Mutual Assurance Society Against Fire on Buildings Subscription Book, 1795

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Creator:
Arlington County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Mutual Assurance Society Against Fire on Buildings Subscription Book, 1795, consists of a copy of a subscription list of insurance policy holders in Alexandria and surrounding area kept by the Mutual Assurance Society Against Fire on Buildings for June 1795. It records the name of policyholder, place of residence, name of county, number of buildings insured, and value of buildings. A few entries include types of buildings insured.

Biographical / historical:

The Mutual Assurance Society against Fire on Buildings, of the State of Virginia, was incorporated by the General Assembly on 22 December 1794. The plan of the society was suggested by William Frederick Ast, a Prussian then residing in Richmond, and is alleged to have been modeled after a system of mutual guarantee introduced by Frederick the Great. Insurance offered by the society was against all losses and damages occasioned accidentally by fire.

Acquisition information:
Digital images were generated by Backstage Library Works through the Library of Virginia's Circuit Court Records Preservation Program.
Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
Digital images.