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Conway-Johnson family

February 15, 2024

Conway-Johnson family (also called “The Family” or “The Dynasty”) was a prominent American political family from Arkansas of British origin. It was founded by Henry Wharton Conway of Greene County, Tennessee, who had come to the state of Arkansas in 1820 with his younger brother James and his cousins Elias and Wharton Rector, all of whom were deputy-surveyors under the patronage of their uncle, William Rector, Surveyor General of Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas.

Conway-Johnson
American political family from Arkansas
Founded1820s
FounderHenry Wharton Conway (1796–1855)

History edit

Further information: Conway (surname) and Johnson (surname)

The Conway-Johnson family developed following a fatal duel between former friends Robert Crittenden and Henry Wharton Conway on October 27, 1827, near Napoleon, Arkansas. Conway had served as territorial delegate for Arkansas, with Crittenden acting behind the scenes on his behalf. After the resignation of Territorial Governor Miller in 1824, Conway nominated Crittenden to fill the position. President James Monroe appointed George Izard instead. Crittenden continued as secretary of state. He and Conway disagreed over the latter's decision not to seek re-election in 1825.[1]

Conway defeated Robert Oden, who was backed by Crittenden. After a period of public conflict through the newspapers, Crittenden challenged Conway to a duel. Conway fired first and hit a button on Crittenden's coat; Crittenden shot and hit Conway, who died of his wounds weeks later. By firing at Conway after having been hit, Crittenden broke the dueling etiquette. His political career suffered. Conway's brother James formed a political alliance with Ambrose H. Sevier and supported his appointment to fill the deceased Conway's territorial seat.[1] The duel caused realignments and a split in Arkansas politics. Crittenden supporters later became the Whig Party. The Conways and Seviers led the Democrats in opposition to Crittenden.[2]

Member families edit

The alliance between the immediate Conway and Sevier families later broadened to include Conway's cousins Elias and Wharton Rector. Additional political families were linked by marriage. Henry Conway had married the daughter of Benjamin Johnson, a superior court judge in Arkansas Territory. Sevier had married a sister of Robert Ward Johnson, a member of a powerful Kentucky political family. Johnson served as a Congressman and US Senator from Arkansas in the antebellum years and was part of The Family. The group was a staunch supporter of Andrew Jackson and Jacksonian policies.[3]

Members edit

Sevier and Conway came from prominent political families. This list shows the first generation of politicians - of their father's generation, followed by their own generation, and then their descendants:

  • John Sevier (1745–1815), Governor of the State of Franklin 1785–1789, U.S. Representative from North Carolina 1790–1791, Governor of Tennessee 1796-1801 1803-1809, U.S. Representative from Tennessee 1811–1815. Granduncle of Ambrose Hundley Sevier.[4]
  • Henry Conway (1749–1812), Treasurer of the State of Franklin (1787) and close friend of John Sevier; grandfather of James S. Conway, Henry Wharton Conway, Ambrose Hundley Sevier, and Elias Nelson Conway; Conway's daughters, Nancy and Elizabeth, married Sevier's sons, James and John, Jr., respectively.[5]
  • Richard Mentor Johnson (1780–1850), Kentucky State Representative, U.S. Representative from Kentucky 1807-1819 1829-1837, U.S. Senator from Kentucky 1819–1829, Vice President of the United States 1837–1841. Brother of James Johnson and John Telemachus Johnson.[6]
  • John Telemachus Johnson (1788–1856), Kentucky State Representative, U.S. Representative from Kentucky 1821–1825, Judge of Kentucky Court of Appeals 1826. Brother of Richard Mentor Johnson and James Johnson.[7]
  • James Johnson (1774–1826), U.S. Representative from Kentucky 1825–1826. Brother of Richard Mentor Johnson and John Telemachus Johnson.[8]
    • Henry Wharton Conway (1793–1827), Arkansas Territory Receiver of Public Moneys 1820–1821, U.S. Congressional Delegate from Arkansas Territory 1823–1827. First cousin of Ambrose Hundley Sevier.[9]
    • James Sevier Conway (1798–1855), Surveyor-General of Arkansas Territory 1832–1836, Governor of Arkansas 1836–1840. First cousin of Ambrose Hundley Sevier.[10]
    • Ambrose Hundley Sevier (1810–1848), Arkansas Territory Representative 1823–1827, U.S. Congressional Delegate from the Arkansas Territory 1828–1836, U.S. Senator from Arkansas 1836–1848. Grandnephew of John Sevier.[11]
    • Elias Nelson Conway (1812–1892), Arkansas Auditor 1835–1849, Governor of Arkansas 1852–1860. First cousin of Ambrose Hundley Sevier.[12]
    • Robert Ward Johnson (1814–1879), Prosecuting Attorney of Little Rock, Arkansas 1840–1842; U.S. Representative from Arkansas 1847–1853; U.S. Senator from Arkansas 1853–1861; Confederate States Representative from Arkansas 1861; Confederate States Senator from Arkansas 1862–1865; candidate for U.S. Senate from Arkansas 1878. Brother-in-law of Ambrose Hundley Sevier.[13]
    • Henry Massey Rector (1816–1899), Arkansas State Senator 1848–1850, Arkansas State Representative 1855–1859, Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, Governor of Arkansas 1860–1862, delegate to the Arkansas Constitutional Convention 1874. First cousin of Henry Wharton Conway, John Sevier Conway, and Elias Nelson Conway.[14]
    • James L. Alcorn (1816–1894), Kentucky State Representative 1843, Mississippi State Representative 1846 1856-1857, Mississippi State Senator 1848–1854, candidate for U.S. Representative from Mississippi 1856, Governor of Mississippi 1870–1871, U.S. Senator from Mississippi 1871–1877, candidate for Governor of Mississippi 1873. Father-in-law of Elias W. Rector.
      • Thomas James Churchill (1824–1905), Treasurer of Arkansas 1874–1880, Governor of Arkansas 1881–1883. Son-in-law of Ambrose Hundley Sevier.[15]
      • Elias W. Rector, candidate for Governor of Arkansas, Arkansas State Representative. Son of Henry Massey Rector.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b White, Lonnie J. (1964). Politics on the Southwestern Frontier: Arkansas Territory, 1819–1836. Memphis, Tennessee: Memphis State University Press.
  2. ^ "The Family". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. The Butler Center. May 2, 2007. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  3. ^ "Democratic Party". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. The Butler Center. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  4. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Serr to Sewak".
  5. ^ Samuel Cole Williams, History of the Lost State of Franklin (New York: The Press of the Pioneers, 1933), pp. 310–311.
  6. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Johnson, O to R".
  7. ^ "JOHNSON, John Telemachus - Biographical Information".
  8. ^ "JOHNSON, James - Biographical Information".
  9. ^ "CONWAY, Henry Wharton - Biographical Information".
  10. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Conradena to Coogan".
  11. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Serr to Sewak".
  12. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Conradena to Coogan".
  13. ^ "JOHNSON, Robert Ward - Biographical Information".
  14. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Reade to Rector".
  15. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Churchill".

