born in new castle county, delaware, conway was admitted to the pennsylvania bar and practiced law in pittsburgh, pennsylvania and was a supporter of president andrew jackson. in 1838, he was appointed secretary of the iowa territory and served briefly as acting governor until the arrival of the iowa territorial governor robert lucas. conway was a writer; he wrote a poem: "bribed legislator," and a novel: "the cottage on the cliff: a history of the revolution." he was also a newspaper editor, conducting "the american manufacturer" in pittsburgh and later the "mountaineer" in johnstown and ebensburg, pennsylvania. conway died in davenport, iowa territory while in office in 1839.