About Us

In 1899, William McKinley was President of the United States, the Spanish-American War had ended the year before, and Admiral George Dewey was given accolades for helping the United States win an island empire.  The Gibson Girl set a fashion trend for women with her long hair set neatly on top of her head.  A new machine called the "horseless carriage" or its parts were being manufactured by more than 300 companies.  Some 4,000 motorcars were in use and The New York Times debated what to call the "noisy, odorous contraption." This editorial witnessed the first recognized use of the word "automobile."

The small town of Glen Rock did not escape the happenings of this burgeoning nation.  Industry and the railroad enabled the little town to grow.  New homes were being built in the Victorian style and business was booming.  An entrepreneur named Eli Benjamin Keller saw an opportunity to be a part of this growth and along with J. L. Trout became the successors to A. M. Seitz, Esquire in the fire insurance business.  Besides insurance, this firm also conducted a real estate Agency.  It was reported in the April 25, 1902 issue of the Glen Rock Item that "Keller and Trout have opened an office on the first floor of the Hetrick building on the corner of Hanover and Water Streets."  In time, Trout left and Keller got together with Irving H. Brillhart and Paul J. Beck, forming an insurance Agency to continue providing the needed financial protection for this thriving town.  Brillhart died in 1904 and the name changed to Keller, Beck and Agency.  The independent property and casualty Agency bears Keller's name more than 115 years later.

Eli Keller was born in Shrewsbury Township near Kings School House in 1865.  He was a school teacher and was affiliated with the First National Bank (currently known as PeoplesBank, A Codorus Valley Company) in Glen Rock for 45 years.  In 1927, Harold D. Keller joined to assist his father who was then in ill health.  Harold, who served as a York County Commissioner, took over the business in 1932 and the Agency became Keller and Agency.

Nineteen fifty five saw Harold's son Barry A. Keller continue the family tradition and by 1957 he became a partner in the business.  By the late 1970's, Harold Keller retired after 50 years of service, his granddaughter Joy became the fourth generation to enter the business, and her husband Jeff Brown came aboard as a producer.  The Agency incorporated and became Keller Agency, Inc.  Although based in Glen Rock since 1899, the Agency decided to move to fast-growing Shrewsbury in 1984 and began to trade as Keller-Brown Insurance Services.

In 1990, the Agency restored and moved their Shrewsbury offices to the historic Odd Fellows Hall.  Originally constructed in 1853, the building has been called "the finest example of Greek Revival Architecture in South Central Pennsylvania" by the National Historic Register.

One hundred nine years after the founding of the Agency, the fifth generation joined the firm.  After several years underwriting and loss control experience with an insurance Agency, Eli Keller's great, great grand daughter Sarah Brown, daughter of Jeff and Joy, joined the Agency in 2008.

The visionary of the 1890's no doubt predicted we would be taking family vacations to the moon or Mars by the year 2000.  Their prognostications have been affirmed by today's Internet commerce but they may be surprised to know that the automobile is still our primary means of transportation.  What also remains unchanged is that the Agency that Eli Keller founded still relies on good, old-fashioned customer service to give its clients the personal treatment they expect - and the individual attention they deserve.

Odd Fellows Hall History

In 1853, Franklin Pierce was President of the United States, there were about 500 people living in the borough of Shrewsbury and the Civil War was less than ten years away. It was in that year that the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Mount Vernon Lodge, completed the work on their new lodge located at 9 South Main Street in Shrewsbury.  Little did they know at that time that their work was to be one of the finest examples of Greek Revival style architecture in York County.  Their new lodge was a statement to their success and their pride in their philanthropic organization.

The Mount Vernon Lodge was chartered in Shrewsbury in 1846.  Mr. A. Klinefelter was the first Grand Official and served from 1846 to 1866.  The building was built to serve as their lodge hall, but also had many occupants throughout its history.  The Odd Fellows met on the third floor, which was an open assembly room with an elevated platform, changing room with chestnut wardrobe, and their emblem, the "all seeing eye" painted in the center of the ceiling surrounded by a decorative border.  Not much is known about these meetings as they were private, and only Odd Fellows were allowed in the room as evidenced by the peepholes in the doors, which are still intact.  One thing is certain though; they had to have a good time for many of their ceremonies were complete with ornate costumes of mid-eastern hierarchy.  One of these outfits along with many artifacts of the Odd Fellows in Shrewsbury and their Mount Vernon lodge are on display in the lobby of the building today.

In addition to a meeting place for the Odd Fellows, the building served many community, social, and private occupants.  It was rumored to be a place for money exchange during the Civil War with its close proximity to the Mason-Dixon Line. It also served as a meeting place for local veterans of the Civil War.  The second floor was used as a school known as Shrewsbury Academy during the late 1800's.  This was proven during the renovation in 1990 when layers of paint were removed, and the individual letters of the alphabet were discovered painted on the four walls indicating a black board.  This exact style was traced and used as a model for the Welcome Board, greeting today's visitors in the first floor lobby.  The Welcome Board was constructed from slate from the New Freedom Elementary School. There were also several pieces of student's homework found in the walls which apparently were stuck through a knot hole in the flooring.

The building was the meeting place for the Eastern Star, an organization of women and relatives of the Masons.  It also housed a pool hall, candy store, band practice room, beauty shop, various restaurants, and finally apartments.  One of the more interesting clubs to meet there was called "The Strugglers Club."  This group met sometime during prohibition and their main purpose was to play cards and drink beer, after which they would struggle home!  One of the occupants apparently suffered a fire, for the timbers in the attic are charred and the brick on the rear of the building was covered with German siding in order to hide the black soot.

This grand building was in a state of decay until its purchase and subsequent renovation by Keller-Brown Insurance in 1990.  Many of the building's original significant details were painstakingly restored.  Most noteworthy, large sections of the decorated painted ceiling from the third floor were carefully removed, restored, and placed in various locations through the building.  The "all seeing eye" now greets visitors to the insurance office on the second floor.  The facade along Main Street caused some confusion during the renovation when the brick was cleaned and repointed (which looked beautiful) and then painted again!  This was done to meet U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service standards, as all research showed the building was originally painted white to resemble a Greek temple.

It is now a modern office building and the home of the insurance Agency.  The original hallway is graced with vintage photographs from turn of the century Glen Rock, complements of Dr. Christian Zeichner.  Someday, while you are waiting at the traffic light, rather than get annoyed with the traffic in Shrewsbury, take a few moments to look at this building.  Team Members should not hesitate to pause and give a tour to an interested party. Hopefully, you will notice the other Odd Fellows' symbol, the three linking rings which are above the windows. They stand for Faith, Loyalty and Trust.