External links edit

  •   Media related to Conway-Johnson family at Wikimedia Commons

February 15, 2024
conway, johnson, family, also, called, family, dynasty, prominent, american, political, family, from, arkansas, british, origin, founded, henry, wharton, conway, greene, county, tennessee, come, state, arkansas, 1820, with, younger, brother, james, cousins, el. Conway Johnson family also called The Family or The Dynasty was a prominent American political family from Arkansas of British origin It was founded by Henry Wharton Conway of Greene County Tennessee who had come to the state of Arkansas in 1820 with his younger brother James and his cousins Elias and Wharton Rector all of whom were deputy surveyors under the patronage of their uncle William Rector Surveyor General of Missouri Illinois and Arkansas Conway JohnsonAmerican political family from ArkansasFounded1820sFounderHenry Wharton Conway 1796 1855 Contents 1 History 2 Member families 3 Members 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editFurther information Conway surname and Johnson surname The Conway Johnson family developed following a fatal duel between former friends Robert Crittenden and Henry Wharton Conway on October 27 1827 near Napoleon Arkansas Conway had served as territorial delegate for Arkansas with Crittenden acting behind the scenes on his behalf After the resignation of Territorial Governor Miller in 1824 Conway nominated Crittenden to fill the position President James Monroe appointed George Izard instead Crittenden continued as secretary of state He and Conway disagreed over the latter s decision not to seek re election in 1825 1 Conway defeated Robert Oden who was backed by Crittenden After a period of public conflict through the newspapers Crittenden challenged Conway to a duel Conway fired first and hit a button on Crittenden s coat Crittenden shot and hit Conway who died of his wounds weeks later By firing at Conway after having been hit Crittenden broke the dueling etiquette His political career suffered Conway s brother James formed a political alliance with Ambrose H Sevier and supported his appointment to fill the deceased Conway s territorial seat 1 The duel caused realignments and a split in Arkansas politics Crittenden supporters later became the Whig Party The Conways and Seviers led the Democrats in opposition to Crittenden 2 Member families editThe alliance between the immediate Conway and Sevier families later broadened to include Conway s cousins Elias and Wharton Rector Additional political families were linked by marriage Henry Conway had married the daughter of Benjamin Johnson a superior court judge in Arkansas Territory Sevier had married a sister of Robert Ward Johnson a member of a powerful Kentucky political family Johnson served as a Congressman and US Senator from Arkansas in the antebellum years and was part of The Family The group was a staunch supporter of Andrew Jackson and Jacksonian policies 3 Members editSevier and Conway came from prominent political families This list shows the first generation of politicians of their father s generation followed by their own generation and then their descendants John Sevier 1745 1815 Governor of the State of Franklin 1785 1789 U S Representative from North Carolina 1790 1791 Governor of Tennessee 1796 1801 1803 1809 U S Representative from Tennessee 1811 1815 Granduncle of Ambrose Hundley Sevier 4 Henry Conway 1749 1812 Treasurer of the State of Franklin 1787 and close friend of John Sevier grandfather of James S Conway Henry Wharton Conway Ambrose Hundley Sevier and Elias Nelson Conway Conway s daughters Nancy and Elizabeth married Sevier s sons James and John Jr respectively 5 Richard Mentor Johnson 1780 1850 Kentucky State Representative U S Representative from Kentucky 1807 1819 1829 1837 U S Senator from Kentucky 1819 1829 Vice President