John Adams Vinton, The Richardson Memorial (Portland, 1876)

Read in the archive.org full text (October 2026) for Eleanor (Richardson) Converse. Compiled.

• The children of Nathaniel and Abigail Richardson of Woburn and Leicester (p. 516) (Nathaniel “died, intestate, not far from the close of 1728 … The widow Abigail died 1759”) include, “Place of birth uncertain: Eleanor, b. about 1714; m. Josiah Convers.”
• Eleanor (p. 537): “born in Woburn, about 1714; married, 1732, in Leicester, Josiah Convers, son of John Convers, of Woburn. She was his second wife. Josiah Convers was, about 1733, a leading man in Leicester, being in March of that year chosen moderator, first selectman, town clerk, town treasurer, and first assessor. In May he was chosen representative to the General Court or Province Legislature. In the unhappy controversy of the town with their first minister, the Rev. David Parsons, he warmly espoused the side of Mr. Parsons. [Washburn’s Hist. of Leicester.]” Children: “Mary (Convers), b. July 17, 1733. Eleanor (Convers), b. March 21, 1734-5.”

Its “son of John Convers” and “second wife” probably come from confusing Josiah with his father, Capt. Josiah Converse, who moved to Leicester about 1727 with his wife Hannah (Sawyer) and had a daughter Sarah there in 1729; see Josiah Converse (1710).