History

The Honorable Woodbury L. Melcher founded our firm in 1862. Mr. Melcher was born in Laconia, educated locally, graduating from Bowdoin College in 1856. He was elected Treasurer of Laconia Savings Bank, becoming its third president (1862 to 1871).

In 1886, with rapid growth of the firm, Mr. Melcher merged his business with that of Mr. True E. Prescott's, forming The Melcher & Prescott Agency. With the demands of personal business interests and community involvement, it was agreed that Prescott would assume full management of the office in 1891. From inception, The Agency has devoted its resources solely to Insurance.

Sometime thereafter, Oscar J. George, a Teller at Peoples National Bank, was recruited to join the Melcher & Prescott staff; as was Mr. Prescott's son, Edgar, who had trained with Royal Insurance Company in Boston. The two became partners until, in 1957, Edgar passed away.

In 1959, Mr. George sold his interest in the firm to two employees of New Hampshire Insurance Company: Edward M. Miller and H. Thomas Volpe. The Agency had a strong relationship with The New Hampshire, representing them since the 1870s. The New Hampshire became the lead company of The Agency, until 1986, when The New Hampshire was acquired by AIG, and was withdrawn from the independent agency system.

Mr. Miller was New Hampshire Insurance Company's Boston Senior Special Agent. Mr. Volpe, a native of Plymouth, N.H. and UNH graduate, received professional training at The New Hampshire Insurance Company. Mr. Miller died in 1966, leaving Mr. Volpe as sole owner of the Agency.

In subsequent years, J. Norman Dutile, a Laconia native, and former agent of John Hancock Life Insurance Company; John P. Colby, a Concord native and Claims Adjuster with National Grange Mutual; and Robert C. Hussey, a Plymouth native, UNH Graduate, and a Special Agent for Aetna Fire & Casualty, became minority owners. Mr. Hussey died unexpectedly in 1983. Mr. Colby and Mr. Dutile retired in the early 1990s. Mr. Volpe was joined by his two sons, Stewart and Christopher in 1985 and 1987 respectively. Stewart was Chief Operating Officer and President from 1996 until his untimely death in 2000.