George A. Beavers Jr.

George Allen Beavers Jr. was born to a poor family in Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of 12, Beavers moved with his family to California, where his father got a job with the Pacific Electric Railroad. During his summer vacations from Los Angeles High School, the younger Beavers would work for the railroad as a water boy. He graduated from high school, got married in 1911 and took a job at the German-American Bank (later Security Pacific National Bank) as an elevator operator. He was later promoted to stock clerk and then messenger at the firm. During World War I, Beavers worked at the Los Angeles Foundry as a molder's helper. He was exempt from military service due to the loss of an eye as a teenager. ==Business career==

A major activity for Beavers at this time was helping to establish the People's Independent Church of Christ. Led by entrepreneur and real estate broker J. H. Shackleford, the church was founded in 1915 and located at 1025 East 18th Street in Los Angeles. Shackleford became chairman of the board of trustees and Beavers served as acting secretary. Through his affiliations with Shackleford and the church, Beavers began selling real estate at G. W. Wheatley Real Estate. To help meet state requirements to form a corporation, Nickerson assigned Beavers with the task of securing 500 clients who were willing to pay their premiums in advance. While the company flourished, Beavers, as did Nickerson and Houston, also became a community leader. He was recognized for community service by presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman and by Los Angeles mayors spanning Fletcher Bowron to Tom Bradley. When founder William Nickerson Jr. died in 1945, Beavers became chairman of the board. In 1962, he was elected President of the National Insurance Association, a trade organization representing 48 black-owned insurance companies. Beavers served as board chairman of Golden State until 1966, when he resigned from the position citing health reasons. ==Later years==

Beavers was a Brother of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. Beavers died in Los Angeles on October 12, 1989. At the time of his death, Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company was the third largest black insurance company with offices in 22 states and the District of Columbia. == References ==