Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-12-30
Judge Blair Honersd Again.
This Time BY the Aetna Insurance Co.

On the 22nd inst Judge A. S. Blair
of this city was the recipient of a
beautiful loving cup, presented to him
by w. A. Hand, Special Agent of the
Aetna Insurance Company, on behalf
CT such company, it being the fiftieth
anniversary of Mr.. Blair's appoint
ment as agent in this city.
1t has been the custom of this
company to present such testimonials
to it's agents who have served it for
fifty years. The loving cup has en-
graved upon it the following: "a. S.
Blair from the Aetna Insurance Com
pany, in recognition Of fifty years of
faithful service, 1S5S-190S."
In presenting the cup Mr.. Hand
said 1T gives me great pleasure to
present to you on behalf of the Aetna
Insurance Company, on this, the fiji
tieth anniversary of your appointment
as agent of this company, this loving
cup. This token is in remembrance
of your long continued service in
helping to make and keep up the
good reputation of the company. But
| few agents have been SO long in the
employment of the company as you
have. In fact but one agent in the
United States is now living whose sci
vice exceeds yours, and he is our
present agent atswappelo, Iowa, hav.
ing been in service two years longer
than you have. / also present to you
letter from Mr.. Wyman, General
Western Agent of the Company al
Omaha, which you will permit me TIC
read to you"
Omaha, Neb. Dec. IS, 1908.
Judge A. S. Blair, agent,
Manchester, Iowa.
My Dear Judge Blair:
1t is very pleasant duty to con-
gratulae you on the 50th anniversary
of your Agency of the Aetna Insur'
ance Company, and to bear testimony
to your uniformly faithful, efficient
and successful operation of the Agen'
| cy during the whole time. The com
tf be, Duf 4 Bhe ST item wfd
antedates you in the point of time OF
service.
1t will ne an especial pleasure for
our Special Agent, Mr.. w. A. Hand
to call upon you and ask you to re
ceive little testimonial of our re-
gard and appreciation of your service
On behalf of the Company, ant
especially of this department, We
wish you continued health and hap
piness, and remain
Very sincerely yours,
w. H. Wyman, G. A
In response to the presentation MI
Blair replied: at gives me create
pleasure to receive this beautiful cup
than l think it possible for you t.
have inn presenting it. am mo-
conscious of having earned it. The
insurance business in a place of thi:
size is not large, but l am inclined
t. believe that the Aetna received
its share. / was always glad te
recommend the company, because il
was safe, sound and reliable. Durin.
the fifty years of my agency no suit
was brought in the county against tn
Aetna, nor has it ever taken, adyan
|tage of any technicality to avoid pay
ment of loss, but has cheerfully ant
promptly met every obligation to it:
patrons. It's officers have, withou
exception, been most courteous ant
| helpful and / assure you it has beer
a pleasure - represent the Aetna.
therefore thank you and the company
for this cup"
Judge Blair has performed man!
services of far reaching and benefi
cial importance to the people OF his
county, state and country during thu
half century covered by his term as
agent for the Aetna Insurance com
pany.- In this connection it is quite
appropriate to specially mentor
some OF the work he has done.
The Judge credita5ly served as Pre-
vost Marshal of Delaware count.
from 1861 to the close of the War Of
the Rebellion.
About the year 1862. Delaware
county employed Mr. Blair to Obtain
an indemnity from the national gov
eminent, under an amended act Of
congress passed in 1855, for swamp
lands that belonged to the county un
der previous acts of congress, ant
which had been sold by the govern
ment before the passage of the act Of
1855. This service was SO well per
formed by him that the county re
ceived on its claim $1,000 in money
and scrip for 2200 acres of land
which was located in Emmett county
of this state. A sale of this
land years afterwards enabled Della
ware county to build its present mag
nificent Court house, without selling
a bond or levying cent of special
tax ior that purpose. While the land
did not sell for quite enough to pay
for the Court House. d few thousand
dollars of surplus in the county fund
was used to help out. and in that
way the building was paid for without
adding a cent to the ordinary tax
loves.
Judge Blair took prominent part
in securing the removal of the coun-
ty seat from Delhi to Manchester, and
did more than any other man in the
county to promote the construction of
our present Court House. He can