USA > Vermont > Genealogical and family history of the state of Vermont; a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol I > Part 98
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He has given largely to his alma mater-the University of Vermont. Being a trustee of the university and intimately acquainted with its needs, he has known how to make his benefac- tions as wise as they have been liberal. Besides endowing a scholarship and making frequent contributions to meet special needs, he has founded "the Converse Prize" for proficiency in public debate.
In co-operation with his friend and partner, Dr. Williams, who shares Mr. Converse's liberal spirit and his interest in the university, he has has erected for the university a number of build- ings. which, for architectural beauty and com- pleteness, rank with the most attractive of mod- ern houses. The structures thus erected include a number of dwellings for the use of professors, a student's dormitory building. and a building which contains the laboratories and lecture rooms for the chemical and physical depart- ments. In 1897 the University of Vermont con- ferred upon him the honorary degree of LL.D.
But Mr. Converse is not sectarian in his be- nevolence. He is one of the most liberal con- tributors to charity organized and otherwise of the very rich men of this city.
An illustration of the quickness and sponta- neity of his response to appeals to his generosity is a case which occurred recently. A friend wrote to him of a work he was engaged in, merely men-
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tioning it as a matter of news, and with no thought of appealing to him for help, because he had but recently subscribed for a similar ob- ject. Mr. Converse at once sent him a check for one hundred dollars. As the arrangement to meet the case had been completed before the check arrived, the check was returned with thanks and an explanation. He at once remailed it with instruction to apply it to the next best thing in the same direction. Having once de- voted the money to the cause, he would not take it back.
Mr. Converse in domestic life is such a man as one would expect to find in the home of such a man. He would be out of place as a first- nighter at the theatre. and his tastes do not run in that direction. He is, however, fond of music, and is an excellent performer on the violin.
In his private life he has gathered about him in a quiet and modest way the luxuries which are congenial to a man of culture. In his home, art, music. literature and genial society abound. His accomplished wife is in full sympathy with him in taste and aims.
He is a loving, sincere and artless man among his friends. His attachments are strong and his circle of friends is large. He has two daughters and one son, the latter a student at Princeton College.
In the popular meaning of the term, Mr. Con- verse is not interested in politics. That is to say, he is not attracted cither by the political methods which are potent in shaping our public affairs, or by some of the products of them. It is probable that he does not regard with any de- gree of complacency the use of his name by mere politicians who might desire only the use of a good name to trick reform; but it is not unrea- sonable to suppose that he has enough human nature in his make-up to cause him to look not unkindly upon that other influence which has often picked him out as one of the very best types of Philadelphia's public-spirited citizens, when propriety and fitness are to be regarded in the selection of men for high positions.
No man is insensible to this kind of tribute from his fellow men, and Mr. Converse values the esteem and confidence of neighbors and friends just as he valued the good opinion of his employers when he was making his way in life.
In the company of men who have sought to remedy some of the evils of our municipal gov- ernment, he has worked for better men and better principles in the conduct of the city's affairs. He was a supporter and contributor to the old Com-
mittee of One Hundred and of the Committee of Fifty, and other kindred organizations ; but his aid has been given for his city, not for him- self.
As a Republican of strong connections he has always supported that party in its national progress ; he has probably not always been able to follow it in local and state contests. Mr. Con- verse is not a fluent talker, but in business coun- cils he can express himself with great clearness and effect, and in his semi-public capacity as one of the members of the board of city trusts, he has shown an aptness in discussion which suggests that he would be a good speech maker if he cared to try. He was elected a member of the trust in 1889, and is now serving as chairman of the com- mittec. He has had charge of all the Girard es- tates within the city, and takes a deep interest in the incomparable institution founded by that other great Philadelphia business man-Stephen Gir- ard. Recently he was transferred to the post of chairman of the household committee.
It is not surprising that he should be a mem- ber of the Fairmount Park Art Association. He is fond of art, and has a fine gallery of rare pictures in his country home at Rosemont ; and he regards the beautification of the park as a duty which every man of means and influence should interest himself in.
He is a trustee of the Presbyterian Hospital, and is secretary of the board. It is characteristic of Mr. Converse that he personally attends to all of the details of that position. He keeps the accounts himself, writes with his own hand every letter necessary to be written, and will al- low no one else to do so. This is in keeping with his policy in the conduct of his own business, his scrupulons care in seeing that the little things are looked after with as much certainty as the large affairs.
