William F. Converse
William F. Converse was born in Randolph, Orange county, Vermont, June 10, 1812. Attending the Orange County academy, he took the regular course of study. When sixteen years old he went to Rochester to live, where he served an apprenticeship to the gunsmith's trade. In 1836 he came to Hamilton county, and at first settled in Cincinnati. There he entered the employ of Abel Cox in the manufacture of guns, on Elm street. After remaining there three years he came to Harrison and opened an establishment for the manufacture of guns. After a short time, owing to ill health, he sold his interest to Henry Minor. He left his trade and followed school teaching for three years; he then engaged as bookkeeper and cashier for William Hasson of Harrison. In 1849 he invented the simultaneous screw cutting machine that came into general use in a short time. In 1861 invented the elastic wire bed bottom, an article generally used throughout the United States. In 1846 he was elected representative from Hamilton county on the Democratic ticket, and afterward reelected. In 1853 he was elected to the State senate, and two years later reelected. In 1863 he was elected on the Union ticket county commissioner. At one time he also held the office of trustee of Harrison township, and was elected the first mayor of Harrison, He is a member of the Christian church; in politics an independent, always voting for whom he may think the best man. He married Margaret J. Snyder of Hamilton county, Ohio, in 1847. They have eight children: Augusta and Francis, of Hamilton county; Oliver, married to Cora Ball and now in Stark county; William, married to Rebecca West and residing also in Stark county; Frederick, living in Harrison; Annie, living in Harrison county; and Edith and Bertha, both of Harrison. He served as president of the school board of Harrison for many years, was always interested in educational matters, and was the first to organize the present school system in Harrison, writing and putting up the first notice to call a meeting over thirty years ago. He was the prime mover, too, in the organization of a cemetery board, and has been president of the Glenhaven cemetery for the past twenty-five years.
From History of Hamilton county, Ohio, Henry & Kate Ford, L. A. Williams & Co., Publishers, 1881