West Virginia University - Monticola Yearbook (Morgantown, WV)

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®o (general piilliaiit 01. Olonley 3n appreriattcitt nf tl|e tnterest iic lias taken m the ni rrBttu, anb of lits serfatrca to tl]e state, as luell as for the example set bo Ijis life, tl|e (Class of 1924 gratefullg beiitcates ll]tB ihientg-stxtlj ebitton of the jJHoitttcoIa to fonitcr ttonteg-(5eneraI •BSiUiam Cixtsta us Qlonleo. four

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(Beneral William (buslavxis (Lonle Former Attorney General William G. Conley is the son of Major William Conley and Mary Freeburn Conley and was born January 8, 1866, on a farm near Kingwood, Preston County, West Virginia. He attended the district schools, the summer normal schools, and later West Virginia University, from which he graduated in June, 1893, with the degree of LL. B. After teaching school for five terms, he %vas elected Superintendent of Schools of Preston County for the term beginning July 1, 1891. Upon graduation from the University he began the practice of law at Parsons, Tucker County, West Virginia, where he resided for nearly ten years. While living in Parsons General Conley was elected a member of the Town Council and later to the office of Mayor. In the fall of 1896 he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Tucker County and was re-elected in 1900. In March, 1903, he returned to his native County of Preston and was soon elected Councilman and later Mayor of Kingwood. He was appointed Attorney General of West Virginia in May 1908, and the following July was nominated by the State Republican Convention for both the short and long terms and at the general election that fall was elected to both terms by the largest plurality of any candidate on the state ticket. His term as Attorney General vhich was decidedly successful and satisfactory to the state, expired March 4, 1913. At that time he located at Charleston and resumed the general practice of law. Soon afterward he formed a law partnership with Clyde B. Johnson, now State Senator from the Eighth Senatorial District. This firm has a large practice and is considered one of the strongest law firms in the state. General Conley is a Republican and served for number of years as Chair- man of the Republican Executive Committee of Tucker County. He has also served as Secretary and later as Chairman of the Congressional Committee of the Second West Virginia District. In 1895 he was a delegate to the Na- tional League of Republican Clubs that convened at Cleveland, Ohio. In 1896 he was Assistant Secretary of the National Republicaan Convention at St. Louis that nominated McKinley for President. He was not a candidate for re-election as Attorney-General, but was nominated for Congress by the Republicans in the Second Congressional District without opposition in the primary of June, 1912, but was defeated in the general election by fourteen votes, notwith- standing the fact that the Republican party was disorganized and his Demo- cratic opponent was popular and wealthy and had been elected the preceding election by a plurality of 4,492. On July 14, 1892, he maried Miss Bertie Ison Martin, of Preston County, to which marriage five children have been born, three of whom are still living. Donald M. and James S. Conley, the two younger, are now students at the West Virginia University. General Conley has always been a strong friend and loyal supporter of the University. He takes a deep interest in the welfare of the students and the advancement of the institution. General Conley is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Freemasons, including the Chapter, Commandery, Consistory and Shriners, the American Aciademy of Political and Social Science, the Southern Sociological Congress, the National Geographic Society, the Edgewood Country Club, Old Colony Club and Rotary Club. [page six