Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 679–681; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
George W. Conway, an old settler of Young Hickory Township, owns
and occupies a tract of land which he improved from the brush. It
comprises eighty acres on section 28, and though not so large as many
in the county, is quite sufficient to afford its owner occupation and a
comfortable maintenance.
Going back in the paternal line three generations we fine Joseph
Conway who emigrated from England, his native land, to Virginia, and
fought on the side of the Colonists during the Revolution. His
son Peter, born in Virginia, owned a large plantation there and many
slaves. He cultivated the soil and raised tock. He removed
to Jefferson County, Tenn., carried on the same business, owned large
landed estates there also and was very well-to-do. He was a Major
in the War of 1812, and a man of prominence. He received a legacy
of twenty seven hundred acres of land in Pickaway and Highland
Counties, Ohio.
Among the four children of the last mentioned gentleman was a
son, Charles W., who was born in Virginia and reared in
Tennessee. He studied medicine and was graduated at the medical
college of Philadelphia when twenty-one years old. Going to Ohio
to look at the land which his father had inherited, he stopped in
Lexington and decided to open an office there. He sold some of
his land, leased some and improved several farms. He was the
owner of some eight hundred acres, but after his death much of the
estate was lost by injudicious administration of affairs, and his
family secured but a small property. He died when but
thirty-three years old. He had already built up a large practice
in his chosen profession. His wife was Phoebe A. Woodmanse.
She was born near Trenton, N. J., but reared in Ohio, where she
continued to reside until her death. That sad event took place in
1888, at an advanced age, she having been born in 1802. Her
children are Mrs. Sarah P. Cox, of Highland County, Ohio; Joseph P.,
who served in the late war, and is now a practicing physician in
Jefferson County, Tenn.; James W., who served as a veteran in an Ohio
regiment during the Civil War, and is now farming in Highland County,
Ohio; and our subject.
The maternal grandfather of our subject was Samuel Woodmanse, a
native of New Jersey, and a farmer there. During the early
settlement in Ohio he removed thither and spent the remained of his
days in that State. He bought a large tract of land and became
wealthy. The gentleman of whom we write was born in Lexington,
Highland County, Ohio, June 11, 1827. His father died when he was
but seventeen months old, but his mother remained on the farm, where he
was set to work at an early period in his life. He took part in
log-rolling and other measures by which the country was cleared and
developed, learned to do all manner of farm work, and when old enough
to transact the business for his mother, took charge of the home place
of one hundred and twenty acres. In the meantime he had carried
on his studies during the limited terms of the subscription schools,
which were held in the primitive log schoolhouse with its puncheon
floor, slab benches, etc. Besides the farm upon which the family
lived, they owned two others which they rented.
Young Conway remained at home until he had reached his majority,
when he went to Tennessee on horseback, taking a heard of eight horses
to Jefferson County for sale. He lost money on the venture, but
remained in that county, studying medicine with Dr. Hellam eighteen
months. He was then taken sick, the illness continuing a year,
and abandoning the idea of pursuing a professional career, he returned
to Ohio. As soon as he was able to take charge of it, he rented a
farm, but after a year spent in tilling the soil, entered into
partnership with a cousin, and ran a sawmill. A twelvemonth later
he sold his interest, and in the fall of 1842 started West with the
intention of making a home in Iowa.
The journey of Mr. Conway was made with a team and wagon, and he
was accompanied by his wife and child. When he reached
Central-Illinois, he was induced to remain in this county during the
winter, and in the spring, seeing a good chance to rent a farm, he did
so. In 1854 he bought a farm in Union township, Knox County,
located upon it, but remained only a short time ere selling it, and
again becoming a renter. In 1865 he bought the land which he now
occupies, it being at that time so thickly covered with hazel brush
that a man could not see above his head. The original forest had
been cut down, but the stumps remained, and Mr. Conway had considerable
labor to perform in grubbing. He built a house in the brush and
set industriously to work clearing off the bushes, mauling rails for
fences, and breaking the ground for cultivation.
The farm borders on the Spoon River, and consists of valuable
bottom land. An old Government trading post once stood upon it,
and some of the logs were left until 1866. In this undeveloped
region wild game was still quite abundant when Mr. Conway located
here. Peoria and Farmington were his early markets, and to those
towns he hauled pork and produce. He has put up various buildings
on the farm, set out an orchard and grove, and otherwise made the place
habitable. His principal occupation is raising grains, which
yield abundantly on the rich soil.
In Highland County, Ohio, November 26, 1850, the rites of
wedlock were solemnized between our subject and Miss Elizabeth
Pratt. This lady was born in the Old Dominion, and accompanied
her parents to Ohio in 1846. She is a skillful housewife, an
excellent neighbor, and has been devoted to the interests of her
husband and children. The family consists of one daughter and
three sons: Laura B. married Charles Zitlers, a painter in
Fairview; William C. was married in Iowa, but is now farming in
Colorado; Stephen D., and John W. are farmers in Young Hickory
Township, this county.
Mr. Conway does not accept offices, preferring to devote his
time to the duties of citizenship in a private capacity, and to assist
as far as he is able in those measures which will add to the material
and mental prosperity of the community. He votes the Democratic
ticket on every election day. He is agreeable and companionable,
possesses an upright character, and evinces as great an interest in the
welfare of humanity as anyone that can be met with.
