WILLIAM O. CONVERSE, is a fine representative of the large stock-raising interests of this county and is one of its most prominent and influential citizens, both in public life and in business circles. He is a member of the firm of Converse Bros., stock-raisers and dealers, with stables at the head of Ninth Street at Springfield and a large stock farm adjoining the city.

Mr. Converse was born in Painesville, Ohio, June 30, 1840, and is a son of Henry and Niana J. Converse, for whose biography see sketch of Dr. A. L. Converse. When he was a boy of six years he came with his parents in the month of June 1846 from his native State to Illinois and the remainder of his boyhood was passed in Springfield. He received his education in the country and city schools and in the old Lutheran College. He thus came with a well-trained mind to the work to which he has since mainly devoted himself. After leaving college he engaged in farming and stock-dealing for himself when scarcely twenty years old and while he was still living with his father. He gradually increased his business till he has attained to his present position as one of the leading stock growers of the county. About ten years ago he formed a partnership with his brother and they have been extensively interested in horses, making the Percheron a specialty, and dealing in cattle, mules, jacks and jennets, having one of the largest if not the largest herd of jacks and jennets in the State. They have a farm of two thousand acres of choice, well-improved land, which is finely adapted to their purposes, and they employ a large force of men to carry on their business.

Mr. Converse took as his wife Miss Ellen C. Little, October 20, 1870. Mrs. Converse is a daughter of Thomas Little, who was an old pioneer of the county, and is represented in the Old Settlers' Book. She was born in this county December 14, 1847. To her and our subject have come four daughters, all of whom are living, as follows: Niana L., Elsie, Nellie and Ruth Edna.

It is to such men as Mr. Converse, a man of clear brain, large heart and warm, generous nature to whose public progressive spirit this city and county are so greatly indebted for their present high standing and wealth. Although our subject's time is so largely taken up by the demands of his business, he has always shown a great interest in all enterprises that would in any way enhance the welfare of this section of the country, and he has ever been a conspicuous figure in its public life. He has been School Director seventeen years and for four consecutive terms has represented Springfield Township on the County Board of Supervisors and is president of the Board of Trustees of North Springfield. It is due to his energy and devotion that the Sangamon County Fair was originally organized on the site of the old County Poor Farm, he having raised the sum of $5,000 for fair purposes in two days. Under that organization he held the offices of Secretary and Treasurer six years. He was appointed Treasurer for two years when the new association was formed and is still holding the office. Besides working hard for the success of the fair, he has been influential in the organization of the Citizens' Street Railway, and eleven miles of the railway were built while he was a member of the company as one of its first directors. In politics Mr. Converse is a Democrat, and religiously is of the Baptist faith and a member of the church.

Our subject bears worthily the mantle of his father, who died in the month of January, 1888. He was just such another liberal, public-spirited citizen, and his hand was felt in various enterprises for the advancement of Springfield. He donated a part of the land and was active in securing the establishment of the watch factory in this part of the town, owned the land upon which the second shaft was sunk in this part of the county and the first in this vicinity for coal, before it was known that there was a strata of it underlying this portion of the country. He was also very influential in having the rolling mills built in this part of the city, and as a director of the Jacksonville Southeastern Railroad worked earnestly to have it located where it is.