Louis C. Dreher, who is engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Meriden, as a member of the firm of Strickland & Dreher, was born December 20, 1864, in the city where he still resides, his parents being Louis and Augusta Dreher, both of whom have passed away. The father was a very prominent and wealthy resident of Meriden and was a charter member of the Meriden Mutual Aid Society.

  After attending the public schools of Meriden, Louis C. Dreher continued his education in the Hartford (Conn.) Business College. He started in the business world with the Meriden Britannia Company and spent five years in the engraving department. He afterward traveled for Fahy’s Watch Case Company for about sixteen years and in 1912 turned his attention to the insurance business under the firm name of Strickland & Dreher, in which he is now engaged, occupying a central place on the stage of activity along that line. He represents the following companies: the Ocean Accident Insurance Company, the Cooperative Insurance Company, the Newark Fire Insurance Company, the National Surety Company, the Palatine Insurance Company, the Standard Fire Insurance Company, the Law, Union and Rock Insurance Company, the Imperial Assurance Company, the Mutual Plate Glass Insurance Company, the Camden Fire Insurance Company, the Northwestern National Fire Insurance Company, the Merchants and Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company, the Fitchburg Mutual Fire Insurance Company, the Alliance Insurance Company, the Mercantile Marine Insurance Company, the Georgia Fire Underwriters, the Urban Fire Insurance Company, the Commerce Insurance Company, the Globe & Rutgers Insurance Company, the Peoples National Fire Insurance Company, the Gerard Fire Insurance Company, the Humboldt Insurance Company and the Maryland Casualty Company. In the past three years Mr. Dreher has purchased several other agencies. In January, 1916, he bought the business of the M. J. Reynolds Company and about the same time bought out the C. H. L. Moore Company. In May, 1917, he purchased the insurance agency of W. O. Stowell. He conducts business in partnership with John N. Strickland and the firm of Strickland & Dreher occupies a most prominent position in insurance circles in New England. He also is vice president and a director of the Puritan Trust Company.

  In Sag Harbor, Maine, Mr. Dreher was united in marriage to Miss Harriet W. Dickerson. They are members of the Congregational church and Mr. Dreher has membership in the Colonial Club and the Cosmopolitan Club. He is a member of the Auto Naval Coast Patrol, is chairman of the board of relief and is otherwise identified with public interests of importance. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he has been a member of the common council. He is serving on the ward committee, also on the claim committee and the street committee, and he exercises his official prerogatives in support of many well defined plans and measures to advance the interests of the city and uphold its civic standards.