< Conway Cemetery Historic State Park

 

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James Sevier Conway

Conway Cemetery Historic State Park

Bradley,

Lafayette County, Arkansas

Last resting place of

James Sevier Conway,

first Governor of Arkansas

 

Tombstone Inscriptions and Listings

click above

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James Sevier Conway (1798-1855) was the first surveyor-general of Arkansas Territory, 1832-36; the first governor of State of Arkansas, 1836-40; and a plantation owner.

In 1819, Arkansas became a territory with Arkansas Post as its capital.

Conway Cemetery [ Walnut Hill ]

Arkansas was admitted to the Union as the 25th state on June 15, 1836, James Sevier Conway took office as Arkansas' first governor. This 11 acre historic site preserves Conway's final resting place. The cemetery is the family plot which was located at Walnut Hill, the former Conway homesite and cotton plantation. Forty grave sites lie within the graveyard. (NOTE: There are no camping or visitor services available.)

From Bradley, travel two miles west on Ark. 160 to the community of Walnut Hill. At Walnut Hill, turn south on the county road and go 1/2 mile to the park. This informaton found at http://www.yournet.com/conwceme.html and presented here for informational and educational purposes only.

The Red Dot is Walnut Hill, Lafayette County, Arkansas, west of Bradley, Arkansas

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James Sevier Conway

December 9, 1796- March 3, 1855

First Governor of Arkansas

He was born in Greene County, Tennessee and came to Arkansas in 1820 to make land surveys as a young man of 23. In 1823, he settled at Walnut Hill, Lafayette County and began to acquire a large cotton planation.

President John Quincy Adams, in 1825 appointed him to survey the western boundary of Arkansas from the Red River to the Arkansas River.

President Andrew Jackon in 1831 appointed him Commissioneer for determining the south boundary.

In 1832 when the office of Arkansas Surveyor was created, he was appointed to the post.

In 1836 he was elected Governor of Arkansas and after serving his one trm of four years, he retired to Walnut Hill.

From bronze marker below pictured below

Political Time Line for James Sevier Conway

the link above is off site link use back to return

 

 

 

The Caddo District, Arkansas Society

of the

Daughters of the American Revolution honored him by marking his grave

 

 

Goodspeed's History of Greene County

published 1887

"Green County is the fourth county in size in East Tennessee, having an area of 530 square miles. It lies between the Unaka Mountains on the south and Bays Mountains on the north, and is traversed by a series of valleys and ridges. The principal stream is the Nolachucky River, which receives as tributaries Lick Creek, Little Nolachucky, Horse Creek and Camp Creek. The soil of the county is generally fertile, with the exception of the extreme southern part, and even in this section the lands are found to be well adapted to tobacco culture.................................

Among the other early settlers of the county were James English, on the headwaters of Lick Creek; Joseph Hardin, on the Roaring Fork of Lick Creek; George, William and Henry Conway, at the mouth of Lick Creek.......................

For convenience the county was divided into four civil districts, three of which lay north of the Nolachucky and French Broad Rivers, which the fourth included all the residents south of these streams. For these districts the following assessors were appointed: First -- Lanty Armstrong, Owen Owens and William Stockton; Second -- Gideon Richie, James Dillard and Henry Conway...................

.................At the November session, 1783, the first grand jury was summoned. It was composed of the following men:................. Henry Conway.........

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Greene County, Tennessee

1783 Tax List

Nearly all on the list were Revolutionary soldiers. This group of settlers were known as the "Nollichuckey Settlers."

Early land grants included the Nelsons, Vances, Crosbys, Inmans, Casteels, Pates, Jones and Conways. [ Henry and Phillip Conway]

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From the Bureau of Land Management- Arkansas entries for James S. Conway-

CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/10/1837 1051 AR1120__.402
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/10/1837 1052 AR1120__.403
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/10/1837 1053 AR1120__.404
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/10/1837 1055 AR1120__.406
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/10/1837 1056 AR1120__.407
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/10/1837 1083 AR1120__.434
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/10/1837 1084 AR1120__.435
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/10/1837 1096 AR1120__.447
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/10/1837 1097 AR1120__.448
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/15/1837 1323 AR0020__.488
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/15/1837 1327 AR1130__.166
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/15/1837 1328 AR1130__.167
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/15/1837 1329 AR1130__.168
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 04/15/1837 2254 AR0030__.456
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 11/01/1848 2416 AR0100__.050
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 07/28/1838 2516 AR0040__.306
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 07/10/1838 252 AR1170__.006
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 07/10/1838 3111 AR0050__.405
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 07/10/1838 3334 AR0050__.406
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 07/10/1838 3335 AR0050__.407
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 07/10/1848 3349 AR0090__.329
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 07/10/1838 3372 AR0050__.409
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 07/10/1838 3373 AR0050__.408
CONWAY, JAMES S AR 06/24/1840 4052 AR0060__.483

 

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From Political Graveyard

 

  • Conway, Henry Wharton (1793-1827) Brother of James Sevier Conway and Elias Nelson Conway; first cousin of Ambrose Hundley Sevier and Henry Massey Rector; third cousin of James Lawson Kemper. Born near Greeneville, Greene County, Tenn., March 18, 1793. Delegate to U.S. Congress from Arkansas Territory, 1823. Mortally wounded in a duel with Robert Crittenden on October 29, 1827, and died at Arkansas Post, Arkansas County, Ark., November 9, 1827. Interment at Arkansas Post Cemetery, Arkansas Post, Ark. Conway County, Ark. is named for him. See also: congressional biography.
  • Conway, Elias Nelson (1812-1892) Brother of Henry Wharton Conway and James Sevier Conway; first cousin of Ambrose Hundley Sevier and Henry Massey Rector; third cousin of James Lawson Kemper. Born near Greeneville, Greene County, Tenn., May 17, 1812. Governor of Arkansas, 1852-60. Died February 28, 1892. Interment at Mt. Holly Cemetery, Little Rock, Ark.
  • Sevier, Ambrose Hundley (1801-1848) Grandnephew of John Sevier; first cousin of Henry Wharton Conway, James Sevier Conway and Elias Nelson Conway; brother-in-law of Robert Ward Johnson; father-in-law of Thomas James Churchill. Born in Greene County, Tenn., November 4, 1801. Democrat. Lawyer; member of Arkansas territorial House of Representatives, 1823-27; Speaker of Arkansas Territory House of Representatives, 1827; Delegate to U.S. Congress from Arkansas Territory, 1828-36; U.S. Senator from Arkansas, 1836-48; resigned 1848. Died near Little Rock, Pulaski County, Ark., December 31, 1848. Interment at Mt. Holly Cemetery, Little Rock, Ark. See also: congressional biography.
  • Rector, Henry Massey (1816-1899) First cousin of Henry Wharton Conway, James Sevier Conway and Elias Nelson Conway; third cousin of James Lawson Kemper. Born in Louisville, Jefferson County, Ky., May 1, 1816. Lawyer; member of Arkansas state senate; elected 1848; member of Arkansas state house of representatives; elected 1854; justice of Arkansas state supreme court, 1859-60; Governor of Arkansas, 1860-62; served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War; delegate to Arkansas state constitutional convention, 1874. Died in Little Rock, Pulaski County, Ark., August 12, 1899. Burial location unknown.
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    Digital Photos property of Max Morgan- NLR, AR. 2001- copyright 2001-

    Used with permission

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