John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company is incorporated.

It is located initially in a single room at 41 State Street. One of the oldest companies in continued operation in Massachusetts, its first president is Judge George Sanger. Albert Murdock is the company’s first agent and policy holder. The company moves to the Sears Building in July 1869 and to a new building (first) on Franklin Street in 1907.* It converts from a mutual to a stock company on January 27, 2000, is purchased by Manulife of Canada in 2004, and moves to 601 Congress Street in 2005, and returns to Berkeley Street in 2019.*