Julius Converse

Julius Converse
Julius Converse
34th Governor of Vermont
	In office; October 3, 1872 – October 8, 1874
Lieutenant	Russell S. Taft
Preceded by	John W. Stewart
Succeeded by	Asahel Peck
17th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
	In office; 1850–1852
Governor	Charles K. Williams
Preceded by	Robert Pierpoint
Succeeded by	William C. Kittredge
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
	In office; 1833; 1847–1849; 1867-1868
Member of the Vermont Senate
	In office; 1836–1840
Personal details
Born	December 27, 1798; Stafford, Connecticut, US
Died	August 16, 1885 (aged 86); Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, US
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Melissa Arnold, Jane Elvira Martin
Profession	lawyer / politician

Julius Converse (December 27, 1798 – August 16, 1885) was the 34th governor of Vermont, from 1872 to 1874 and the 17th lieutenant governor of Vermont from 1850 to 1852.

Early life and start of political career

Julius Converse was born in Stafford, Connecticut, on December 27, 1798.^[1]^[2] He was raised in Vermont, educated at Vermont's Randolph Academy, studied law, and became an attorney in Bethel in 1826. A Whig, Converse served in the Vermont House of Representatives in 1833 and the Vermont State Senate from 1836 to 1840.^[3]^[4]

After his state senate term ended, Converse moved to Woodstock, where he resumed practicing law and served as Windsor County State's Attorney from 1844 to 1847. He returned to the Vermont house in 1847, serving until 1849. From 1850 to 1851 Converse was Vermont's lieutenant governor. He became a Republican when the party was founded in the 1850s, and served in the Vermont House for the third time from 1867 to 1868. In 1869 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the nomination for governor, losing to Peter T. Washburn.^[5]^[6]^[7]

Election as governor

In 1872 Converse was selected as the Republican nominee for governor even though he was over 70 years old, was not an active candidate, and had not campaigned for the position.^[8] His nomination was regarded by observers as a way to block the candidacy of railroad magnate Frederick H. Billings, who had only recently returned to Vermont from California, and the renomination of incumbent John W. Stewart, which would break the Republican party's Mountain Rule. Converse won the general election and served as governor from 1872 to 1874, afterwards living in retirement.^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]

Family

In 1825 Julius Converse was married to Melissa Arnold (born June 1, 1799) of Randolph. The couple had no children, and Mrs. Converse died on December 12, 1872. In 1873 Converse married 31-year-old Jane Martin (born North Stratford, New Hampshire, March 24, 1842 - died Lowell, Massachusetts, June 22, 1916).^[13] They were the parents of a daughter, Luna Belle Converse (June 13, 1874 – May 14, 1961).^[14]

Death and burial

Converse died on August 16, 1885, aged 86, while vacationing in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.^[15]^[16] He was buried in Woodstock's River Street Cemetery.

References

^ History of Woodstock, Vermont
^ Deming's Statistical View of the Legislature of Vermont, 1850
^ Charles Allen Converse, Some of the Ancestors and Descendants of Samuel Converse, Jr., 1905, pages 206 to 208
^ John Howard Brown, Lamb's Biographical Dictionary of the United States, Volume 2, 1900, page 156
^ Jacob G. Ullery, Men of Vermont Illustrated, 1894, page 100
^ Baltimore Sun, The Whig State Convention, July 18, 1850
^ Henry Swan Dana, History of Woodstock, Vermont, 1889, pages 481 to 482
^ New York Times, Vermont; The Green Mountain Boys True to Freedom, September 24, 1872
^ Robin W. Winks, Frederick Billings: A Life, 1998, pages 268 to 270
^ Samuel B. Hand, The Star That Set: The Vermont Republican Party, 1854–1974, 2003, pages 39 to 41
^ Prentiss Cutler Dodge, Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography, 1912, page 43
^ New York Times, Political Notes: Hon. Julius Converse Refuses to be a Candidate for Governor of Vermont, April 29, 1872
^ Death notice, Mrs. Julius Converse, Lowell Sun, June 22, 1916
^ Vermont Death Records, entry for Luna Belle Converse, accessed November 9, 2012.
^ George Derby, James Terry White, The National Cyclopedia of American Biography, Volume 8, 1898, p. 326
^ New York Times, Death Notice, Ex-Gov. Converse, August 19, 1885

