Elias Nelson Conway

Elias Nelson Conway (born May 17, 1812 in Greene County , Tennessee , † February 28, 1892 in Little Rock , Arkansas ) was an American politician and between 1852 and 1860 Governor of Arkansas.

Early years and political advancement

Elias Conway came from a well-known family of politicians in Arkansas. His older brother James Sevier Conway had been the first governor of the state of Arkansas between 1836 and 1840. Another brother named Henry was a member of the US Congress and was shot and killed by Robert Crittenden in a duel in 1827 . Elias Conway was also the cousin of US Senator Ambrose Hundley Sevier and later Governor Henry Rector , who succeeded him. Elias moved with his family from Tennessee to Missouri , where he attended the Bonne Femme Academy. In 1833 he moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. There he studied land surveying. Between 1835 and 1849, Elias Conway was the Arkansas Auditor. In 1844 he turned down a candidacy for governor of Arkansas. In 1852 he applied for this office as a candidate for the Democratic Party .

Arkansas Governor

After winning the election, Conway took office on November 15, 1852. After being re-elected in 1856, he was able to serve a total of eight years. During this time he managed to reduce the national debt and generate a surplus. He campaigned for improvements in the health system and promoted the railway expansion with state subsidies. The roads were expanded and conditions in the penal institutions improved. A Chancellery Court of Justice was also established in Arkansas and a government bureau for geological studies was established.

Further life

After the end of his tenure, Conway withdrew from politics and largely from the public. He lived almost like a hermit until he passed away in 1892. He was the last politically active member of his family. Elias Conway was buried in Little Rock.

literature

Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 1, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Conway, Elias Nelson
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Conway, Elias
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician, governor of Arkansas
DATE OF BIRTH	May 17, 1812
PLACE OF BIRTH	Greene County , Tennessee
DATE OF DEATH	February 28, 1892
Place of death	Little Rock , Arkansas