Converse, Clarence Crozar

Charles Crozar Converse (1832–1918) was the son of the Charles Crozar Converse Sr., American attorney, composer, and hymn writer best known for pairing William H. Monk’s hymn tune Consolation with the words of Joseph Scriven’s “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” creating one of the most beloved gospel hymns of the 19th century. Trained as a lawyer at Albany Law School, Converse balanced his legal career with a lifelong passion for music. He composed under both his own name and the pseudonym Karl Reden, contributing a wide range of sacred and secular works, from hymn tunes to part songs. His ability to bridge classical European styles with accessible melodies made his music especially popular in churches across America. Though never as widely recognized as other hymn composers of his time, Converse’s contribution to Christian music remains enduring, with “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” continuing to be sung around the world.

Converse lived on Hudson Avenue in Englewood. Converse’s wife Inez died in Englewood in 1964 on Ivy Lane at the age of 94.