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

governor of Arkansas The governor of Arkansas is the head of government of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Governor (United States), governor is the head of the Executive (government), executive branch of the Politics and government of Arkansas, Arkansas government a ...

from 1852 to 1860.

Early life

Conway was born in

Greeneville, Tennessee Greeneville is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census was 15,479. The town was named in honor of American Revolutionary War, Revol ...

. 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 repub ...

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

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') 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 border ...

. Conway attended Bonne Femme Academy in

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

. His older brother Henry died in 1827 as a result of a duel with a former friend, Robert Crittenden. In 1833, Conway moved to

Little Rock, Arkansas Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...

, 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 Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...

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 of Ambrose H. Sevier and Governor Henry M. Rector.

Death

After Conway retired from public life, he became somewhat of a recluse, and died in Little Rock. Conway is buried at the historic Mount Holly Cemetery in

References

External links