He is also one of the most industrious and enthusiastic of the trustees of the University Ex- tension Association and of the Academy of Fine Arts.
It will be readily recalled that he was the president of the National Relief Association dur- ing the recent war with Spain, and in that posi- tion rendered services for which he has received the thanks of the country. A catalogue of the positions he holds in those enterprises in which men lend their brains and their bank account for the bettering of the condition of their fellows would be a long one.
It can readily be imagined, then, that he has
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become known as one of Philadelphia's very first citizens, and one toward whom public attention frequently gravitates when the hope of something better and purer in our public affairs lifts up its head.
A simple, worthy, broad-minded citizen; a sincere but never an ostentatious Christian; a man of truth and stern virtue; a generous dis- penser of much of the large means Providence has enabled him to accumulate, to those who need it and deserve it. Such is John H. Converse. The world is better for having such men in it.
He was married in Brooklyn, New York, July 9, 1873, by Rev. Dr. Heman Dyer, to Eliza- beth Perkins Thompson, daughter of Professor James Thompson ( Professor in the Western University, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and later of Altoona, Pennsylvania, and Lewiston, Penn- sylvania), and Mary Johnson Bishop, daughter of Daniel Lathrop Bishop, of New York.
Mrs. Converse, also, has been much engaged in benevolent work. Since 1888 she has been the treasurer of the Depository and Philadelphia Exchange for Woman's Work. She is one of the vice presidents of the Ladies' Aid of the Pres- byterian Hospital and one of the working mem- bers of the Civic Club of Philadelphia, a woman's organization whose object is the improvement of the economic, sanitary and political conditions of the city. She is also a member of the New Cen- tury Club of Philadelphia, the Contemporary Club of Philadelphia, the Geographical Society of Philadelphia, and the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames.
CHILDREN OF JOHN HEMAN AND ELIZABETH :
Mary Eleanor Converse (VIII), born in Phil- adelphia April 10, 1877; graduated at Bryn Mawr College in 1898.
John Williams Converse (VIII), born in Philadelphia March 30. 1879; a student at Princeton University in class of 1900.
HELEN PRENTIS CONVERSE (VIII), born in Philadelphia July 26, 1880; a student at Bryn Mawr College in class of 1901. In her early youth she was mich given to composition, and a short story written by her entitled "The Iron Virgin of Nuremberg" was published in 1893.
COLONEL CHARLES ALLEN CONVERSE (VII),-Rev. John Kendrick (VI), Joel (V).
Thomas (IV), Samuel (III), Sergeant Samuel (II), Deacon Edward ( 1),-born in Burlington, Vermont, May 17, 1847 ; fitted for college at the Burlington Union high school, which he left in March, 1863, before graduation to enter the ser- vice ot the Rutland Railroad Company at Bur- lington, as accountant in the freight office during the agency of R. W. Chase. After a few months he relinquished this work in order to become the teller of the Bank of Burlington, and afterwards teller of the First National Bank of Burlington, which superseded the former bank at the time when the national banks were instituted. In the fall of 1865 he resigned his position in the bank to enter the University of Vermont, from which he graduated in 1869, receiving the degree of A. B. and admission to the Phi Beta Kappa, having largely worked his way through college by vaca- tion work as a telegraph operator, stenographer and newspaper reporter, viz: On the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad at Geneva, Illinois, and Dixon, Illinois, during the winter of 1865- 66; in general superintendent's office, Pennsyl- vania Railroad, at Altoona, Pennsylvania. during the winter of 1866-67 ; on the line of the North Western Telegraph Company at St. Paul, Minne- sota, Watertown. Wisconsin, and LaCrosse, Wis- consin, during the winter of 1867-68 ; night press operator, Burlington, winter of 1868-69; in Western Union Telegraph office, Saratoga, in summer of 1869: and temporarily for the Bur- lington Daily Times at various times. In the University of Vermont he was a member of the Lambda Iota fraternity.
