Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Sullivan Converse

   Sullivan Converse was born in New Braintree, Massachusetts on Oct. 8, 1821, one of nine children of Col. Roswell and Theodoshia (Nichols) Converse.  Educated in Westfield,  he returned to the large family farm in New Braintree, and purchased it from his father in 1848.  There, on over 200 acres, he raised cattle, sheep, and swine, and grew rye, Indian corn, and oats. He was known for successfully breeding Ayrshire cattle. He sold the farm in 1880 and moved to West Brookfield, with his wife, the former Anjenette B. Fenton, whom he had married Feb. 27, 1850 in Palmer, MA.  Anjenette died in West Brookfield on July 28, 1895. 
   A short notice in the Springfield Daily News published August 7, 1896 announced the marriage of Converse Sullivan and Lilia E. Barnes at the home of the groom on Tueday evening with only immediate family members present.  Lillian was 45 years younger than her husband, and considered an estimable young woman in town.

Converse Sullivan died in Feb. 27, 1899, at home on Central St. after a long illness, and was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery.  Lillian married George Johnson in 1902.  She died in 1910.


Sources:
Americanancestors.org  Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850 and    Massachusetts Vital Records 1841-1910
Ancestry.com  US Federal Census Agricultural Schedule 1850 and 1870
Genealogybank.com Death Notice of Mrs. Sullivan Converse; Worcester Daily Spy; July 30, 1895
"                                 Marriage Announcement for Sullivan Converse and Lilia E. Barnes, Springfield Daily News; Aug. 7, 1896
"                                 Obituary of Sullivan Converse, Springfield Daily Republican, Feb. 28, 1899