The Mutual Fire Insurance Company of the Township of South Easthope was organized on October 6, 1871 at the G.H. Kaufmann Hotel in Sebastopol, Ontario. South Easthope Mutual is the 7th oldest farmers’ mutual still in business.

The minutes from the meeting that elected the first Board of Directors were written in German.

The first directors were: Henry Wettlaufer, John Klein, Henry Roth, John Weickel, John Muller, Lorenz Arnold and Werner Yungblut. John Klein was the first recorded policyholder and served as the first President. George Kaufmann acted as the first Secretary followed by John Roth and Samuel Zurbrigg.