Party political offices
Preceded by Robert Pierpoint	Whig nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont 1850, 1851	Succeeded by William C. Kittredge
Preceded by John Wolcott Stewart	Republican nominee for Governor of Vermont 1872	Succeeded by Asahel Peck
Political offices
Preceded by Robert Pierpoint	Lieutenant Governor of Vermont 1850–1852	Succeeded by William C. Kittredge
Preceded by John W. Stewart	Governor of Vermont 1872–1874	Succeeded by Asahel Peck

[1] History of Woodstock, Vermont

[2] Deming's Statistical View of the Legislature of Vermont, 1850

[3] Charles Allen Converse, Some of the Ancestors and Descendants of Samuel Converse, Jr., 1905, pages 206 to 208

[4] John Howard Brown, Lamb's Biographical Dictionary of the United States, Volume 2, 1900, page 156

[5] Jacob G. Ullery, Men of Vermont Illustrated, 1894, page 100

[6] Baltimore Sun, The Whig State Convention, July 18, 1850

[7] Henry Swan Dana, History of Woodstock, Vermont, 1889, pages 481 to 482

[8] New York Times, Vermont; The Green Mountain Boys True to Freedom, September 24, 1872

[9] Robin W. Winks, Frederick Billings: A Life, 1998, pages 268 to 270

[10] Samuel B. Hand, The Star That Set: The Vermont Republican Party, 1854–1974, 2003, pages 39 to 41

[11] Prentiss Cutler Dodge, Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography, 1912, page 43

[12] New York Times, Political Notes: Hon. Julius Converse Refuses to be a Candidate for Governor of Vermont, April 29, 1872

[13] Death notice, Mrs. Julius Converse, Lowell Sun, June 22, 1916

[14] Vermont Death Records, entry for Luna Belle Converse, accessed November 9, 2012.

[15] George Derby, James Terry White, The National Cyclopedia of American Biography, Volume 8, 1898, p. 326

[16] New York Times, Death Notice, Ex-Gov. Converse, August 19, 1885

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v t e Governors of Vermont
Vermont Republic (1777–1791)	Chittenden Robinson Chittenden
State of Vermont (since 1791)	Chittenden Brigham Tichenor I. Smith Tichenor Galusha M. Chittenden Galusha Skinner Van Ness Butler Crafts Palmer Jennison Paine Mattocks Slade Eaton Coolidge Williams E. Fairbanks Robinson Royce Fletcher Hall E. Fairbanks Holbrook G. Smith P. Dillingham Page Washburn Hendee Stewart Converse Peck H. Fairbanks R. Proctor Sr. Farnham Barstow Pingree Ormsbee W.P. Dillingham Page Fuller Woodbury Grout E. Smith Stickney McCullough Bell F. Proctor Prouty Mead Fletcher Gates Graham Clement Hartness R. Proctor Jr. Billings Weeks Wilson C. Smith Aiken Wills M. Proctor Gibson Arthur Emerson Johnson Stafford Keyser Hoff Davis Salmon Snelling Kunin Snelling Dean Douglas Shumlin Scott
Italics indicate acting governor

v t e Lieutenant governors of Vermont
Vermont Republic (1777–1791)	Marsh Carpenter Payne Spooner Marsh Olcott
State of Vermont (since 1791)	Hunt Brigham Chamberlain Brigham Cahoon Leland Olin Richards Egerton Jennison Camp Ranney Eaton Sargeant Pierpoint Converse Kittredge Kidder Fletcher Slade Martin Underwood Dillingham Gardner Thomas Hendee Dale Taft Hinckley R. Proctor Colton Barstow Pingree Ormsbee Fuller Woodbury Fletcher Stranahan Mansur Fisk Bates Allen Stanton Stearns Prouty Mead Slack Howe Darling Hulburd Stone A. Foote Billings Farnsworth Jackson Wilson Williams C. Smith Aiken Wills M. Proctor Emerson Arthur Johnson Bailey Stafford Babcock R. Foote Daley Hayes Burgess Burns Buckley Kunin P. Smith Dean Snelling Racine Dubie Scott Zuckerman Gray Zuckerman Rodgers (elect)
Italics indicate acting governor

Authority control databases
International	VIAF WorldCat
National	United States