Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-05-05
SUDDEN DEATH Of
JOHN H. CONVERSE
Noted for Broad Philanthropy
and Prominence in World
Of Business.
CONTINUED from parc a.,


made him seem almost as II sim "a
citizen of Burlington IN his removal
the University of Vermont has lost
une OF its wiscst and most liberal
hencfactors. For the las; Is years he
had been a trustee ~ she institutions
and so IN a position to know where
aid was MOST needed. For outstand-
ing evidences OF his generosity we
may instance Converse Hall, erected
in 1898; two large cottages for profess
sors. hUilt in 1890. and the founding
and endowment In 1909 Of the depart
nient Of commerce and economies 1t
Is proper 80 add here that It was Mr..
Converse who suggested to his busi-
ness partner. also Nermonter the
erection 81 tho Williams Science Hail,
snd third cottage for the use OF
professors And further subscrip-
tion Of $4,000 is conditioned upon the
centennial fund now being raised at
tanning certain approximation to
round halfmillion.
In 1898 Mr.. Converse gave the ora
ton before the Associate alumni: in
1904 ne presented one Of the centen-
NAL addresses. In 1897 the board Of
control recognized both his material
fnrr.nS the degree of doctor of laws.
WAS RoRN IN BURLINGTON
Mr.. Converse was bonn in Burlington
December .. $40 His father, the
Rev y X Converse. was for long
tins pastor Of the First Church. and
later the head Of \ widely known
school for young women. His mother
nT n cr
of the Hon Heman Alien. member Of
Congress from Vermont. In both lines
he traced his descent from English
ancestry. lie gained his preparation
for college in the Burlington union
high school. under the direction of
g. ". Thompson. 1884. afterward Pro-
fessor Thompson entered college in
1887. and was graduated in the class
Of 1851, one Of the famous classes Of
the university containing among the
well known names those Of Henry
Balla I'd. 1.ucius RiCelow the Rev ~
r. Butler. Philander Deming. the we'll
known author James Il. Hammond 81
tvpewrite- fame. Rear Admiral Alber;
&. Kenney. the Rev. p. + Leavens and
others In this remarkable class Mr.
Converse stood among the foremost in
general scholarship. and was recog-
nized both by his instructors and
classmates as having that comhin lion
Of intellectual, and moral force which
wins the prize Of life.
Afte- graduating Mr.. Converse was
%: three wears connected with the
Ssiness department Of tho burlington
lailr anil Weekly Times. then owned
aud edited by the late George II. Rige-
In aNcCtionate remembrance. He then
became a railway clerk in Chicago
but two wears later removed to Al
toona Pa. where lie was in the EN-
rloy ~ the Pennsylvania Railroad
company The superintendent OF this
road. Edward H. Williams Ofrom
Woodstock. VT. became in 1870 one
,r the proprletors Of the Baldwin l.o-
tomotive Works of Philadelphia, and
offered NJ. Converse desirable post
.ior in the establishment.
CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY
Three years later he became a NOM
Yer OF the COMPANY a position which he
Asid till his death. OF this concern It Is
necessary to nay here only that Il en-
soys over 5000 men, turns out 100 loco
motives every year, and furnishes from
one-third to one-half of The entire output
Of locomotives In America, lta products
are distributed 10 all parts Of the civil
ICED world, in fact wherever railroads |
have been constructed. The managers OF
such business may well he termed
captains of industry. TIE men who can |
Gandle 80 vast n enterprise successfully |
are ar rare as generals Capa BILE Of man
oeuvrinS a division In the field, and de- |
serve eausl honor.
During the Spanish War. Mr. Converse
was president o: the national relief com |
ssion, rs also Of tho Pennsylvania |
sanitary commission. Both OF these or |
ganiza1 ons rendered Invaluable services !
70 oir troops, supplying hospitals, ply !
eicians. nurses medicines, cots. and al |
Nios> daily hospital trains for the relief |
- stricken soldiers, Of whom 2o,0ho were |
encsrnped near Harrisburg
Mr.. ConVsrxe's oif,Cal pos tons are too !
numerous TO he cstaloGued here He was |
trustee Of the general assembly o! the |
Presbyterian Church., % Princeton Theo- |
Logical Seminary, ot he Y. N G. A.. |
Philadelphia . rncmhcr Of the Presbyte- |
.an hoard Of publication, and chairman |
% toe Presbyterian evangslistiC commit |
tss of Philadelphia. He was deeply IN |
ierssted In an organization for tity evan |
ESli2aiion and contributed l!bcrally to its |
treasury. .le was one of the principal |
supporters 81 DR. Chapman's special re- |
vival efforts and Il said TO have given !
$1,000 a year TO this work. His SITS to
ONE and foreign missions. hospitals and !
like benevolent objects, were always un- |
ostentatiously made. and probably no ore |
will over know their total amount
MAN OF Guilt RE
The public interest in aildresssos ny
him on "Citizenshlp and Technical Edu- |
cation" delivered at Length University |
on Founders day in ss and "rhe 20tn !
Century University" at the University OF |
Vermont before the alumni in 1928 led 20 !
their publication and they attracted CON |
siderable attention, especially among |
educators.
IN his private life Mr. Converse had |
gathered around him In a quiet and mod |
est way the luNures congenal To a man |
OF culture. His lovely home at Rosemont, !
where he died one OF the most beautiful |
of art. music, literature and genial So
IietY.
Mr.. Converse married In Erooklyn. =. |
V, Luly .. 1873. Elizabeth Perkins Thomp- !
son daughter OF PROT james Thompson, |
of Western University. pittsburg. 'rwo !
daughters Mary Eleanor ana iirlrn |
ircnilsa and d son were the fruits Of inns |
union. The SON John Williams Converse, |
was educated al Princeton University,
NE daughters at Brvn MaWr. Mrs. Con !