Arkansas County, Arkansas - George W. Conine - Bio

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        Date: 17 Jul 1998
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SOURCE:  Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern
Arkansas. Chicago:Goodspeed Publishers, 1890.
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George W. Conine, who is actively and successfully engaged in merchandising, carries a
stock of goods invoicing about $3,000 in his store at Arkansas Post. He was the second son
of a family of seven children born to Richard and Jane (Bean) Conine, natives of Georgia
and Louisiana, respectively. The father was born about 1808, of Irish descent. Going to
Louisiana when a young man, he was there married, about 1838, and made his home the rest
of his life, and at his death, in 1850, was one of the well-to-do planters of that State.
Owing to unjust management of the estate, his widow and children were thrown upon their
daily labor for sustenance. His wife died in 1858. She was a daughter of Rev. Christopher
Bean, an Englishman by birth, who passed away in Louisiana, in 1852. George W. Conine was
born in Carroll Parish, La., in 1844. He began making his own way in the world at the
early age of seven years, being employed by Mr. Evin George (a wealthy farmer of that
vicinity) to drive a team for his gin; afterward by James McNeal in the same community. At
the age of fourteen he was employed as mail-carrier from Monroe to Lake Providence, La. In
1862 he joined the Carroll Dragoons of Louisiana Cavalry and was afterward transferred to
Forrest's cavalry. He participated in the battles of Franklin, Vicksburg, the siege of
Atlanta, Holly Springs and a number of hard fought battles. He was at home on furlough at
the time of the surrender. He then engaged in farming in Louisiana until 1867, when he
came to Arkansas, locating at Arkansas Post. He was married in 1872 to Miss Caroline
Rogers, a native of this county and a daughter of one of the early settlers. She died in
1879, leaving two children: Willie D. and Johnie W. Conine. Mr. Conine was then married to
Miss Ruby Conine, a consin of our subject, her father, Rev. Brittain Conine, being a
brother of Richard Conine. She was born in the State of Alabama at Camp Hill where her
mother, Jane Herren, died about 1854 and where her father, Rev. Brittain Conine, now
resides and is a merchant of that place of forty or fifty years' standing, now being in
his eightieth year. Ruby Conine is the mother of two children: Oscar and Hattie. Hattie
died August [p.653] 25, 1889, aged three years, one month and thirteen days. Sleep thou in
Jesus, little Hattie, till He bids thee arise. Mr. Conine continued farming until 1881,
when he engaged in the mercantile business with his sister, Mrs. Mary A. Fogee, and since
her death, in 1887, has continued the business himself, the firm being known as G. W. and
B. B. Conine. He also owns about 1,000 acres of land in different tracts in this county,
of which about 200 acres are under cultivation. He is a strong Democrat and a highly
respected citizen. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.