Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-08-12
OBITUARY
Colonel Charles \. Converse.

Colonel Charles Allen Converse Of
Philadelphia a former resident of Bur
lngton. died at 80 Thursday evening
of heart disease, at the residence Of his
sister, Miss Helen c. Converse, at -
Church street. Colonel Converse had been
associated with the "aldwin Locomotive
works in Philadelphia since 1891, as
secretary. he was unmarried and
is survived by two sisters, Miss Helen
c. Converse of this city and Mrs G. +.
simpson of North Adams, Mass; a
nephew. John W. Converse Of Phila-
delphia and four nieCes. Miss Mary CON
Verse of Philadelphia. Mrs Warren
Thorpe and Mrs Duane Mattison Of New
York city and Mrs Edgar Leavenworth
of Detroit, Mich. Colonel Converse. who
had been sufferer from heart disease
for the past year, arrived in Burlington
three weeks ago while on an automobile
trip to Maine. accompanied by his sister.
Mrs. g. f. simpson and his niece. Miss
Mary Converse, The "Trip proved too
fatiguing for him and he was taken ser
iousiy i'll the day after his arrival. his
condition gradually growing worse until
the end came.
Charles Allen Converse was born in
Burlington May Il, lSi7, the second son
of the Rev. John kendrick and Sarah
Allen Converse. He prepared for college
at the burlington high school and en-
tered tho University Of Vermont in 1875,
receiving the degree Of \. r. in 1862 He
was member of the lambda Iota
fraternity and of the Phi Beta Kappa
society. He worked his way through col
lege by working during his vacation time
as "A telegraph operator, stenographer
and newspaper reporter. serving tenn
porarily with the Burlington Times
After his graduation, Colonel Converse
was for IL years, from 1870 until 1896,
in the service of the Vermont Central
railroad at St Adams in various secre-
tarial capacities, finally being promoted
to the position If assistant superintend-
ent of local freight traffic. He resigned
the latter position in November. lSs6
to become Junior partner of the firm Of
Nichols q Converse, lumber dealers Of
Philadelphia. This partnership was dis
solved in ISIS and Colonel Converse then
became secretary of The de kosenko g.
Hetherington Manufacturing company of
Philadelphia, manufacturers of gas and
electric fixtures He remained with this
company until October, 1897, when he
entered the office of the Baldwin Loco
motive works of Philadelphia resigning
from that company two years ago.
Colonel converse was much interested
in historical and genealogical matters
and compiled and edited. ten years ago.
two large volumes pertaining To the an
cestors and descendants of Samuel CON
verse, Jr., which was in fact an exhaus-
tive history of the Converse family.
During Colonel CouVerse's residence I'm
Burlington and while serving as teller of
the First National bank news Of the
raid by Nonfederates upon st. Adams
was received and Colonel Converse was
one OF the first to volunteer to go to St
Adams to render assistance He also
served In the famous Ransom Guard com.
pan\ OF st Adams. the "crack" milf
taiN company Of the state Colonel
Converse was AN aide-de camp on the
military stan of the Governor of Yer
mont in 1896. 1870 and ls9S. and partici-
lated In that capacity in the inauguration
ceremonies of President Mckinley and in
the dedication of the Grant monument
in New York city He also served as
on the stan of General
Miles In the Philadelphia peace jubilee
of 1925 and at the dedication of the Grant
monument III Philadelphia in 1899