W.H. Quirk, Sr. - founder -
Quirk & Company was founded in San Antonio on June 1, 1930, with the first contracted company being Southern Fire Insurance Company of St. Louis, Missouri. This company shortly thereafter became the home of New York's group of companies. In the beginning our contracted companies were all property insurance companies. The original name of the company was W.H. Quirk & Co., with Fred McAllister, who was property underwriter for many years with the Hornberger-Beckmann General Agency, joining W.H. Quirk, Sr. after about ninety days. The name of the company became Quirk & McAllister.
The Original Partnership of W.H. Quirk. Sr. and Fred McAllister Consisted of Fred McAllister handling underwriting and W.H. Quirk Sr. handling the field work.
W.H. Quirk Sr. Started in the insurance business in Chicago, Illinois with the Continental of New York. He came to Texas in 1909 to work for the old Woulett Rating Bureau. This operation became the State Fire Insurance Division. Mr. Quirk later worked for the Seinsheimer operation in Galveston, the Republic Insurance Company of Dallas, Texas, and as state agent for Northwestern National Insurance Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He brought the Northwestern National to the Hornberger-Beckman General Agency when he joined the in the early 1920's. He was special agent for Hornberger-Beckmann until he started his own general agency on June 1, 1930.
On June 1, 1941, W.H. Quirk purchased the interest of Fred McAllister. On that date the name of Quirk & Company came into existence.