He was in the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Blairsville, Pennsylvania, during 1870 as chief operator, West Pennsylvania division of telegraph. From October. 1870. till November. 1886, he was in the service of the Vermont Central Railroad and the Central Ver- mont Railroad Company at St. Albans. Vermont. as secretary to general freight agent. secretary to general superintendent traffic, chief clerk general
freight office, general manager's secretary and assistant superintendent local freight traffic, con- secutively. He resigned the latter position in November, 1886, to engage in a lumber operation in Pennsylvania as junior partner of the firm of Nichols & Converse of Philadelphia. Upon the completion of that work in September. 1888, and
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the dissolution of that partnership, he became the secretary of the de kosenko & Hetherington Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia, mami- facturers of gas and electric fixtures, and was secretary and treasurer of same from September, 1805, until the sale of its plant to a new company in September, 1897. Since then he has been en- gaged in the office of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia.
He was aide-de-camp to the governor of Ver- mont on his military staff, with rank of colonel, in 1806, 1897 and 1898, having previously been connected with the Vermont National Guard from 1872 to 1882 as a member of the Ransom Guard of St. Albans. He was vice president of Arbor Vitae Club, St. Albans, 1878; member Owl Club, St. Albans, 1885-1886 ; honorary mem- ber of the Association of General Freight Agents of New England, 1878-1886; member of the Canadian Association of Gencral Freight Agents, 1884-1886: director Central Vermont Railroad Library Association, 1885; high priest Cham- plain Chapter No. I. R. A. M., St. Albans, 1886- 1887 ; district deputy grand high priest, 1886- 1887 ; member Englesby Lodge No. 84, F. & A. M., St. Albans, and Lafayette Commandery No. 3. K. T., St. Albans ; member of the Art Club of Philadelphia, the Union League Club of Phila- delphia, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Geographical Society of Philadelphia, the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, the Bryn Mawr (Pennsylvania) Presbyterian church, the Presbyterian Social Union of Philadelphia, the Lake Champlain Yacht Club, the Merion Cricket Club at Haverford, Pennsylvania, the New Eng- land Society of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania So- ciety Sons of the Revolution, Vermont Society Sons of the American Revolution ; the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Vermont, and one of the Gentlemen of the Council of the last named society in 1897 and 1898.
FRANK KENDRICK CONVERSE (VII),- Rev. John Kendrick (VI), Joel (V), Thomas (IV), Samuel (III), Sergeant Samuel (II), Deacon Edward (I),-born in Burlington, Vermont, November 4, 1849 ; married, in Brook- lyn, New York, July 17, 1871, by Rev. Mr. Bond, to Abbie Adelia Conner, who was born in Bur- lington September 27, 1854, and is the daughter of Charles Adams and Anna Aurelia (Jones)
Comer, of Shelburne, Vermont. She is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church of Bur- lington. Frank Kendrick Converse is a farmer at Charlotte, Vermont. The location of his farm on the shore of Lake Champlain lends much natural beauty to its environment.
Children : SARAH ALLEN CONVERSE (VIII), born in Burlington September 10, 1874; attended the Burlington public schools, and after finishing at the Burlington Union high school in 1894, spent a year at Miss Underwood's private school in Burlington. She was married, October 8, 1902, to Edgar Lanc 1.cavenworth, formerly of Charlotte, now western representative of the Proctor Marble Company, in Indianapolis, In- diana.
BESSIE HELENA CONVERSE (VIII), born in Burlington June 7, 1877; attended the public schools in Burlington until 1889, after which she was a student at Miss Underwood's school, and finished at Miss Barker's private school in Bur- lington in 1897.
IDA FLAVIA FREDICA CONVERSE (VII),- (Rev. John Kendrick (VI), Joel (V), Thomas (IV), Samuel (III), Sergeant Samuel (II), Deacon Edward (I), -- born in Burlington, Ver- mont, August 24, 1851, educated at the Burling- ton Female Seminary: married in Burlington, September 30, 1874, by Rcv. John Kendrick Con- verse, to George Foster Simpson, M. D., of Fort Edward, New York. He was born in Montreal, Province of Quebec, June 21, 1847. and is the son of George F. Simpson and Mrs. Harriet (Town) Simpson. He was educated at the Fort Edward Collegiate Institute, and graduated from the medical department of the University of Ver- mont in 1873. He commenced the practice of medicine at Saddle River, New Jersey, in 1873; practiced in Newton, New Jersey, from Febru- arv, 1875, to September, 1879, and since the lat- ter date in North Adams, Massachusetts, where hc now resides. He is practitioner for the states of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, having passed examinations and been registered in each of these states. From February 1, 1896, to February 1, 1898, hc was chairman of the board of health of the city of North Adams, and has been chairman of the Homeopathic staff of the North Adams Hospital since its opening in 1884.
