The sun., 1919-04-07
JOHN R. HEGEMAN,
NEAR TO, is DEAD
President Of Metropolitan Life
Insurance Company Sue
cumbs to Long Illness.
LEAD IN SMALL POLICIES
Built Up One Of Greatest Com.
panies in America Dur
ing Career.

John Rogers Hegeman. for forty-nins
years an ofiicer of the Metropolitan Life
Insurance Company and for the last
twenty-eisht years its president. died
yesterday at his home on orienta Point,
Mamaroneck. Mr.. HeEeman had been
In poor health since an attack of pneu-
monla in the fall OF 1915. Despite his
seventy-four years and his poor health
Mr.. HeBeman retained the presidency
OF the institution which he. probably
moro than any other man, had built I'D,
until his death.
Death came suddenly after luncheon
yesterday when Mr.. Hegeman collapsed
after rising from the table and walking
toward couch. He had previously SUI
fered several heart attacks. Occasionally
during the past two years Mr.. Hegeman,
regardless of the advice Of his physician,
DR.. Eugene T. Morrison of New Rochelle,
made the trip to- the Metropolitan Build
ing TO deal with matters which he felt
required his personal attention there.
Since January last, however. his condi-
ton was such that he was compelled to
obey the orders OF the doctor and re-
main at orienta Point. where no had
lived for more than thirty years.
His Interest In Manaroneck.
On February 8 last, while Hegeman
was i'll in bed FIRE destroyed the garage
and stable on the estate and with them
hric-a-brac and furniture from his town
house, the total damage being estimated
at $4,000. The flames for a time en-
dansered the mansion and preparations
were made to move the invalid, but this
was not necessary.
Although man OF big business az
fairs, Mr.. Hegeman also took a kindly
interest in the affairs Of Mamaroneck
He was an honorable member Of the
local hook and ladder company. director
OF the First National Bank, member of
the Mamaroneck Cooperative Building
and Loan Association and a number of
other local ORGANIZATIONS and societies.
His estate at Orienta Point was i'm
proved and beautifled under his direction
during the thirty years of his residence.
He took as much interest in landscape
gardening on his grounds as he did in
impressive housing of the Metropolitan
Life Insurance Company in Its great
skyscraper.
In addition to a collection of Oriental
art, a form with which he was we'll &C
Quainted, having found time In his en-
ersetic career for painstaking study. Mr..
Hegeman's home contained objects of
art of this and other countries which IN
dictated his discriminating taste.
dlcated his discriminating taste.
Success Came Early.
Mr.. Hegeman was born on the old
Kings Highway in Flatlands. now called
Flatbush. on April IS. 1874. His death
Yesterday occurred only twelve days be-
fore the day on which he would have
passed the three-quarters Of a century
mark. He was the son of John @. and
Charlotte Owen Rogers Hegeman. His
education was IN the public schools and
at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute.
As boy he displayed an amazing aptl-
tude for Mathematician aptitude
which was to make him later in life a
master OF statistics particularly those
concerning the insurance business.
After a short term In a bank he be-
came at the age of % accountant for
the Manhattan Life Insurance Company
Here he had an opportunity to display
his command of figures and shortly de-
veloped unhasSinS interest in every
phase OF the insurance business. After
four years OF hard work in several po-
sitions with THU company he was Offered
tho position OF secretary Of the Metro
politan Life Insurance Company. He
remained just four months In this posi-
ton; then he was promoted, althoust
only IS, to the position of vice-president
In the same month. October. 1870. hi