| |
The history of three prominent insurance agencies born in Leonardtown.
In 1875, W. Lansdale Thomas established what would later become known as the Reeves Insurance Agency,
an agency that continues today with family ownership located in Leonardtown.
Mr. Thomas operated the agency until 1900, when his cousin, George R. Garner became the agency proprietor.
In 1916, Harry G. Garner, son of George R. Garner assumed the leadership position as agency director until 1935.
At that time, Samuel Sprigg Reeves, the nephew of Harry G. Garner became the principal agent of the agency for nearly 40 years until 1973.
At that time, a fourth generation relative of the founder, G. Bradford Reeves assumed the leadership position for the Reeves Insurance Agency and
continues in an ownership role today.
In 1930, John R. Drury, Sr. and Benedict "Dick" Greenwell established the Drury & Greenwell Company.
The business was located in downtown Leonardtown as well. This was the era of the Great Depression and times were tough.
In 1938, Dick accepted a full-time position as Clerk of the Court and the Drury-Greenwell partnership ended on friendly terms.
Dick, however, continued to sell insurance on a part-time basis.
John continued selling insurance full time and changed the name to John R. Drury & Son Insurance Agency.
In 1995, his youngest son Joe acquired the agency.
Frank Combs, while working at the Post Office, started selling insurance on the side.
In 1946, when his part-time business grew large enough to support him, he established the Frank A. Combs Insurance Agency.
In the late 1940's, Dick Greenwell moved his book of business over to the Combs Agency. The business flourished and in 1988 Rick Raley purchased the agency.
Rick had been working at the agency for several years prior and was primarily responsible for the growth and management of the business in the 1980’s.
In 1999, the Combs Agency and the John R. Drury Agency decided to merge their operations forming the Combs and Drury Insurance Agency.
In January 2009, the Reeves Insurance Agency joined Combs and Drury, forming a new entity that today operates as Combs Drury Reeves Insurance Agency,
with a staff of insurance professionals with nearly two- hundred years of insurance experience serving the southern Maryland area.
|