The Indianapolis journal., 1895-07-05
f. B. HARPER Is DEAD
WELL-kNOwN INSURANCE MAN DIES
AFTER A LONG ILLNESS.
President of the Mutual Reserve
Fund Life Association Since 1sS1-
f. A. Burnham Succeeds Him.

NEW YORK, July 4-The funeral of Ed
ward Bascomb Harper, president of the Ma
tional Reserve Fund Life Association, will
be held to-day. Mr.. Harper died at the Da-
kota apartment house, West Central Park
Tuesday, at noon. Mr.. Harper had been In
i'll health some months. and his life had
been despaired of for some days. 1t was in
December. 1894. that Mr.. Harper visited the
offices of the Mutual Reserve Fund Life In
surance Association for the last time. Even
at tSat time he had been complaining of
poor health, but nothing of a serious ma
ture was apprehended.- He was then living
at No. IS West Fifty-seventh street. On
the advice of his physicians he went to
Lakewood and remained there during the
winter months. hoping that the change
would benefit his health. While there he
began to show serious symptoms of Brights
disease and heart disease. but it was be-
lieved that with his splendid constitution he
would recover. With this idea he went to
st. Augustine, Fla, and spent some time
there. He came TO New York few weeks
ago and took apartments in the Dakota,
where his maladies took the form of pneu-
monia, from which he died. He leaves
widow, but no children.
Mr. Harper was born in Dover, Del, Sept.
H. 1912. His family traces its descent from
Sir William Harper. who was once Lord
Mayor of London. Mr.. Harper's father,
Charles Harper. was one of the leading mer-
chants of Dover, and married Miss Martha
Hardcastle, who came from a well-known
Southern family. Mr.. Harper was left an
pocket he started upon a business career
by entering the store Of John w. Cullen.
BY strict economy young Harper accumu-
he went to Baltimore and entered com
mesci r coeg While in the the a eo @
ola nd on
clerkship in Philadelphia banking house.
He soon mastered the intricacies of the
business, ana. gaming tne commence OF tss ms
he became the chief manager under the firm
and subsequently was directly concerned as
a member in the conduct of the business of
a large banking concern In 1868, by reason
of the financial depression, Mr.. Harper gave
up banking 20 engage in the life insurance
business. In 1859 he became the Western
manager of the Commonwealth Life Insur-
ance Company Of New York. and in a few
months won n the eommendaton moi OF Its presl esd
With this company six years. In the first
two years he had placed nearly two-thirds
was promoted TO be general superintendent
In 1876 Mr.. Harper refused an offer of SIS, 900
year from an Insurance company, but be-
came the New York manager of the John
Hancock Life Insurance Company. At that
time this end of the company was in a bad
condition, but under Mr.. Harpers Manages .l 9sso
Mr.. Harper severed his connection with the
John Hancock company and in the following
year the company or which he was the head
was organized, and on Sept. 16 of that year,
he became its president.
When Mr.. Harper became president OF the
association its business transacted in
single room. The members, then numbering
only five hundred, held an aggregate of in
surance amounting. to about 100000. The
first month after Mr.. Harper became presi-
dent the business increased from 100000 TO
81 600 900, the second month to 81, 250000, and
within two years 1t reached s40O0,O00.
Mr. Harper was a. director of the Ameri-
can Exchange in Paris, a member OF the
New York Board of Trade, of the Constitu-
ton and other clubs, Calvary Baptist
Church, Palestine Commandery. No. is.
Knights Templars; New York Consistory OF
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Masons,
knights of Honor, the Lotus Club, Ark
wright Club, Republican Club, New Man.
haitian Athletic Club, st. Georges Club of
London, ex-presfdent of the Delaware So
ciety. president of board of trustees of the
Masonic Hall and Asylum Fund of the
State of New York. treasurer of the Nation
al League of Republican Clubs and treasur-
er of the Republican State committee
a thirty-second degree Mason a past mas
ter of Crescent Lodge, No. 4o2. +, and A. NJ,
and past grand steward of the Grand Lodge
of Masons of the State of New York. He
was always a Republican.
At Mr. Harper's own request that his sue
cessor should be elected on the day OF his
death, the directors Of the company chose
F. A Burnham formerly counsel OF the as
sociation and chairman of the executive
committee. as the new president OF the CON-
pany. 80.