Converse, Arthur B. 1884-1935

CONVERSE, BRIGHTBILL, FROELICH, PEIK, CHAFEE, SWENSON, REED, BURNHAM, LEE, SOMMARS, COON

Posted By: Jill McCarville (email)
Date: 6/7/2013 at 17:11:43

Arthur Converse A Victim Of Stroke Of Apoplexy July 25

Identified With Cresco Interests For Number of Years

Passed Away At His Home at Carrington While Sitting in Easy Chair- Was Engaged in Gas and Oil Business- Sons to Continue Business

The death of Arthur B. Converse, former Cresco resident, at his home in Carrington, N.D., was reported in the Times last week. More complete details of his death and a sketch of his life are contained in the following article reprinted from the Carrington Independent.

"A.B. Converse, 50, manager and part-owner of the Quality Oil Company, died suddenly from a stroke at his Carrington home late Friday evening."

Mr. Converse had always enjoyed the best of health and his death came without warning. On Friday evening he watched the kittenball game at the court house diamond and then worked at his oil station until 10:30 when he returned home. He was sitting in a chair with a newspaper, apparently asleep, when his wife and daughter went upstairs. Mrs. Converse returned downstairs a half hour later to find him lying back in his chair.

A doctor who was called immediately said that death had occurred about five minutes before his arrival, and was caused by an apoplectic stroke.

Former Bank President

Mr. Converse was the former president of the First National Bank at Cresco, Iowa, and at one time was an implement dealer at Starkweather, N.D.

He has been a Carrington businessman since 1930, and was a member of the Kiwanis club, Men's
Literary club and the Odd Fellow's Lodge. "Art" Converse was one of Carrington's best citizens, interested and active in community affairs, and was the friend of everyone who knew him.

Funeral services were held at 1:30 Monday afternoon at the Congregational church in Carrington conducted by Rev. Frederick Errington. Music was furnished by a male quartet, Ralph Froelich, F.B. Peik, H. P. Chafee and Ferdinand Peik, Jr.

Burial at Cando

Pallbearers were H.W. Swenson of Devils Lake, Ted Reed of Starkweather, C.W. Burnham, Dr. F. B. Peik, Andrew Lee and F.A. Sommars. A procession of eight cars with about 25 Carrington friends accompanied the hearse to Cando where burial was made late Monday afternoon. Several other cars joined the funeral procession at Devil's Lake and Starkweather. Odd Fellows services were held at the grave.

Surviving Mr. Converse are his wife, the former Amy Brightbill of Cando, and three sons and one daughter, Selden, a 1935 graduate of the state university at Grand Forks; Ralph, a student at Jamestown college; Duane, a 1935 graduate of Carrington high school; and Mary, 12 years old.

The Converse sons have taken over the management of their father's business.

Born in Iowa

Arthur Blaine Converse was born at Cresco, Iowa, on November 24, 1884, the son of Mr. and Mrs. S.A. Converse. He graduated from the Cresco high school and later attended business college in Minneapolis. When he returned to Iowa, he was emplloyed in different capacities in the First National bank at Cresco where his father was bank president. For a time he was connected with a bank at Hansboro, in Towner county, North Dakota. It was while he was located there that his marriage to Miss Amy Brightbill of Cando, teacher at Hansboro, took place. When his father died he returned to Cresco and succeeded him as president of the First National bank there. He held the office of chief of the Cresco fire department for a number of years. Their family of four children were all born at Cresco.

Here Since 1930

In 1924 the family moved to Devil's Lake where they lived for about five years while Mr. Converse was manager for a number of farms at Hansboro. Later they were located at Starkweather for two years where Mr. Converse owned and managed a farm implement business. In 1930, Mr. Converse and H.W. Swenson of Devil's Lake incorporated the Quality Oil Co. of Carrington, and Mr. Converse came to Carrington as manager of the business.

His two brothers, Charles C. Converse of New Salem, N.D., and Myron B. Converse of Minneapolis, were in Carrington Monday for the funeral rites. Two sisters, Miss Abbie J. Converse of Cresco, Iowa, and Mrs. Clarence Coon of Cherokee, Iowa were unable to attend.

The Howard County Times August 7, 1935 Page 1
Transcribed by Jill McCarville from the files of Janice Sowers