Knight Barry Title, Inc. - Title insurance, title searches, real estate closings and settlements, construction escrow services for Wisconsin and the rest of the US.

Before reading the Small Business Times each week, I always start by flipping to the back and looking at the old historic photos. Last week’s photo was of an old brewery from the 1870s. This got me thinking that Knight-Barry was nearly 20 years old by this time. Then I hopped on Google to determine how many things were invented, how many famous people were born and how many companies started after Knight-Barry had already begun searching title.

FIRST A QUICK HISTORY LESSON

Knight-Barry’s story begins in April of 1836 when the pioneering Albert G. Knight arrived in the Racine area. Albert soon became the County Clerk, the County Treasurer and in 1854 formed a company dealing with title abstracts (now known as Knight-Barry Title, Inc.). Albert's company was responsible for storing the original plats of Racine in a brick vault in his office, next to the Courthouse. When the Courthouse burned down January 24, 1861, Knight's records were used to restore the courts records. In 1918, the J.W. Knight Abstract Company and the Barry Abstract Company merged to form the Knight-Barry Abstract Company led by Joseph J. Patrick. Patrick later sold the company to his children Glenn J. Patrick, Wallace E. Patrick and Gladys Patrick Foldy in the 1950's. In 1979, Jeffrey B. Green (my step father) acquired the company from the Patrick and Foldy families and later renamed it Knight-Barry Title, Inc. Jeff still owns the company today.

EVENTS THAT KNIGHT-BARRY EMPLOYEES WITNESSED

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and the end of the Civil War happened nearly 10 years after KB was formed. The Statue of Liberty was delivered some 30 years after KB was formed. The construction of the Panama Canal began on KB’s 50^th anniversary. On our 100^th anniversary, Marilyn Monroe married Joe DiMaggio. At 155 years, America elected the first African American President.

INVENTIONS YOUNGER THAN KNIGHT-BARRY

Pasteurized milk, washing machine, traffic lights, barbed wire, the telephone, camera film, drinking straws, the zipper, obviously the car and plane. Google, Apple, HP, Nokia (ok, duh).

THESE COMPANIES ARE YOUNGER THAN KNIGHT-BARRY

General Electric, Coca Cola, Milton Bradley, General Mills, Nestle, Campbell Soup, Miller (and Coors).

So there you have it. When you deal with Knight-Barry rest assured knowing that you are dealing with a company who has been there and seen it all.