of the United States 1837 1841 Brother of James Johnson and John Telemachus Johnson 6 John Telemachus Johnson 1788 1856 Kentucky State Representative U S Representative from Kentucky 1821 1825 Judge of Kentucky Court of Appeals 1826 Brother of Richard Mentor Johnson and James Johnson 7 James Johnson 1774 1826 U S Representative from Kentucky 1825 1826 Brother of Richard Mentor Johnson and John Telemachus Johnson 8 Henry Wharton Conway 1793 1827 Arkansas Territory Receiver of Public Moneys 1820 1821 U S Congressional Delegate from Arkansas Territory 1823 1827 First cousin of Ambrose Hundley Sevier 9 James Sevier Conway 1798 1855 Surveyor General of Arkansas Territory 1832 1836 Governor of Arkansas 1836 1840 First cousin of Ambrose Hundley Sevier 10 Ambrose Hundley Sevier 1810 1848 Arkansas Territory Representative 1823 1827 U S Congressional Delegate from the Arkansas Territory 1828 1836 U S Senator from Arkansas 1836 1848 Grandnephew of John Sevier 11 Elias Nelson Conway 1812 1892 Arkansas Auditor 1835 1849 Governor of Arkansas 1852 1860 First cousin of Ambrose Hundley Sevier 12 Robert Ward Johnson 1814 1879 Prosecuting Attorney of Little Rock Arkansas 1840 1842 U S Representative from Arkansas 1847 1853 U S Senator from Arkansas 1853 1861 Confederate States Representative from Arkansas 1861 Confederate States Senator from Arkansas 1862 1865 candidate for U S Senate from Arkansas 1878 Brother in law of Ambrose Hundley Sevier 13 Henry Massey Rector 1816 1899 Arkansas State Senator 1848 1850 Arkansas State Representative 1855 1859 Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court Governor of Arkansas 1860 1862 delegate to the Arkansas Constitutional Convention 1874 First cousin of Henry Wharton Conway John Sevier Conway and Elias Nelson Conway 14 James L Alcorn 1816 1894 Kentucky State Representative 1843 Mississippi State Representative 1846 1856 1857 Mississippi State Senator 1848 1854 candidate for U S Representative from Mississippi 1856 Governor of Mississippi 1870 1871 U S Senator from Mississippi 1871 1877 candidate for Governor of Mississippi 1873 Father in law of Elias W Rector Thomas James Churchill 1824 1905 Treasurer of Arkansas 1874 1880 Governor of Arkansas 1881 1883 Son in law of Ambrose Hundley Sevier 15 Elias W Rector candidate for Governor of Arkansas Arkansas State Representative Son of Henry Massey Rector See also edit nbsp Politics portal nbsp United States portalConway Cemetery State Park List of United States political familiesReferences edit a b White Lonnie J 1964 Politics on the Southwestern Frontier Arkansas Territory 1819 1836 Memphis Tennessee Memphis State University Press The Family The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture The Butler Center May 2 2007 Retrieved June 7 2012 Democratic Party The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture The Butler Center Retrieved June 7 2012 The Political Graveyard Index to Politicians Serr to Sewak Samuel Cole Williams History of the Lost State of Franklin New York The Press of the Pioneers 1933 pp 310 311 The Political Graveyard Index to Politicians Johnson O to R JOHNSON John Telemachus Biographical Information JOHNSON James Biographical Information CONWAY Henry Wharton Biographical Information The Political Graveyard Index to Politicians Conradena to Coogan The Political Graveyard Index to Politicians Serr to Sewak The Political Graveyard Index to Politicians Conradena to Coogan JOHNSON Robert Ward Biographical Information The Political Graveyard Index to Politicians Reade to Rector The Political Graveyard Index to Politicians Churchill External links edit nbsp Media related to Conway Johnson family at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Conway Johnson family amp oldid 1187873531, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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