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The History of the Beck Insurance Agency...
The Beck Insurance Agency was founded by Vincent S. Beck. Vincent
started his agency in 1948, working out of his parents' Pettisville,
Ohio home. Vincent became a licensed insurance agent for Northwestern
Mutual Life Insurance Company. Starting with
only a rate book, applications, and a pen, his business began to grow.
In 1949 Vincent was married to Mary Schmucker and the two moved to Archbold,
Ohio. They soon moved into their new home located at 106 Stryker
Street. The insurance busin
ess
was conducted out of the front of this house for the next eleven years.
During this time, Vincent became licensed to sell a full line of insurance.
At the same time, Vincent's wife Mary also became a licensed insurance
agent and was active in the business. Some of the companies that
they represented over the years include: Shelby Mutual,
Mansfield Mutual, Buckeye State Mutual, Hanover, Great American Insurance
Co., Midwestern Indemnity Co., Auto-Owners Insurance Co., Aetna
Fire & Casualty, Pa
trons
Mutual, Ohio Casualty, Toledo National, Transamerica, Wolverine Insurance
Co., Buckeye Union Insurance Co., USF&G Co., Celina Mutual, Progressive,
and Union Mutual Life Insurance Company. Around 1960, Vincent
purchased an interest in the building at 120 N. Defiance Street, downtown
Archbold, from Lester Rich. This was the former "Jimmy Schnetzler
Grocery Store". It was here that the Agency was
moved
to and still is our present location. Over the years, several
other agencies were purchased, including the Charles Scheer Agency from
Stryker, Ohio and the Kenneth D. Short Agency from Archbold. In
1975, the Walter Givin Agency in Fayette was purchased and became the
Fayette branch office, operated as the "Givin-Fayette Agency".
This office was operated and managed by Vincent's son Kirk, who had
joined the business in 1974. In 1975, Vincent's other son, William
(Bill), also joined the agency. The Fayette office was operated
until 1985, at which time that office was merged with the Archbold branch
in downtown Archbold. After the merger, the agency was incorporated
under the name of V.S. Beck Insurance Agency, Inc. That
same
year Vincent retired, and management and ownership of the agency
was assumed by Kirk and Bill. Over the years, Kirk and Bill have
worked diligently to continue providing excellent products and customer
service to the northwestern Ohio area.
Photo descriptions from top to botttom:
- Agency founder, Vincent S. Beck
- First "office" on 106 Stryker Street in Archbold, Ohio (1952)
- Vincent next to his 1953 Studebaker. "Drive Carefully" and "Insure with Beck, printed on the trunk.
- Mary Beck next to one of the first Beck Insurance signs. (Mid 50's)
- Future agents, Kirk and Bill Beck in front of 106 Stryker St. office. February, 1956.
