Elias Nelson Conway (May 17, 1812 – February 28, 1892) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the fifth

governor of Arkansas A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...

from 1852 to 1860.

Early life

Conway was born in

Greeneville, Tennessee Greeneville is a town in and the county seat of Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population as of the 2020 census was 15,479. The town was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, and it is the second oldest town i ...

. Born into a political family, Elias Nelson Conway was the younger brother of

Henry Wharton Conway Henry Wharton Conway (March 18, 1793 – November 9, 1827) was a United States naval officer during the War of 1812 and a politician in Arkansas Territory, who was elected as a territorial delegate (1823–1827) to the United States House of Rep ...

, who served as territorial delegate to several Congresses, and

James Sevier Conway James Sevier Conway (December 9, 1796 – March 3, 1855) was an American politician who served as the first governor of Arkansas from 1836 to 1840. Early life James Sevier Conway was born on December 4, 1796, in Greene County, Tennessee, to T ...

, who became the first governor of Arkansas when it was admitted as a state in 1836. Another brother,

William Conway William, Bill, or Billy Conway may refer to: * William Conway (Arkansas judge) (1805–1852), Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court * William Conway (cardinal) (1913–1977), Irish cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church * William Conway (Irish rep ...

, served on the Arkansas Supreme Court. When he was a boy, his family moved from Tennessee to

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

. Conway attended Bonne Femme Academy in

Boone County, Missouri Boone County is located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Centrally located in Mid-Missouri, its county seat is Columbia, Missouri's fourth-largest city and location of the University of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 183,61 ...

. His older brother Henry died in 1827 as a result of a duel with a former friend,

Robert Crittenden Robert Crittenden (January 1, 1797 – December 18, 1834) was an American lawyer who served as the first secretary of the Arkansas Territory from 1819 to 1829. He also served as the acting governor of Arkansas Territory from July to December 18 ...

. In 1833, Conway moved to

Little Rock, Arkansas (The Little Rock, The "Little Rock") , government_type = council-manager government, Council-manager , leader_title = List of mayors of Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_ ...

, where his older brothers had settled. He studied surveying. In 1835, he was appointed as the state auditor, and served until 1849. Natural steps arkansas d d owen

Political career

In 1844, Elias Conway was offered, and declined, the Democratic nomination for governor. When offered the nomination again in 1852, he accepted. With a successful campaign, he was elected as Governor of Arkansas. He was reelected to a second term in 1856. His administration focused on physical improvements to the state: roads and other infrastructure to encourage development. He formed the Chancery Courts and eased the state's financial problems. When Conway left office in 1860, the state treasury held a surplus. Conway formed the Geological Survey of Arkansas, commissioning Principal Geologist

David Dale Owen David Dale Owen (24 June 1807 – 13 November 1860) was a prominent American geologist who conducted the first geological surveys of Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. Owen served as the first state geologist for three sta ...

, to survey the territory west of

Little Rock ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

and provide a report on the area. The ' Natural Steps' were first written about and drawn by Owen, in his ''Second Report of a Geological Reconnaissance of the Middle and Southern Counties of Arkansas (1859).''

Personal life

Conway was first cousin to Senator

Ambrose Hundley Sevier Ambrose Hundley Sevier (November 4, 1801 – December 31, 1848) was an attorney, politician and planter from Arkansas. A member of the political Family that dominated the state and national delegations in the antebellum years, he was elect ...

and Governor

Henry M. Rector Henry Massie Rector (May 1, 1816August 12, 1899) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the sixth governor of Arkansas from 1860 to 1862. Early life and education Henry Massie Rector was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of ...

Death

After Conway retired from public life, he became somewhat of a recluse he died at little rock. Conway is buried at the historic

Mount Holly Cemetery Mount Holly Cemetery is a historic cemetery located in the Quapaw Quarter area of downtown Little Rock in the U.S. state of Arkansas, and is the burial place for numerous Arkansans of note. It was listed on the National Register of Historic ...

References

External links