History
In the mid 19th century Lyman Jackman, the founder of Phenix Mutual, hunted and fished with his older brother Royal near Kinsman Notch and on the banks of Moosilauke Brook. In 1852, on one of these wilderness expeditions the Jackman brothers discovered the Lost River, one of New Hampshire's most famous White Mountain attractions.
Later in life, when Captain Jackman returned from the Civil War in 1867, he established the Jackman and Lang Insurance Agency in Concord, New Hampshire. For the next eighteen years, the agency prospered until 1885 when the New Hampshire Legislature passed a law requiring full coverage for property destroyed by fire. All fifty-eight insurance companies stopped writing policies in the state. Instead of seeing adversity, Lyman Jackman saw opportunity and, with a few other courageous citizens, founded the Manufacturers and Merchants Mutual Insurance Company of New Hampshire on December 29, 1885 and the Phenix Mutual Fire Insurance Company in 1886.
Almost immediately Lyman Jackman's resolve was tested when, in May 1887, downtown Lebanon, New Hampshire was destroyed. This huge fire drove the company into debt and nearly forced it out of business. But, the company repaid the debt and showed a modest profit at the end of the year. Over 100 years later, Phenix Mutual is still offering quality insurance coverage with exceptional personal service.