New-York tribune., 1921-04-05
e. C.. Converse.
Bank Dies
I'm California
President of the Liberty Ma
'ional Expires Unexpecs-
cdly of Heart Disease
in Hotel at Pasadena
On Many Directorates
Art and Nature Lover.
and Made Notable Gifts
to Harvard and Amherst

PASADENA, Calf, April 4.-En-
.mund c. Converse. New York hnancier,
died Unexpectedly early to-day at the
hotel here at which he and Mrs. Con-
verse had been living since February
lie apparently had been in good health,
and had, during the last week, played
much at his favoritc game of golf.
After midnight he was seized with an
attack Of heart disease and physicians
were unable to aid him
Edmund Cogswell Converse was born
in Boston, on November Z, 1849, the
son Of James G.. and Sarah Ann pea
body Converse, and was graduated
from the Boston Latin School in 1869.
He then entered the National Tube
Works at McKeesport. Pa, as an ap-
prentice and worked his way upward
through all grades until he became
pres dent of the company. Thirty years
after the beginning of his apprentice
ship he was the leading factor in
combination of practically all the big
tube works of the country, Two years
the United States Steel Corporation,
he retired from the tube industry, save
for remaining director of his old
company.
President of Three Banks
He then turned his attention chiefly
to banking, and was president Of the
Trust Company and the Astor Trust
Company. He also was director of
the Guaranty Trust Company, the Fl
deity Phenix Insurance Company, the
international Nickel Company, the Ma
tlonal Supply Company, the American
Bank Note Company, the Coronet
Phosphate Company, the Kewanee Oil
and Gas Company, the Texas and Paci-
fic Coal Company, the Inspiration Cop
per Company and other corporations.
He was a member Of the Union League,
Metropolitan, New York Athletic, New
York Yacht, City and Greenwich Coun-
try clubs; the New England Society
and the Sons Of the American Revolu-
ton
Although identified in business with
New York, he made his home at
Greenwich, Conn, on Conyers Farm.
an estate of 1500 acres. where he took
great pride in an apple orchard with
the products of which he was a con-
sistent prize winner at pomological
exhibitions In 1915 he made of his
entire estate bird sanctuary to aid
in the national movement for the pro
lection and propagation of bird life,
from which of course hunters were
strictly excluded. He was a lover of
art as we'll as Of nature and owned
fine collection of paintings, includ-
ing the famous Gainsborough portrait
of Count Rumford-the subject of
which was one of Mr.. Converse's ma
ternal ancestors.
Endowed Harvard Chair
In 1912 he gave S125,0Oo to endow
the chair of banking in the graduate
school of business administration at
Harvard University, and three years
later he gave s25o,o0o for new
library building at Amherst College
brother, James B. Converse, a mem
ber Of the Amherst class of 1867.
Mr.. Converse was twice married
His first wife, whom he married in
1879, was Miss Jessie MacDonough
Green, of New York. She bore him
two children, Katherine Converse, now
the Baroness Won Romberg, and
Edmund c. Converse jr, who married
Miss Judith Adams
Mrs. Converse was operated upon
for appendicitis in January 1912, and
apparently recovered, but in Septem-
Der following fell i'll again and died
His second wife, who survives him
and whom he married in 1914, was Miss
Mary Edith Dunshee, of New York.
After the death of his first wife
Mr.. Converse retired from active
business affairs, but in June, 1918, re-
turned thereto as president of the
Liberty National Bank, to take the
place of Harvey D. Gibson, who had
gone to Europe to direct some of the
activities of the American Red Cross
in the World War.
Tribute from Seward Prosser
Seward Prosser, president of the
l Bankers Trust Company. comm en- ting