Insurance firm still going strong after all these years

One hundred and nine years is a long time to be in business, but that is how long the company now known as R. Jackson Ratcliffe Inc. has been around.

The company began back in 1900 as G. Raymond Ratcliffe, Insurance.

Ratcliffe, at that time, was the cashier of Peoples National Bank at the corner of Battle and Center streets in Old Town Manassas.

In 1933, after his son, Jack, graduated from Lafayette College, they went into business together and the company became known as G. R. Ratcliffe and Son. It continued as that until the 1940s and, at the passing of the elder Ratcliffe, the company became known as R. Jackson Ratcliffe Insurance Inc., which is the name still used today.

The first office was in the small brick building behind the People's Bank, now Okra's Restaurant. It was just about large enough for two desks, a filing cabinet, a safe and tiny bathroom.

Before long, it was time for a larger office. So Ratcliffe and H. Selwyn Smith -- then a local lawyer -- erected a new building in 1954, two doors down Battle Street.

Ratcliffe was also a certified land surveyor -- one of the few in the county at that time -- as well as being the unofficial county historian. He also spent time writing two books on Manassas and Prince William County history: "This Was Manassas" and "This Was Prince William."

He was active in the community, teaching American Red Cross First Aid classes in Manassas, teaching graphics at Manassas State Vocational School, joining the Bull Run Hunt and serving as the secretary for several years, and joining the Manassas Volunteer Fire Company in 1929 and was named president in 1941 and organized the Auxiliary of the company.

He was also Manassas' only Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts for 10 years, president of the Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce in 1949-50, president of the First Manassas Corporation, which headed up the reenactment of the First Battle of Manassas in 1961, member of the Manassas Planning Commission, member of the Manassas Kiwanis Club (joining in 1944, exactly 20 years after his father, G. Raymond Ratcliffe founded the club), named one of Manassas' Ten Outstanding Men of the Century at the Manassas City Centennial in 1973 and was one of the founders and chairman of the Greater Manassas Christmas Parade, which he worked on for nearly 30 years and served as its grand marshal.

In 1960, Ratcliffe's son-in-law, C. Warren Harrover, joined the company and was one of the co-owners until his sudden death in 1984.

When R. Jackson Ratcliffe died in 1986, the business was left to his son, Richard J. Ratcliffe, and daughter, Ann R. Harrover. Richard "Rick" Ratcliffe has continued to carry on the business since then, and it is still in operation.

Currently, Brenda Doner, Lisa Terrien and J. Haydn Davis are agents. The business sells all lines of insurance, including homeowners, auto, commercial, life, marine and surety bonds.

"We pride ourselves as being one of the oldest businesses in Manassas still in operation," said Richard Ratcliffe.

Staff writer Bennie Scarton Jr. can be reached at 703-369-6707.