Elias Nelson Conway was an American statesman and politician. He served as the 5th Governor of Arkansas from 1852 to 1860.
Background
Elias Nelson Conway was born on May 17, 1812 in Greene County, Tennessee, United States, the youngest of seven sons of Thomas and Ann (Rector) Conway. The family traced its history back to the Conways resident upon the Conway River in north Wales during the thirteenth century. The first member of the family to come to Virginia was Thomas, who arrived about 1740. He had only one son, Henry, who was an officer in the Revolutionary War. To preserve his slaves and other property from capture and confiscation by the British, Henry put them in charge of his son Thomas and John Sevier, son of a companion in arms, and sent them into Tennessee. Here Thomas made his home and became a member of the Senate of the State of Franklin during its brief life. To him were born seven sons and three daughters. To his sons he gave all the educational advantages possible, not the least of which was association with Andrew Jackson. The three daughters married into the Sevier family. When Elias was only six years old his father moved with his family to St. Louis and later settled in Saline County, Mussouri.
Education
Conway attended Bonne Femme Academy in Boone County, Missouri.
Career
In 1833 Conway went to Arkansas, whither his older brothers Henry W. and James Sevier, had gone in 1820, and at once engaged in surveying the northwestern counties. In 1835 President Jackson appointed him auditor of the territory. When the territory became a state, with his brother James as governor, he was continued in this office, which he held for fourteen years.
A part of his duties as auditor was to administer the public lands of the state. The federal government was still issuing military-bounty land warrants and a good many of these were issued on lands located in Arkansas. Many of the beneficiaries never saw their grants and in course of time their lands were sold for taxes. In 1840 Conway laid before the legislature a well-prepared plan for giving these lands to actual settlers. His plan was adopted by the legislature. It attracted a good deal of attention outside the state and probably furnished a model for the bills which finally led to the Homestead Act of 1862.
In 1852 Conway was nominated for governor by the Democrats and was elected by a majority of 3, 028 over Bryan H. Smithson, Independent Democrat-Whig. He served two terms of four years each. The chief problem confronting him was to wind up the affairs of the Real Estate Bank and the State Bank, and save the credit and honor of the state. The bank had been chartered during the administration of his brother, James S. Conway. No doubt some of the men connected with the banks were honest, but contemporary investigations revealed a good deal of corruption and the historian Hallum reached the conclusion that the whole affair was a swindle from the beginning.
Both banks suspended specie payments soon after opening, but they controlled some of the most influential newspapers, kept friends in the legislature, and through mortgages brought pressure to bear on officials, including a member of the supreme court, so that it was impossible to bring them to book. Soon after his inauguration Governor Conway determined to wind up their affairs and kept at the job for eight years without fear or favor, though great efforts were made to block the way. At the close of his administration (1860) he was able to report that $1, 090, 000 out of $3, 199, 000 in state bonds issued to these banks had been retired. After his term expired he took no further part in public life.
Religion
Conway never joined any church.
Politics
Conway was a member of the Democratic Party.
