Life, 1924-04-03 · page 59 of 60
Life — April 3, 1924 — page 59: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a Prudential Insurance advertisement using historical narrative to sell life insurance. The main illustration depicts William Whipple, one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence (born on the Piscatacqua River in New Hampshire). The text traces Whipple's career progression—from cabin boy to merchant to soldier under General Stark to congressman—emphasizing his tireless perseverance. The point is satirical: despite all his accomplishments and service, the ad suggests that even such a patriotic, industrious life lacks true security *without* life insurance for one's family. The ad's closing line ("If every wife knew what every widow knows—every husband would be insured") bluntly plays on widows' financial vulnerability to sell insurance as patriotic duty. It's marketing anxiety about family security by wrapping it in Revolutionary-era respectability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
'HE simplest estate you can leave your family is Monthly Income Life Insurance, The Prudential issues this in various flexible and convenient forms to run as many years as you wish, or for the lifetime of your beneficiary. Itisinsurance that Insures the Insurance. LET us send you with our compliments a copy of the little Prudential book about the fifty-six patriots who signed the Declaration of Independence. \othenoen.// The Man Who Wouldn't Qui it N the Piscatacqua River, an easy row from his great-g 1 was born William Whipple. Shipping as a cabin boy, he was, before 21, in full cc vessel to Europe and the West Indies. But business drew him « merchant. Then he went to Cc Sailor, Merchant, Statesm nd of the famous Mc in a chair, didn’t prevent To keep busy between times, Whi s tax collect job, Robert Morris, the magnificer f the Revolu “Persist, I pray yo oo» consciousness of having made thee Any man who uses Life Insurance makes sure of a far greater reward than merely “consciousness cf having made the effor payment of the first premium, he KNOWS that he has su his plans for his family will not fail to be carricd out. THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA EDWARD D, DUFFIELD President 1F EVERY WIFE KNEW WHAT EVERY WIDOW KNOWS — EVERY HUSBAND WOULD BE INSURED comicbooks.com