Читать книгу Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Volume 3 - Josiah Seymour Currey - Страница 24

Bruce Whitney, manager at Milwaukee for the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, is recognized as a capable, forceful and resourceful business man, who has made for himself a creditable position in insurance circles. He was born in Buffalo, New York, April 5, 1860, and is a son of Orlando and Mary Charlotte (Lemon) Whitney. The father, who passed away in Detroit in 1885, was also a native of the Empire state and for some time engaged in the insurance business with the Traders Insurance Company of Chicago. He married Mary Charlotte Lemon, a daughter of Colonel Lemon, who commanded a New York regiment in the Revolutionary war.

Bruce Whitney obtained his early education in the public schools of Waukegan, Illinois, the family home being there established during his youth. He was graduated from the high school and started out in the business world by entering the employ of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, occupying the position of bookkeeper in the Detroit office. On leaving Detroit he removed to Milwaukee in 1893, continuing, however, with the Mutual Life Insurance Company, which he still represents. Here he became office manager and occupied that position until 1900, when he was made manager at Peoria, Illinois, his territory covering all Illinois outside of Chicago. There he remained for about eight months when he was made assistant superintendent of agencies for the same company in New York city, continuing his residence in the east for two years. He was next appointed to the position of manager for Wisconsin in 1903 and has remained in this position of trust and responsibility throughout the intervening period of eighteen years. For about two or three years from 1897 to 1899, he was also engaged in reporting dramatic work for the Milwaukee Sentinel, but has always continued in the insurance business and has made notable progress in this field. His work has been particularly resultant, the company benefiting much by his labors and the business of the corporation has more than quadrupled under his management since he was appointed at the head of the interests of the Mutual Life in Wisconsin.

On the 27th of August, 1907, Mr. Whitney was married to Miss Amanda H. Reichow, a daughter of Fred Reichow of this city, who has been with the Allis-Chalmers Company for thirty years but was born in Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Whitney have one daughter, June, who is now in the Lake school at Milwaukee.

The religious faith of the family is that of the Episcopal church, their membership being in St. Paul's church. Mr. Whitney is also a Mason, belonging to Edgewater Lodge, No. 901, A. F. & A. M., of Chicago. Politically he is a republican but has never been an active party worker. During the World war, however, he served on the official board of every drive and did much toward securing the cooperation of Milwaukeeans in all the aid that the country needed in the prosecution of the war. He belongs to the Milwaukee Club and the Milwaukee Athletic Club, to the Association of Commerce and to the Milwaukee Life Underwriters Association, of which he served as the first president in 1916. His cooperation is recognized as a valuable asset to any cause which he espouses, for he attacks every duty and task with a contagious enthusiasm that produces results. At the same time his labors are most wisely and intelligently directed, his course being marked by steady progress that ultimately reaches the desired goal.