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

Eli M. Converse - West Brookfield Merchant - born October 31, 1850

Eli M. Converse was born in Brookfield on October 31, 1850.  His parents were James, a shoemaker, born in North Brookfield,  and Mary, born in Brookfield..  Eli spent his boyhood in Brookfield and married Nancy M. Prouty there on May 1, 1878.  Nancy died on October 14, 1883.  On December 20, 1887 Eli married a school teacher from Brookfield named Lucy Maria Dunton.  They moved to West Brookfield probably the following year.  A daughter Elsie was born in 1889 and a son Robert came along in 1891.

Eli was engaged in commerce in West Brookfield, owning and operating a general store in the Wheeler-Conway Block, first with Frank Blodget and then by himself.  The business was sold to Charles O. M. Edson in 1914.

Eli served the town of West Brookfield as a selectman and school committeeman.  He also served in the Massachusetts Legislature in 1911.  He died in his home on School St. on February 24, 1936 after a long illness.  His obituary appeared on page four of the Springfield Daily Republican on February 25, 1936.

Sources: A History of West Brookfield :1674 - 1990 by Jeffrey H. Fiske
Obituary of Eli M. Converse; Springfield Daily Republican, Feb. 25, 1936; p.4
Vital records of Brookfield and West Brookfield, MA