Representative Samuel Ambrose Converse View All Years

SAMUEL A. CONVERSE

Senator Slosson, from a special committee, submitted the following report and moved its adoption:

MR. PRESIDENT—Your committee which was appointed to report resolutions commemorating the life, character and services of Samuel A. Converse, beg leave to submit the following report and move its adoption:

Samuel A. Converse, second son of Willard and Hannah White Converse, was born in Marlborough, New Hampshire, January 3, 1843. When five years of age he moved with the family to Rock Prairie, Wis., and at thirteen to Sumner township, Winneshiek county, Iowa, where his father took up government land and the family experienced the varied adventures of pioneer life. In his youth he taught school in the district where the family lived.

In 1867 Mr. Converse was united in marriage with Ellen Munson, who survives him. To this union nine children were born, two of them dying in infancy. Those living are: Abbie Jane, who remains at home, Judge Willard L. of South St. Paul, Myron of Minneapolis, Charles C. of Williston, N. D., Mrs. C. E. Blackorby of Hansboro, N. D., Arthur·B. of Cresco and Mrs. C. R. Coon of Monticello, Iowa. There are fourteen grandchildren and one great grandchild. Also two sisters survive him, Mrs. Lucretia Batchelor of Worcester, Mass., and Mrs. Cynthia Blackburn of Cresco.

In 1880 Mr. Converse moved from his father’s homestead in Winneshiek county, building a home two miles farther west in New Oregon township, Howard county. Nine years later he bought and moved to the farm one mile south of Cresco which was the family home for about twelve years, when he built the present home in Cresco, where after a brief illness of three days he passed away May 29, 1919, aged 76 years and nearly five months.

Mr. Converse was a close student of public affairs and in an early day took a deep interest in the welfare of the agriculturist. In the early 70’s when the farmers were struggling under the excessive burdens imposed by the railroads and other large corporations he was instrumental in organizing the Patrons of Husbandry, popularly known as the Grange, an organization which was largely responsible for the reform legislation of that period designed to curb the power of the railroads and consign them to their proper place as servants of the people. One of the notable accomplishments of the Grange was the fight waged against the barbwire trust which brought suit against farmers all over the state of Iowa for alleged infringement of patents, the damages claimed amounting to thousands of dollars. The Grange employed Albert B. Cummins, then a young lawyer of Des Moines, who won a complete victory in the courts for the farmers.

In 1883 Mr. Converse was elected to the House of the General Assembly of Iowa to represent Howard county after a campaign marked by intense bitterness, the issue being prohibition and Mr. Converse was an ardent advocate of this reform. In the following session of the legislature he was one of the leaders in the enactment of the prohibitory law. He was re-elected in 1885 and during the following session served as chairman of the important committee of ways and means. In 1887 he was elected to the state Senate to represent the Howard-Winneshiek district. During his term in the Senate the railroad question was forced to the front by Governor Larrabee and Mr. Converse was the governor’s champion for reform legislation.

In about the year 1891 he helped organize the Alliance Mercantile association of Cresco and has been on the board of directors continuously ever since, a large part of the time being president of the board.

In 1893 the First National Bank was established. He was elected its first president and served continuously in that position till his death.

He was a charter member of the Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Association of Cresco and served on the board of directors. He also was a director of the Iowa Mutual Tornado Insurance Association of Des Moines.

Immediately following the wheat failures in the late 70’s Mr. Converse perceived the necessity for a change of farming methods and he began to work into the live stock industry. In 1883 he shipped from New York state a couple of red polled calves and this was the foundation of his great herd which became the largest in America of that breed. In 1887 he made a trip to England to make purchase of red polled stock which he brought to his Howard county farm. He made one other trip across the water and made three importations in all. His show herd was exhibited at the various state fairs in the middle west and several times at the fat stock show in Chicago, always winning prizes. He served as treasurer of the Red Polled Cattle Club of America.

In addition to the various private activities in which he was engaged he was repeatedly called upon for public service. As chairman of the liberty loan committee for Howard county he directed the campaign for the five loans.

In an early day he acted as justice of the peace and the community being almost entirely Bohemian, he mastered that language in order to better serve those who had business with his office. He came finally to be·regarded as a peacemaker in the neighborhood and many and varied were the troubles presented to him for adjudication.

During the past 50 years there was scarcely a time when he did not have one or more estates to administer and these matters were always handled with the same care and fidelity which he gave to his own affairs. At the recent term of the district court the last estate with which he was connected was settled up and a final report made.

His keen foresight, sound judgment and strict integrity made him a wise and safe counselor and his advice was sought frequently by friends and business associates. He was always ready to render assistance to the needy and to comfort those in distress, thus exemplifying the principles of the Odd Fellows’ lodge of whch he was a faithful member. His infinite patience, kindly manner and even temper endeared him to his family and friends.

He always looked forward because he had faith in the future; and this kept him in touch with the new issues continually arising and explains the quite remarkable fact that while he was considerably past the age of three score and ten he still had a clear grasp of present-day problems and was an active participant in public affairs up to the last. He occupied a large place in the community life; one that will be hard to fill.

Samuel A. Converse was a man whose great interest was in his family and in the community of which he was a part; a man whose great desire was that his efforts should result in the improvement of the conditions in both his local community and in the state; he was not interested in making a name that should be heralded from the house-tops; but did his work in an unostentatious manner and without playing to the galleries.

Be It Resolved, By the Senate of the Thirty-ninth General Assembly of Iowa, that in the death of Samuel A. Converse his family has lost a kind and loving husband; the community in which he lived has lost a kind neighbor and good citizen; and the state has lost one of its valuable men.

Be It Also Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread in the journal of the Senate, and an engrossed copy of the same be sent to the members of the family.

Respectfully submitted,

CARL W. REED,

B. W. NEWBERRY,

JOHN R. PRICE.

The resolution was adopted unanimously by a rising vote.