Born: 1836, Died: 1920
Married: Laura Winn
Jeremiah Hughes was born near Heidelberg where he grew up on a farm. For a time, he worked in a local blacksmith shop. He became interested in the insurance business and was one of the citizens who came up with the idea of a mutuality in the insurance business. In 1863 with his ideas, the Waterloo Mutual Fire Insurance Company was formed. Before 1863 there was only one Canadian in. co. -the Canada Life Assurance Company (stock) formed in 1847. Talked over idea of mutuality with James McQueen of Fergus and also Cyrus Taylor of Waterloo Mut Fire In. The Ontario Mutual Life (now Clarica) Assurance Company was formed in 1869 using these same ideas.
He worked for the Waterloo Mutual Fire Insurance Company as inspector and then became an independent Insurance Agent.
When the idea of a hospital for Berlin and Waterloo was raised, Hughes was named Chairman of the Committee which was successful in opening such a facility in 1895. He was also interested in local politics and became Town Mayor in 1898. A son, Dr. F.G. Hughes, was a dentist in Waterloo from 1894-1944.
Sources:
1. A Century of Mutuality, The Mutual Life Assurance Co. Ltd. 1870-1970
2. Obituary, Waterloo Chronicle, September 2,1920.
3. Marg Rowell et al. Welcome to Waterloo
4. Waterloo Historical Society, 1963 Vol 51
5. Vital Signs, The First One Hundred Years K-W Hospital
Jeremiah B. Hughes Biography
Description
- Creator
- Little, Ellis, Author
- Media Type
- Text
- Item Type
- Articles
- Description
- This is a handwritten biography of Jeremiah B. Hughes from the Ellis Little Papers. This biography has been transcribed exactly as written. Ellis Little was a local historian, who was the principal of Elizabeth Ziegler Public School. On his retirement, he invested much of his time in researching and writing about Waterloo's history. The Ellis Little Papers consist of extensive notes, papers and historical works.
- Notes
- To see the original document please visit the Ellis Little Local History Room at the Main Branch of the Waterloo Public Library
- Date Of Event
- 1836-1920
- Subject(s)
- Personal Name(s)
- Hughes, Jeremiah ; McQueen, James ; Taylor, Cyrus ; Hughes, Frederick George
- Corporate Name(s)
- Waterloo Mutual Fire Insurance Company ; Ontario Mutual Life Assurance Company
- Local identifier
- ELP 51.94
- Collection
- Ellis Little Papers: Men and Women of Our Past
- Language of Item
- English
- Copyright Statement
- Copyright status unknown. Responsibility for determining the copyright status and any use rests exclusively with the user.
- Location of Original
- Ellis Little Papers
- Contact
- Waterloo Public LibraryEmail:askus@wpl.ca
Website:
Agency street/mail address:35 Albert Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 5E2
- Full Text
