Poweshiek County IA Archives Biographies.....Conaway, Freeman Richard 1860 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ia/iafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 9, 2007, 9:38 pm Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1896) FREEMAN RICHARD CONAWAY, State Printer and the president of the Republican League of Iowa, is one of the best known citizens of this State, and a worthy representative of an honored family. His grandfather, Charles Conaway, was of Scotch-Irish descent, and made farming his life work, living in Harrison county, Ohio. He reared a large family and died at an advanced age. His father, John Conaway, was born in the Buckeye State, and, studying medicine, attained considerable prominence as a physician. In 1856 he came to Iowa, locating in Brooklyn, where he successfully engaged in practice until his death. He was ever a thorough student of his profession and his skill and ability won him a liberal patronage. He passed away in 1883, at the age of sixty-three years, and his wife, who still survives him, is yet living in Brooklyn. Dr. Conaway was a highly educated man and his superior abilities made him a leader in the community in which he lived. He was honored with an election to the State Senate in 1875, and his course in the Assembly won him high commendation. He was one of the professors in the medical department of the Drake University of Des Moines, and was a member of the Eclectic State Medical Association. He had graduated at the Cincinnati Medical College and the Cooper Institute of New York, and was a post-graduate of the Chicago Medical College. He was an ardent advocate of the principles of the Republican party, but was never an offensive partisan. He and his wife were consistent and faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Doctor served as a member of the official board of the Brooklyn Church from its organization until his death. Mrs. Conaway bore the maiden name of Mary E. Cunning, and was a daughter of Richard Cunning, a native of Maryland and of Scotch-Irish lineage. He was a carpenter by trade and in 1859 cast his lot with the early settlers of Iowa, making his home in Brooklyn. He was a man of medium build and of strong, robust constitution, and his life labors were not ended until he had passed the age commonly allotted to man. Mrs. Conaway is still living at her home in Brooklyn. She has three children: Frances, wife of Captain O. F. Dorrance, of Waldo, Florida; Florence N., wife of W. M. McFarland, Secretary of State, of Iowa; and Freeman R. Mr. Conaway of this review was reared upon his father's farm adjoining the town of Brooklyn, and the outdoor life seems to have left its impress upon him in his stability of character. His early education, acquired in the common schools of Brooklyn, was supplemented by a course in the State Normal School at Cedar Falls, the academy at Iowa City, and the Weslyan University at Mt. Pleasant. He learned the printer's trade in the office of The Chronicle, at Brooklyn, and, after his school days were over and he had mastered that business, he purchased the paper and continued its publication from 1881 until 1894 with the exception of two years spent at Fort Smith, Arkansas, running a Republican daily there. In 1894 he was elected by the Iowa Legislature as State Printer, and now has in his office between thirty and fifty employees. His thorough understanding of the business and his excellent workmanship, with his many years of party service as editor and organizer, secured him his appointment, and in the position he is giving excellent satisfaction. On the 15th of August, 1889, Mr. Conaway was united in marriage at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, with Miss Minnie E. Cole, daughter of Robert Cole, the senior member of the firm of Cole Brothers, pump and lightning-rod manufacturers. Her mother's maiden name was Mary Hutten. Two children were born to them, -Laura Maude and Richard. Mr. and Mrs. Conaway are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for some years the former was a member of the official board of the Brooklyn congregation. Socially he is a member of the Masonic and Knights of Pythias fraternities. In politics he is a stalwart Republican, having supported that party since casting his first presidential vote for Garfield. He is prominent in the counsels of his party and is an indefatigable worker in its interests. He served as secretary of the Iowa Press Association six years, or until his resignation, when he went to Arkansas, and is a popular and honored member of that body. He was elected secretary of the Republican League of Iowa in 1890, and served two years, and was subsequently elected president of the State League and re-elected both times by acclamation, and has been a delegate to four Republican National League Conventions. In manner he is courteous, genial and affable, and his genuine worth, strict integrity and devotion to the best interests of his native State have won him the highest regard of a large circle of friends. Additional Comments: Extracted from: A MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF IOWA ILLUSTRATED "A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants."'—MACAULAY. "Biography is by nature the must universally profitable, universally pleasant, of all things."—CARLYLE "History is only biography on a large scale"—LAMARTINE. CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1896 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ia/poweshiek/bios/conaway116gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/iafiles/ File size: 5.9 Kb