0. M. Conover. 257 



0. M. CONOVER. 



By WM. F. ALLEN. 



In the spring of 1884, the Academy experienced the loss of one of its 

 most valued members, in the death of Obediah Milton Conover, which 

 occurred in London, April 29 of that year. He was at the time on his way 

 liome from a two years' sojourn in Greece and Germany. His remains 

 were brouglit to this city, and were committed to the eartli in Forest Hill 

 Cemeterj^ on the 38th of May. 



Dr. Conover was of Dutch origin, being the seventh in the line of descent 

 from Jacob Wolfertson van Kouwenhoven, who came to this country at its 

 first settlement, in company with the Patroon van Renssellaer. On what oc- 

 casion the name was changed to its present form is uncertain. His mother, 

 Sarah Miller, was of a Kentucky family. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, 

 October 8, 1825; prepared for college in that city, and graduated at Princeton 

 in 1844, afterwards studying theology in the same institution (graduating 

 in 1849), without, however, entering the profession of the ministry. In the 

 interval of two years between his graduation and his theological course, he 

 taught school near Lexington, Ky. , and in Dayton. While at Dayton he 

 also studied law in the office of Gen. Robert C. Schenck; and this was the 

 profession he finally adoj^ted, being admitted to the Dane county bar in. 

 1859. 



In 1849 he was married and came directly to Madison, where he resided 

 tlie remainder of his life; his wife died in 1863. At first he was engaged in 

 the publication of The Northwestern Journal, a literary and educational 

 monthly, of which only a few numbers were published. In 1850 he was 

 made professor of ancient languages in our University; an office Avhich 

 he held until 1858. It was the day of small things for the University, but 

 no in-!titution could be insignificant, or could fail to exert a strong and last- 

 ing influence, whose faculty consisted of three such men as Chancellor La- 

 throp, Professor Sterling and Dr. Conover. In 1859, as has already been 

 said, he was admitted to the Dane County bar; two years later he became 

 assistant reporter to the Supreme Court, and in 1864 was appointed re- 

 porter, wliich office he held until liis death, a term of twenty years. Dur- 

 ing some yeai-s he held also the office of State Librarian. In 1879 he re- 

 ceived from the University the degree of Doctor of Laws. In September, 

 1882. he was married to Mrs. Sarah Fairchild Dean, and they immediately 

 went to Greece, where they spent the ensuing winter. 



Mr. Conover was not a man of showy parts, and neither his disposition 

 nor liis taste led him to seek publicity. Besides this, in the later years of 

 Q 



