A Family Business

We at George A. Bell & Son are very proud to present our first monthly newsletter. These newsletters are your chance to learn more about our company, find out about current offers, and receive tips for all your insurance needs.

This month, and our first newsletter, we will be looking at a few interesting historical facts that examine how George A. Bell & Son has evolved to become the company it is today.

THE EVOLUTION OF GEORGE A. BELL

This month, and our first newsletter, we will be looking at a few interesting historical facts that examine how George A. Bell & Son has evolved to become the company it is today.

• When was the company founded? George A. Bell & Son actually began as Bell Brothers Fire Insurance when it was founded around 1880 by two sons of the prominent George Adam Bell.
• When did Bell Brothers Fire Insurance become George A. Bell & Son? In the late 1800s, Bell decided to go into business with his sons and lend his name to the company as George A. Bell & Sons. However, shortly after, one son died and the name was adapted to how it stands today.
• Who took over the business after George Bell died? Bell died in 1897 and intended the business to pass to his surviving son, Robert Walter Bell. However, the young Bell passed away shortly after his father and the business was handed over to Frank Gilbert, the husband of George Bell’s daughter Madeline.
• Did the business remain in the family? The business continued to pass down through the family to Gilbert’s son, Frank II, to his grandson, Frank III, and finally his great-grandson, Cameron. Today, the latter two run the business together along with Frank’s daughter Erica, who is the claims representative.
• How did George A. Bell & Son reach its current location of Pleasantville, NY? Frank Gilbert was the first to move the business, from Brooklyn to lower Manhattan – which, in the early 20th century, was known as the Insurance District of the city. Frank III later moved the business once again, this time to its current location, to make commuting easier for himself (in Ossining) and for his father (in Tarrytown).

Today, we strive to keep alive the family-first experience for which our company has been famous since it first opened its doors back in the late 19th century. And it’s because of all of you, our clients, why we are still around today, and for that we couldn’t thank you enough.