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THOMAS S. DRAKE.
Owing to the length of his residence and the large variety of pursuits that have claimed his attention, as well as his prominence and influence in the social, political and business life of the com- munity, the gentleman above named is a person- ality of more than usual interest. In as much as his career covers more than two-thirds of the nineteenth century, it will readily become ap- parent that Mr. Drake was an observer of or participant in many of the most important events of his state and nation for more than two gen- erations. He was born while Andrew Jackson was serving his first term as president. He was seventeen years old when the United States de- clared war against Mexico. He watched and waited the turn of events during the great drama of the Civil war and was still in active business when Uncle Sam was compelled to "call down" Spain for her conduct toward little Cuba. It is safe to say that the men who took in the whole panorama from 1850 up to date have seen the greatest half century of the whole history and this has been a privilege enjoyed by Mr. Drake. Like so many other Vermonters he comes of the Massachusetts stock, his ancestors for generations having been natives of that ancient common- wealth. His grandfather, Thomas Drake, lived at Easton, which is a town in Bristol county, and was engaged in farming until his death, which occurred at Charlestown, Massachusetts, in the early part of the nineteenth century. He had eight children, equally divided as to sons and daughters, and the family was remarkable for longevity, as all of them lived to be over eighty years of age. Solomon Drake, one of the elder sons, was born at Easton, Massachusetts, July 4, 1780, and came to Bristol, Vermont, in 1805. In the course of time he became an extensive land owner and a man of influence in his community, holding the offices of selectman, constable and treasurer at different periods for many years. He was a deacon in the Baptist church and quite pros- perous in business, having surplus money with which he often accommodated needy borrowers. Shortly after coming to Bristol he married Cy- linda Scott, a native of the place and one of fif- teen children born to her parents, being a daughter of Amos Scott. By her marriage with Solomon
Drake she had ten children, of whom seven grew to maturity, but the only one now living is the subject of this sketch. The mother died in 1876, but the father lived to an extreme age, being considerably over ninety-five years old when the last summons reached him, January 6, 1776.
Thomas S. Drake was born on his father's farm near Bristol, Vermont, April 15, 1829. He grew up in the usual manner of Vermont boys, attending school during the winters and helping with the work at home during the vacation sea- sons, which in those days were much longer than now. After living on a farm some time, but de- siring a mercantile life, he purchased a genaral store in partnership with William Dunshee, but after prosecuting this business seven years he dis- posed of his interest and took up hardware. This, too, after being carried on two years was sold to his nephews and after that Mr. Drake was chiefly absorbed by his real estate and box-board inter- ests. But he had "many other irons in the fire,' as they say in Vermont, being one of the busiest as well as one of the most enterprising citizens in the county. Among the enterprises that engaged his attention may be mentioned the electric light plant, of which he is manager, treasurer and secretary, and the building of houses. In con- nection with the Far brothers, he erected the block opposite the hotel in Bristol, which is known by his name, and during all these activities in town he kept up his farming to some extent. In 1877 he was elected a director of the. National Bank of Vergennes, being the only sur- vivor of the board then chosen, and in 1898 was made president of this institution, which position he has since retained.
In 1849 Mr. Drake was married to Sarah Ellen, daughter of Bela Eldridge, an early set- tler of New Haven, Addison county, and the only one of his three children now living. They have had three children, all daughters. and but one of these survives. Ella, the eldest daughter. now de- ceased, married Charles D. Mathison. by whom she had two sons, Fred S. and Williard, both of whom work in the box shop of Drake, Smith & Company. Fred S. married Emma Duprey and has a daughter named Ella. Meriam D .. Mr. Drake's living daughter, is the wife of Col. Els- worth Lawrence. a traveling salesman for an east- ern mercantile house, and has three children :
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Philip D., Dorothy D., and Spencer D. Mr. Drake's other daughter, Genevieve, died at the age of cleven. Mr. Drake's political predilections are Republican and his religious affiliations are with the Baptist church. He has often been called on by his fellow citizens to fill offices of trust and profit, and his long retention in the same places affords ample evidence of the fidelity with which he discharged his duties and also the confi- dence reposed in him by the voters. He was long a selectman and lister, and for many years was chairman of both boards. Commencing in 1866, he was elected for two consecutive years to repre- sent his town in the legislature, and performed this service with the same conscientiousness that has characterized his discharge of all duties, whether public or private.
