It all began in 1925 in a small room over the Bank of Morehead City, now the location of First Citizens Bank and Trust Co.
In February of that year, H. S. Gibbs, an employee of the Bank of Morehead City, decided to leave the banking business to become a life insurance agent. Leaving the bank, Mr. Gibbs purchased a typewriter with a close associate and friend, S. A. Chalk, and opened the doors of his Equitable Life Assurance Company Agency. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Chalk left the bank and joined Mr. Gibbs.
On April 2, 1925, the two friends shook hands and established what is among the oldest partnerships in the county and Carteret County’s oldest general insurance agency, Chalk and Gibbs. These two farsighted men maintained a close and friendly working relationship as partners and also in the community that took the company from its one room operation to its present size.
As the company’s business expanded, more room was needed and in 1925 Mr. Chalk, Mr. Gibbs and a secretary moved to the Paragon building. During this time, the company directed its primary interest from life insurance to fire and casualty insurance and real estate. Today the firm engages in the handling of real estate and a full line of insurance.
In 1945, their sons William B. and Skinner A. Chalk Jr. and H. S. Gibbs Jr., joined the firm after serving in the Armed Services during WWII. With this addition, it was decided more room was necessary and the firm moved again, this time to the Francis Wade building. 1952 saw the firm much too large for its quarters and a building was erected at 1006 Arendell Street, where the agency now resides.
While neither were natives of Carteret County, both Mr. Chalk and Mr. Gibbs took active interest in the growth of the county. Both men served as mayors of Morehead City and as president’s of the Morehead City Rotary Club. Mr. Gibbs served further as a state representative for 5 consecutive terms, as a member of the Morehead City Port Commission and also as an original member of the State’s Ports Authority.
For three generations, the Chalk and Gibbs families have continued to the close working relationship of its founders that has proven to be the primary ingredient in the company’s success and their common goal of outstanding customer service and community involvement.