A Legacy
Charles A. Converse is not a household name war hero. Many people, including Valdosta residents, have never heard about him. And yet, the personal documents revealed in this collection show that he was a household name for those that briefly knew him. From Tampa to Capetown, to London, and to Valdosta. He touched the lives of many throughout the world. He not only fostered deep connections with these individuals, but he was pivotal in the lives of so many Americans, who he assisted in evacuating the U.K at the height of World War II.
Letter From Joseph Kennedy
- Kennedy Letter
While Mrs. Converse received several letters and short telegrams sympathizing with her loss, she also received a letter from a Mr. Joseph Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy worked closely with Mr. Converse at the Embassy and he was the Ambassador. Mr. Kennedy’s letter, while having a restrained feeling, both encapsulates Converse’s innocuous life as well as his impacts in a subtle way.
From the Charles A. Converse Papers, 1939-1940. Valdosta Special Collections. http://hdl.handle.net/10428/3032
Letter to Dottie and Kiddies
- Letter to Dottie and Kiddies
Telegraphs and notices provide information on the sheer amount of people Converse knew and cared for, but they do not reveal the degree of kinship he had with them. However, in a letter written to his wife and children, Mr. Converse recounted his transfer from the London office to the Manchester office, and the reactions of his coworkers of his transfer. Moments such as these provide us with insight on just how much Converse was cared about, even by work colleagues.
From Charles A. Converse Papers, 1939-1940. Valdosta Special Collections. http://hdl.handle.net/10428/3019
