- REID, James William, agent for the Milwaukee district of
the Prudential Life Insurance company,
- is the son of James REID, who was born and lived all his
life of eighty-four years in Kincardineshire, Scotland. His wife,
the mother of the subject of this sketch, was Elizabeth READ,
a farmer's daughter of the same county. They had a family of
three sons and one daughter, of which James W. Reid was the youngest.
Both parents were thoroughly Scotch, and it is hardly necessary
to say, were strict Presbyterians, and believed in giving their
children a good education, fitting them for earning an honest
living, which the parents held could not be secured in any way
which did not involve honest and intelligent work.
- James William REID was born in the Scotch home in 1850, and
being the youngest of the family,
- his mother wished him fitted for some profession, but his
father was opposed to this and kept him at work on the farm.
After leaving the public school, he attended classes in the evening,
meantime watching for an opportunity to get away from home and
into the great world of affairs. At length, through an accident,
his way was opened. Falling from a horse, he was disabled, for
a time, for hard work, and he was allowed to learn the business
of clothing and drapery in a large general store. Here he served
an apprenticeship of four years, at the conclusion of which his
father gave him $250.00 and told him to make his own way in life.
Like other young men, he had an ambition to see the world; and,
as he never had been accustomed to have much money to spend,
he thought, with the few dollars he had saved from his own earnings,
and with the gifts from his father, that he was almost independent.
Accordingly, he began business on his own account, but soon found
that he did not have sufficient capital to carry it on successfully.
Abandoning mercantile business, he secured a position as bank
accountant, and, in addition thereto, an agency from the Scotch
Provincial Life Assurance company, which, at that time was given
to any one connected with a bank, or had an office where the
people who wanted insurance could apply, for there was no canvassing
in the business then. That was his first experience in life insurance,
and he concluded that it was a business in which he would succeed.
He, therefore, devoted his energies to the study of business
methods and the acquiring of a knowledge of human nature.
- In 1877, he was married to Annie DUNCAN, daughter of Alexander
DUNCAN, a farmer of
- Kincardine. The following year he went to England where he
remained ten years. In the beginning of 1888 the sailed for New
York, leaving his family behind until he should determine whether
he wished to make the "new world" his home or not.
He thought that, with his will to work, he would find larger
scope here to rise in his chosen calling. He landed in New York
without a friend, and without letters of introduction beyond
those of reference. He spent two days in looking about the city;
and, on the day, he applied for an agency with the company he
still represent, and was successful, being appointed to Rockland
county, on the Hudson. Within six months, so successful was he,
his agency ranked first of those in that region. In January he
was appointed assistant superintendent in New York City; here
he met with success also, and in August of the same year, was
transferred to Albany. Satisfied with his prospects, he sent
for his family, and took up his permanent residence in the United
States. After two years in Albany, he was appointed to the superintendency
of the Middletown, N.Y. district, and during the time the was
there he ranked second among all the company's agents for the
amount of new business written. So pleased was he with the results
of his work that he decided to remain there. But at that time
the Milwaukee district, the only one which the company had opened
in this state, had become so disorganized, that a change was
deemed advisable, and he was offered and accepted the superintendency.
He set to work and organized a staff of agents that, in 1893,
produced almost double the amount of business of any other district
in the twenty states in which the company is represented. The
business of the company has grown rapidly; and, during the four
years that Mr. Reid REID been in Milwaukee, two regular offices
have been established, one in Oshkosh and another in Racine,
and five branch offices, including Janesville, Beloit, Sheboygan,
Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls.
- The company has now about twenty thousand policies in force
in this state, and, during the year
- 1896, paid claims to 220 families, thereby benefiting at
least one thousand persons. There are now about one hundred employes
connected with the agency staff in Wisconsin, and Mr. REID wishes
no better field for his work this state affords, and he intends
to make Milwaukee his permanent home.
- Mr. REID is a member of Immanuel Presbyterian church, and
like the majority of his countrymen,
- is thoroughly attached to the Presbyterian denomination.
He belongs to Kilbourn Lodge, No. 3, F. & A.M., and has been
three years treasurer of the Wisconsin Association of Life Underwriters.
He is also a member of the Prudential Old Guard, an honor bestowed
by the company after five years' honorable service.
- In politics he is a Republican and a thorough protectionist,
for the country's sake.
- He as one son, George Duncan REID, who is now one of his
assistants.
-
- [Taken from "Men of Progress: Wisconsin" (c)1897
The Evening Wisconsin Company, Milwaulee, pp. 171-172]
Courtesy of Lori
|