lifeassurancebylady

Life Assurance by a Lady
(c) 1858

This book is over 150 years old. I’ve seen a number of insurance publications from that era written by women and they all promote the fact that they are women. I’m not sure why that is, perhaps because women in professions was a rarity, perhaps because at the time women were the household financial decision makers (I’m speculating, I’ve no idea why). But I can tell you from the pictures I’ve seen of women in life insurance from that era, that fur was definitely in vogue!

This specific book was published by and promotes Mutual Life insurance company of New York (aka Mony Life).

You’ll need to read some of the stories to appreciate the hilarity. But I’ll leave you this poem, published in the book:
When God removed Papa to heaven,
And Ma was left to strive for seven,
With scarce enough for burial fees,
(So lingering was poor Pa’s disease,)
Though full of grief, we’d no despair:
Relations spoke so kind and fair :
Our Grandpa said that he, for one,
Would think and see what could be done.
Our uncle William, and our aunt,
Hoped we would never come to want;
But mother’s brothers talked the best
A great deal kinder than the rest :
They said, that home they’d take us all,
Only their rooms were few and small.
We’d promises from uncle Page,
To push us forward, when of age.
They then went homebut stop, I miss,
They gave us, every one a kiss;
And said, “Be good, and mind Mamma,
And we will be to you Papa.”
So much engaged were they at home,
For many weeks they could not come;
Until they heard, Mamma had found
A writing for five hundred pound,
Which some Insurance Office paid ;
So Ma commenced a genteel trade :
And then they came it seemed so funny
To beg Mamma to lend them money!
But Ma said : “No ; if you are poor,
A trifle will your lives assure ;
And then the Office (our best friend)
To you a little cash will lend,
And also when your lives shall end,
Will comfort to your orphans send.”
THE END.