JOHN B. DUBUC.
The independent spirit, enterprise, industry and determination so essential to the successful career in connection with any vocation or any phase of human endeavor are possessed in an emi- nent degree by the subject of this sketch, who is one of the representative citizens and leading business men of the town of Shelburne, Chitten- den county, where he inaugurated his business career in a most modest way a third of a century ago, being a young man still in his 'teens when he thus took up his abode in the town and set `valiantly to work to gain for himself a position of independence and to win the confidence and re- spect of the people among whom he had chosen to cast in his lot. He is the sole blacksmith of the village, where he has been consecutively engaged in the work of his trade since the early date noted, and he now conducts not only a successful enter- prise in this line, but is also engaged in the hand- ling of wagons and carriages, agricultural im- plements, etc., and controls a trade which is of representative order and which ramifies through- out the section of which the town is the normal supply center. His life has been one of earnest and consecutive application and he has ever com- manded the esteem and good will of the communi- ty in which he has so long maintained his home.
Mr. Dubuc comes of stanch old French line- age, the original spelling of the name having been DuBuque, and he is a native of the province of
Quebec, Canada, having been born in the parish of St. Remi, on the 7th of October, 1851. His father, Joseph Dubne, was born in St. Isador, that province, son of Joseph Dubuc, Sr., who was born in France, whence he emigrated to Canada when a young man, locating in one of the French parishes of the province of Quebec and there en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. He passed the remainder of his life in that province and attained the patriarchal age of ninety-two years. His son and namesake was reared on the parental farm and he likewise continued to be identified with agriculture in his native province until called from the scene of life's activities, in March, 1889, at the age of seventy-seven years. He married Euphemia Garand, who was born in St. Remi, Quebec, and who died in 1899, at the age of eighty-four years, both she and her husband hav- ing been life-long communicants and devoted members of the Catholic church, in whose faith they reared their children. They became the parents of eight sons and seven daughters, and of this number eight are still living, namely : Joseph. who is a resident of Winnipeg, Canada, and who holds a life appointment as a judge on the king's bench; Isaac, who is engaged in the furniture business at Winooski, Vermont : Alphonse, who is engaged in the grocery business in the same place : Evarest, who is a blacksmith in that town ; John B., the immediate subject of this sketch ; Azinord, who is a farmer in Winnipeg, Canada ; Cordelia, who has been a nun of the Catholic church for the past twenty years ; and Eugene, a blacksmith in St. Anne, Manitoba. Three of Joseph's sons became lawyers and three daughters were nuns.
John B. Dubuc remained at the parental home until he had attained the age of fifteen years, his early educational discipline having been secured in the excellent parochial schools. At the age noted, when but a lad, he started out in life on his own responsibility, and has ever since been de- pendent upon his own resources, so that he is well deserving of the proud American title of self-made man. He served a thorough apprentice- ship at the blacksmith trade, securing his train- ing in this line at Burlington and Warren, Ver- mont, having courageously made his way to this state upon leaving the parental roof. In 1869, when eighteen years of age, he came to Shel-
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burne and here established himself in an indepen- dent business by opening a blacksmith shop on the site of his present headquarters, where he has ever since conducted operations. He began operations upon a capital of fifty-five dollars, but he threw the entire power of his strong and resourceful nature into his work, never slighting his duties and soon gaining the confidence and good will of the community, so that his patronage became cumulative and enabled him to gradually expand the scope of his enterprise and to eventually attain a definite and pronounced success, as is evident from the business which he now controls. He owns a meat market and club room building, in the town, and a tenant house, besides his home, and has been otherwise prominently concerned in various business enterprises here. He conducts an excellent livery business, has a well equipped blacksmith and carriage shop, carries in stock an excellent line of vehicles and farming imple- ments and is one of the progressive and influen- tial business men of his town.
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