William G. Conley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William G. Conley
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| 18th Governor of West Virginia | |
| In office March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933 |
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| Preceded by | Howard M. Gore |
| Succeeded by | H. Guy Kump |
| Attorney General of West Virginia | |
| In office May 9, 1908 – March 3, 1913 |
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| Governor | William M. O. Dawson William E. Glasscock |
| Preceded by | Clark W. May |
| Succeeded by | Armistead Abraham Lilly |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 8, 1866 Kingwood, West Virginia |
| Died | October 21, 1940 (aged 74) Charleston, West Virginia |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Bertie Ison Martin Conley |
| Profession | Politician |
William Gustavus Conley (born January 8, 1866, died October 21, 1940) was an American lawyer and politician. He served as the top lawyer for West Virginia, called the Attorney General, from 1908 to 1913. Later, he became the 18th Governor of West Virginia, serving from 1929 to 1933. He was a member of the Republican Party.
Contents
William G. Conley: A Life in Public Service
Early Life and Education
William G. Conley was born near Kingwood, West Virginia. His parents were Major William Conley and Mary Courtney Freeburn. Before becoming a lawyer, he worked as a teacher in local public schools from 1886 to 1891.
In 1892, he married Bertie Ison Martin. The next year, in 1893, he earned a law degree from West Virginia University.
Starting a Legal and Political Career
After becoming a lawyer, Conley opened his own law practice in Parsons, West Virginia. While living there, he served as the prosecuting attorney for Tucker County. This role meant he was the chief lawyer for the government in criminal cases. He also became the mayor of Parsons.
Conley also started a newspaper called the Parsons Advocate, where he worked as the editor. Later, he served as the mayor of Kingwood from 1906 to 1908.
Serving as Attorney General
In 1908, Governor William Dawson chose Conley to be the state's Attorney General. This is the chief legal officer for the state government. Conley was then elected to the same job later that year. He continued to serve as Attorney General under Governor William Glasscock until 1913.
During his time as Attorney General, Conley worked on important legal cases. He argued before the Supreme Court of the United States in a case called Virginia v. West Virginia. This case was about how much of Virginia's debt from before the Civil War West Virginia should pay. He was also involved in another case, Maryland v. West Virginia, which helped decide the border between Maryland and West Virginia.
Governor of West Virginia
In 1912, Conley ran for a seat in the United States Congress but lost by a very small number of votes. For the next 12 years, he worked as a lawyer in Charleston.
In 1924, he was appointed to the State Board of Education. He worked there until March 1929. In November 1928, he was elected as the Governor of West Virginia. His campaign slogan was "Conley Commands Confidence." He officially became governor on March 4, 1929.
His time as governor happened during the Great Depression, a very difficult economic period for the country. The state constitution at the time limited governors to serving only one term. So, his term ended on March 4, 1933. After leaving office, he stayed in Charleston and helped start a new law firm.
