ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

GREAT NORTHERN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

COLLECTION: OGL #1230

DATES: 1922-1924

SIZE: .5 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: The Great Northern Life Insurance Company Records were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Robert Lander on May 20 and September 30, 1991 (Accession #'s 91-1759 and 91-1773).

ACCESS: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

HISTORICAL SKETCH

The Great Northern Life Insurance Company was organized in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1910. Don McDonald served as president till around 1916 and E.J. Lander served in the same capacity until 1924. On January 31, 1924, the Occidental Life Insurance Company of Los Angeles offered to purchase all of the capital stock of the Great Northern Life Insurance Co. at $200 per share, which was $50-60 more than the actual book value. Local stockholders representing a majority of the stock of the company decided to accept the offer. A contract was signed, with Occidental also agreeing to continue an office in Grand Forks.

For a number of years previous to this agreement, business in the Great Northern Life Insurance Co. had not been satisfactory. E.J. Lander felt that the outlook for the near future was not good. Along with others, he greatly disliked the idea of having to sell the company to outside interests but felt it was adviseable to do so.

The two companies officially consolidated in May 1924, and the Great Northern Life Insurance Co. was dissolved in June 1924. The Occidental Life Insurance Company maintained an office in Grand Forks until the early 1940's.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Great Northern Life Insurance Company Records date from 1922-1924 and contain a series of correspondence, 1922-24, with E.J. Lander being the major contributor. The records also include legal documents, 1924, financially related documents, 1923-24, stockholders lists, 1924, and miscellaneous materials, 1922-24.

BOX/FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 1
Folders:

1. Correspondence - Dec., 1922-Feb., 1923; Nov.-Dec., 1923.
2. Correspondence - Jan., 1924.
3. Correspondence - Feb. 1-4, 1924.
4. Correspondence - Feb. 5-7, 1924.
5. Correspondence - Feb. 8-12, 1924.
6. Correspondence - Feb. 13-20, 1924.
7. Correspondence - Feb. 21-31, 1924.
8. Correspondence - March 1-5, 1924.
9. Correspondence - March 6-10, 1924.
10. Correspondence - March 11-31, 1924.
11. Correspondence - April, 1924.
12. Correspondence - May, 1924.
13. Correspondence - June, 1924.
14. Correspondence - July-Nov., 1924.
15. Legal documents - 1924.
16. Financially related documents - 1923-24.
17. Stockholders lists - 1924.
18. Miscellaneous - 1922-24.

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