TPC History

Benjamin Franklin wore many hats during his life: an ambassador, an author, a founding father, a printer, a postmaster, scientist. But perhaps most importantly, he was an inventor who dedicated his life to finding solutions to common problems and inventing new technologies. Benjamin Franklin is regarded as one of the most successful and popular inventions of our modern world, but he never did patent a single one of his inventions. Instead, he believed that his inventions should be shared freely: "That as we enjoy great Advantages from the Inventions of others, we should be glad of an Opportunity to serve others by any Invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously."

Two hundred and seventy years ago on Friday, February 4, 1752, Franklin’s Pennsylvania Gazette posted the following notice, alerting Philadelphians to a new opportunity: The subscribers to the articles of insurance of houses from fire, in and near the city of Philadelphia, are desired to meet on Saturday next, at three a clock in the afternoon, at the Court-house in order to agree on proper measures for carrying the same into immediate execution.

Have you ever been walking around the city of Philadelphia and noticed some plaques or markers on the older buildings? Ever been curious what they are and what they represent? Well we got the answers for you!

Over the years the records of The Philadelphia Contributionship have been used for multiple types of research. Homeowners seeking to restore their homes look to see if a survey existed; genealogists check to see where their ancestors lived. Scholars use them for even more varied purposes; architectural historians might look at the patterns of building, others might investigate the types of businesses that were insured and descriptions of the factories. Check out our most recent article about learn more about how we created a digital archives for the Company’s key documents and insurance surveys.

Ever wonder what a difference a day makes - or in this case 91,312 days -in the workings of The Philadelphia Contributionship? Well you are in luck! Our Archivist, Carol Smith, writes about what a meeting of members would have been like two hundred and fifty years ago in 1771.