American National Insurance Company

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm gonna give it to you straight. Back in 1905, a Galveston business pioneer by the name of W. L.

Moody, Jr., founded a little insurance company and set it up on the third floor of the Moody Building, corner of 22nd and Strand streets. The whole home office staff at that point numbered ten people. Ten.

You could seat the entire operation at one long dinner table and still have room for the biscuits. Now, whether those ten folks knew what they were building, the marker doesn't say. But here's what it does say.

By 1912, the company was soundly established and began issuing dividends. That's not a stumble, that's a stride. Then came 1943, and life insurance in force passed the billion dollar mark.

A billion dollars. From ten people on a third floor in Galveston. And it didn't stop there.

It climbed on into the multi-billions. By 1971, the home office alone employed twelve hundred persons, and the company was licensed to operate in forty-nine states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and western Europe. That is a long way from 22nd and Strand.

Along the way, the company put down roots in brick and mortar. The first home office built especially for American National was completed at 21st and Market streets in 1913. A second building, at 21st and Mechanic streets, followed in 1929.

And then in 1971, the company moved into its own twenty-story tower. Twenty stories rising out of Galveston, a city the marker calls famous as an insurance pioneering site. Through all of it, founder W.

L. Moody, Jr., born in 1865 and passing in 1954, remained at the helm for half a century. Half a century steering the largest Texas-based life insurance company, one that ranks among the leaders in the entire United States, and the oldest of its kind in Galveston.

Ten people on a third floor. Twenty stories tall. That's not a coincidence.

That's a company that meant business from the very first day.

What the marker says

Founded in 1905 by Galveston business pioneer W. L. Moody, Jr. (1865-1954), American National opened for business on third floor of the Moody Building at 22nd and Strand streets in Galveston. At that time the home office staff numbered ten. By 1912, when it began issuing dividends, the company was soundly established. Life insurance in force passed the billion dollar mark in 1943, and later climbed into the multi-billions. By 1971 the home office employed 1200 persons, and the company was licensed to operate in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Guam, Puerto rico, and western Europe. Founder W. L. Moody, Jr., remained at the helm of the company for half a century. American National is the largest Texas-based life insurance company, and ranks among the leaders in the United States. It is the oldest in Galveston-- famous as an insurance pioneering site. The first home office built especially for the company was completed at 21st and Market streets in 1913. An additional building, at 21st and Mechanic streets, was completed in 1929. The company moved into the 20-story American National tower in 1971.