution was passed at the Watertown Mutual Insurance Company’s annual meeting:

“Whereas during the summer months many barns are used for dances and whereas such undertaking is hazardous to said barn and other nearby buildings because of the use of cigarettes and smoking in general. Be it resolved the buildings and other property on such a farm is not insured from 12 o’clock noon the day of the dance and 48 hours after.” [Read more…] about By the Minutes: Supporting the Community’s Fire Protection

By the Minutes: Taxes, War and the English Language

Vintage adding machine

By HOWARD WIEDENHOEFT

Ixonia Mutual Insurance Company and Watertown Mutual Insurance Company may have been small companies in rural America during the early decades of 20th century, yet events of the time—state, national and international—had a significant impact on their operations. In February 1913, Congress passed the 16th  Amendment to the U.S. Constitution the collection of taxes on income. In October 1917, six months after the United States became involved in World War I, Congress passed the War Revenue Act, which increased income taxes in order to fund the war effort. Both these events had an effect on mutual insurance companies. [Read more…] about By the Minutes: Taxes, War and the English Language

By the Minutes: Insuring Automobiles

Photo used with permission from the book Heritage of Ixonia, by Carl and Alida Jaeger.

Photo used with permission from the book Heritage of Ixonia, by Carl and Alida Jaeger.

By HOWARD WIEDENHOEFT

In 1913, Ixonia Mutual presented at its annual meeting a resolution to insure automobiles. It did not pass. Interestingly, in 1914, Watertown Mutual also brought up a resolution to insure automobiles and its voters approved. Not to be outdone by its competitor, Ixonia Mutual reconsidered the idea and in 1915 they introduced their auto coverage. [Read more…] about By the Minutes: Insuring Automobiles

By the Minutes: Our Dairy Heritage

Dairy Cattle in Wisconsin

By HOWARD WIEDENHOEFT

Our summer is drawing to a close and just like generations before us, we reminisce of the season’s county fairs and the judging of livestock. Forward Mutual participates in two fairs: the Jefferson County Fair and the Dodge County Fair. We do so because farming, particularly dairy farming, is part of our Forward Mutual heritage. Let’s look back at this history and how it affected mutual insurance.

Let’s look at our area in 1913. [Read more…] about By the Minutes: Our Dairy Heritage