John  T. Bruce

THE  SHELBY  DEMOCRAT
February 20, 1879
VOL.  1; No.  37
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from the article, SMILING  SHELBYVILLE!
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John T. Bruce  and  Thomas H. Dawley

This firm is composed of  John T.  Bruce  and  Thomas H.  Dawley, who are carrying on a general lightning rod business in this county and Southeastern Indiana generally.

[John T. Bruce] Is one of our best citizens, quiet, unassuming, and a man who devotes himself strictly to his business.  He was born in Newcastle, Henry county, Kentucky, on the first day of September, in the year 1841.  He moved to this State in 1862, and came to the city of Shelbyville in 1873.  He was engaged in the agricultural business for four years, in the first building south of the Presbyterian Church, on Harrison street.  In the year 1875 he assumed the agency for a number of insurance companies, which business he is still carrying on.  He is located in the second story of the Wise building, over Morrison's drug store, in the room with  Judge O. J. Glessner.  He has the control of the Continental Fire Insurance Company, of New York, and is doing an immense business.  At the time he took the agency of this company there were but one hundred and fifty policies written up in this county.  He has increased this number to over eight hundred in Shelby county alone, besides writing up quite a number of policies for persons in adjoining counties.  Besides the immense business done for this company, he has issued quite a number of policies in the Niagara of New York; Springfield Fire Insurance Company, of Massachusetts; Liverpool London Globe, and the French Insurance Corporation, all of which are sound, reliable and first- class in every respect.  He will be pleased to see all persons wanting favors in his line, and will give them facts in regard to insurance on short notice.

         Next biography in the "Smiling Shelbyville" newspaper article, Mrs. Joseph Levinson..
Contributed by Jeanne Surber

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