William Bernard Conway (1802–1839) was an American politician and newspaperman who was the first secretary and first acting governor of

Iowa Territory The Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Iowa. The remaind ...

Early life and newspaper career

Conway was born in

New Castle County, Delaware New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex). As of the 2020 census, the population was 570,719, making it the most populous county in Delaware, with nearly 60% of the ...

. In

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, Pennsylvania in 1830, he started publishing ''

The American Manufacturer ''The American Manufacturer'' was a newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, on a mostly weekly basis from 1830 until 1842. The paper supported Jacksonian Democratic politics and was known for its radical and provocative co ...

'', a newspaper supportive of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. In 1833, he was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar and opened a law practice, which he relocated from Pittsburgh to Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 1835. While in Johnstown he founded a newspaper called the ''Mountaineer'' in early 1836; later in the same year he moved its publication to

Ebensburg Ebensburg is a borough and the county seat of Cambria County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is located west of Altoona and surrounded by Cambria Township. It is situated in the Allegheny Mountains at about above sea level. Ebensburg is ...

, Pennsylvania.

Iowa territorial secretary

In 1838, he was appointed Secretary of the newly established

by President

Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren ( ; nl, Maarten van Buren; ; December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the eighth president of the United States from 1837 to 1841. A primary founder of the Democratic Party (Uni ...

. Conway had never before held a political office; his appointment was said to have been in reward for his journalistic support of Van Buren and his predecessor

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

. Secretary Conway served briefly as acting governor of the territory until the arrival of the official governor Robert Lucas. Lucas saw Conway's assumption of this role as illegitimate, and upon arrival reversed Conway's gubernatorial actions except for the judicial districting of the territory. Conway as secretary is credited with designing the Iowa territorial seal, which served as the model for the seal of the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...

. Conway died in

Burlington Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, no ...

, Iowa Territory while in office in 1839. His remains were brought to Davenport for interment.

Literary activity

Conway was the writer of a poem, "Bribed Legislator", and a novel, ''The Cottage on the Cliff: A Tale of the Revolution''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Conway, William B. Editors of Pennsylvania newspapers Governors of Iowa Territory Pennsylvania Jacksonians 19th-century American politicians People from New Castle County, Delaware Politicians from Pittsburgh Writers from Delaware Writers from Iowa Writers from Pittsburgh 1802 births 1839 deaths 19th-century American newspaper editors American male journalists 19th-century American newspaper founders Journalists from South Dakota Journalists from North Dakota Journalists from Pennsylvania Lawyers from Pittsburgh