Interview with Wendell E. Howard, June 25, 1985

Interview Summary

Wendell E. Howard was born in the Harrods Grove community of Marshall County, near Calvert City in Kentucky in 1910. His family owned a 136 acre farm. He graduated from eighth grade at the Harrods Grove community one-room elementary school in 1925, and attended Calvert City High School. Howard received his B. S. degree in Agriculture from the University of Kentucky in 1933 and his Master's degree in 1941. He recalls H. R. Cottrell, who was the County Agent in Marshall County, helped him with his first 4-H swine project and encouraged him to join the livestock judging team in grade school. He also mentions H. E. Hendricks, who replaced Cottrell and Joe Kilpatrick, as the District Agent for Western Kentucky.

Howard taught vocational agriculture for ten years and served as principal of Ewing High School in Fleming County, Kentucky. He recalls the formation of the Fleming County Farm Bureau. Howard explains that the Kentucky Farm Bureau was formed in 1919, and Kentucky was one of the first states in the American Farm Bureau Federation. He mentions Ben Kilgore, an early founder.

Howard was Executive Vice-President of the Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company and is known as "Mr. Farm Bureau Insurance." He discusses at length the history, formation, and scope of the Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company. Howard describes the company's early association with State Farm Casualty and Indiana Farm Bureau, which joined to provide casualty and property damage insurance to farmers. Howard discusses current coverage available to farmers, and talks about the history of several insurance organizations, including the American Insurance Association, the American Mutual Association, and the National Association of Independent Insurers, and the Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company. Howard also recalls lobbying with E. S. Kessler at the state and national level on behalf of farmers.

Howard talks about his involvement in various organizations, especially the Kentucky Council of Cooperatives. He credits UK and Extension Services with the assistance provided to farmers over the years, and mentions several staff members. He talks about his family, and mentions his awards. Howard is known as "Mr. Farm Bureau Insurance."

Interview Keyword

Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service

Interview LC Subject

Howard, Wendell E., 1910- Howard, Wendell E., 1910- --Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History University of Kentucky. Cooperative Extension Service Agriculture

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.