Martha Elizabeth 'Eliza' Warner Converse Chase (Allen)

Find A Grave Memorial ID # 19608466

Eliza Warner Allen, daughter of Augustus Chapman Allen and Charlotte Maria Baldwin, was b. in Houston, Harris County, ('FIRST CHILD BORN IN HOUSTON') Texas on July 18, 1838; married 1st on April 20, 1859 in Harris County, with Francis Bright CHASE of New Hampshire. He was born on August 23, 1830. He was Superintendent of the Central Railroad from its commencement until his death, which occurred on November 20, 1859; not long after his marriage. No children.

She marrieds 2nd, on September 21, 1862, with Major James CONVERSE, son of James Converse. He was born in Aurora, Ohio on September 28, 1828. He was for twenty-one years the Chief Engineer of the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad and General Superintendent of the same for several years until the road was sold to the Southern Pacific Company.

Children (by Converse) were: James (11/22/1863; died in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York), infant (11/26/1866; died in infancy) and Thomas Pierce (7/11/1876; named after Thomas Pierce of Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, formerly President of the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad).

Despite some records that show her name as Martha E. Allen; I believe that the M. on the marriage records etc simple refer to the prefix of 'Miss'. All other records use Eliza W. Allen.'

• 1859 Marriage Record: Miss Eliza Allen m Francis B. Chase in Harris County, Texas on April 20, 1859.
• 1870 Census: Eliza (31) and husband James Converse (40) live at home of her mother Charlotte (65) in Houston. James in a Civil Engineer. Charlotte b. New York; Eliza b. Texas, James b. Ohio.
• 1880 Census: Eliza (39) and James (50) with son Pierce (3) in Houston, Harris County, Texas. He's a railroad superintendent.
• Houston Post obit
• Galveston News obit.