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.

James Sevier Conway
2nd and 8th Postmaster of Walnut Hill, Arkansas
In office July 3, 1845 – August 9, 1846
Nominated by	James K. Polk
Preceded by	Fleetwood Herndon
Succeeded by	Francis E. Goodwin
In office November 15, 1854 – December 19, 1854
Nominated by	Franklin Pierce
Preceded by	A. C. J. Phillips
Succeeded by	Ann I. Sevier
6th Postmaster of Conway, Arkansas
In office February 18, 1843 – July 2, 1845
Nominated by	John Tyler
Preceded by	Gideon Ruyle
Succeeded by	Office abolished
1st Governor of Arkansas
In office September 13, 1836 – November 4, 1840
Preceded by	William S. Fulton (as Governor of Arkansas Territory)
Succeeded by	Archibald Yell
1st Postmaster of Conway, Arkansas Territory
In office May 24, 1828 – November 7, 1832
Nominated by	John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Thomas Quigg
Delegate to 1836 Arkansas Constitutional Convention
In office January 4, 1836 – January 30, 1836
Constituency	Hot Spring County
Personal details
Born	(1796-12-04)December 4, 1796 Greene County, Tennessee, US
Died	March 3, 1855(1855-03-03) (aged 58) Lafayette County, Arkansas, US
Resting place	Conway Cemetery State Park 33°06′06.8″N 93°40′59.0″W / 33.101889°N 93.683056°W / 33.101889; -93.683056
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Mary Jane Bradley ​ (m. 1826)​
Children	10
Relatives	Conway-Johnson family

Early life

James Sevier Conway was born on December 4, 1796, in Greene County, Tennessee, to Thomas and Ann (née Rector) Conway. Conway's father was born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, in 1771. His paternal ancestors originated in Conwy, Wales. Among Conway’s siblings were politicians Elias N Conway, William B Conway and Henry W Conway. One of his cousins was Henry M Rector, the sixth governor of Arkansas. Thomas employed private tutors to teach his seven sons and three daughters. In 1818, the family moved to St. Louis, where Conway learned the art of land surveying from his uncle William Rector, surveyor-general in Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas. In 1820, Conway resigned a Cole County, Missouri, circuit clerk's position to serve as deputy-surveyor in the newly established Arkansas Territory, where he purchased a tract of land in Hempstead (present-day Lafayette) County. While living there, Conway met Mary Jane Bradley, who had migrated with her family from Wilson County, Tennessee. They were married December 21, 1825, and had ten children, five of whom died in infancy or early childhood.

Political career

In 1832, Conway became the surveyor-general in Arkansas Territory and served in that position until 1836. He was the elected to the new office of governor when Arkansas became a state in 1836. His administration focused on developing schools and roads. He ordered the militia to patrol the western frontier and worked to have the federal arsenal built at Little Rock. He worked to get funding for a state penitentiary. He pressed the General Assembly for establishment of a state library and university but was unsuccessful. Conway left office in 1840 and returned to Lafayette County where he served three nonconsecutive terms as postmaster.

Death and legacy

Conway died from the complications of pneumonia on March 3, 1855. His remains were interred in the Conway Cemetery (present-day Conway Cemetery State Park), near Bradley, Arkansas. He helped establish Lafayette Academy in Lafayette County, Arkansas. Present-day Conway, Arkansas, is named after him.

See also

• Conway-Johnson family

Further reading

• Reynolds, John Hugh, ed. (1911). Publications of the Arkansas Historical Association. Vol. 3. Fayetteville, Arkansas: Arkansas Historical Association. p. 320. LCCN 07003169. OCLC 1051756648. OL 25490512M – via Internet Archive.