The duel that created Democratic Party dominance in Arkansas

Editor’s note: Scott Cashion is a history professor at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. Opinions, commentary and other essays posted in this space are wholly the view of the author(s). They may not represent the opinion of the owners of Talk Business & Politics.
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Duels were a common occurrence in Arkansas in the 1820s. The slightest offense could spark a duel. However, in the Arkansas Territory duels tended to be politically motivated.  While there were numerous duels to choose from in this period, one stands out amongst the others.

1827 saw Henry Conway running for reelection to the territorial legislature. His opponent was a well-known lawyer and dueling enthusiast, Robert Oden. The conclusion of the election itself was inevitable, as Conway was the incumbent and had the backing of a number of influential men in the territory. Unfortunately for Conway, this did not include territorial secretary Robert Crittenden.

For years, Conway and Crittenden had been friends and political allies. Crittenden had helped Conway win the territorial legislature seat when he first ran for the position. But Crittenden was ambitious and wanted to rise through the political ranks in Arkansas. By 1827 his relationship with Conway was strained, and he backed Oden in the race.

By today’s standards this campaign was relatively tame. However, this being the era of duels, any remark in the campaign that could be taken wrong could possibly lead to physical conflict. This is exactly what happened, though the duel doesn’t directly involve Oden. He leveled accusations against Conway but rather than speaking out against the charges, Conway lays the blame at the feet of Crittenden. Oden accused Conway of stealing six hundred dollars out of a total of 7,000 that was to be given to the territory by the federal government. Conway said that Crittenden had given him permission to take the money and went so far as to call him a liar in the main territorial newspaper. Of course, this set off Crittenden and he challenged Conway to a duel.

While Conway won the election, he lost the duel. In late October, the two met on a sandbar on the eastern side of the Mississippi River. Dueling was outlawed in Arkansas, but Conway and Crittenden were determined to defend their honor against each other. Conway fired first, but hit a button on Crittenden’s coat. Crittenden then landed what was not considered a fatal blow at the time to Conway’s ribs. Less than two weeks later Conway died.

Despite the death of Henry Conway, the duel in and of itself was inconsequential. What is important is that as a result of Conway’s death, politics in Arkansas fundamentally changed.  Prior to the incident Crittenden had been the most powerful person in the territory. He let his hotheadedness get the best of him, and this would prove disastrous for his career in Arkansas.

While he remained secretary of the territory for two more years, his political influence quickly waned. Not only did he back the wrong candidate in the election, he allied himself with the wrong party. Crittenden and his dwindling number of followers were advocates of the Whig Party. Conway and company were supporters of Andrew Jackson and the Democratic Party.

The death of Henry Conway galvanized his supporters. Combined with a healthy dose of ire for Crittenden and the Whigs and it is easy to see how the Democratic Party became dominant in the Arkansas Territory. Ambrose Sevier, cousin and political ally of Conway, was appointed to fill his vacancy in the territorial legislature. Sevier proved to be even more adept than his cousin, and won the seat four times in his own right.

The remaining members of the Conway family, along with the Sevier and Johnson families, used the duel and subsequent death as a political rallying cry. With Conway’s two brothers and Sevier at the helm, the group formed a dynasty that would not be broken for nearly 40 years in Arkansas. Often referred to simply as The Family, the Conway-Johnson-Sevier alliance took control of the Democratic Party and thus all aspects of politics in Arkansas until the Civil War.

They helped usher the Arkansas Territory into statehood. They also won every election possible on the state and national level from 1836 until 1860. James Conway was elected the first state governor in 1836. Sevier was elected to the U.S. Senate. Ben Johnson was appointed federal district judge, and his brother Richard was elected Vice President under Martin Van Buren. These are but a few examples of how much power the Conway alliance wielded in the early statehood period. Their reach is far greater than any other political entity the state has seen since.

The duel between Robert Crittenden and Henry Conway ushered in a new political era in Arkansas. The Democrats became the dominant party, and would not truly yield that power until well into the second half of the 20th century.