Page:One of a thousand.djvu/154

140 CONVERSE. CONVERSE. Of this union was one child : Wallace B. Conant. Mr. Conant's second marriage took place in East Hardwick, Vt., with Harriette W. Adgate of that town, Octo- ber i, 18S5. Mr. Conant served eight years as select- man, three of which he was chairman of the board. He was for four years trustee and treasurer of the " Reuben Hoar " libra- ry. He has been trustee of the North Middlesex Savings Bank, located at Ayer, from its incorporation to the present time. In the fall of 188S he was elected repre- sentative to the Legislature from the 30th Middlesex district, serving as a member of the committee on public charitable insti- tutions. CONVERSE, Edmund Winchester, son of Rev. James and Charlotte (White) Converse, was born in Weathersfield, Wind- sor county, Yt., June 12, 1825. He ob- tained his education in the public schools of his native town and in the academy at Meriden, N. H. He entered the store of Ammidown & Converse as clerk, at seventeen years of age. Subsequently he became successively a partner in the following firms : Blanch- ard, Converse & Co.; Converse, Harding & Co.; Harding, Converse, Gray & Co., and Converse, Taylor & Co., all of which were dry-goods importing and jobbing houses, Boston. He is now in the same business, in the house of Converse, Stan- ton & Cullen, Boston and New York. Mr. Converse was married in Boston, May 1 1, 1854, to Charlotte Augusta (Shep- herd) Albree, daughter of George and Charlotte (Saunders) Shepherd. Of this union were seven children : Edmund Win- chester, Jr., Ellen M., Charlotte, Margaret, Charles Henry, James and Frederick Shep- herd Converse. Mr. Converse is director in the follow- ing corporations : yEtna Mills, National City Bank, Boston ; National Tube Works Company, McKeesport, Pa., and Pueblo Smelting & Refining Company. He is president of the Conanicut Mills, Fall River ; trustee of the Newton Cottage Hospital ; was a member of the state drain- age and sewerage commission ; is chairman of the school board and trustee of the free library in the city of Newton, where he lives to enjoy the fruits of an honored and successful career. CONVERSE, Elisha SlADE, son of Eiisha and Betsey (Wheaton) Converse, was born in Needham, Norfolk county, July 28, 1S20. He availed himself of the advantages of a common school education. His first entrance into business life was in a clothing store in Thompson, Conn., April 1, 1839. In 1844 he made a change to the shoe and leather business, in which he remained till 1S53, when he became the treasurer and manager of the Boston Rubber Shoe Company, which office he still holds. Mr. Converse was married in Thompson, Conn., September 4, 1S43, to Mary I)., daughter of Hosea and Ursula (Burgess) Edmands. Of this union were four chil- dren : Frank E., Mary Ida, Harry E., and Frances Euo-enie Converse. Ha ELISHA S. CONVERSE. Mr. Converse has served the Common- wealth two years in the House (1878 and '79), and two years in the Senate (rSSo and '81). Standing as he did, so high in the esteem of all of his fellow-citizens, he was by universal acclaim awarded the honor of serving as the first mayor of the city when the old town of Maiden accepted the city charter in 1S81. He is president of the First National Bank of Maiden ; president of the Boston Belting Company, director of the Revere Rubber Company, and of the Exchange National Bank, Boston ; president of the Rubber Manufacturers' Mutual Insurance