Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon
Barry Conaway Passes Away
A. B. Conaway, attorney and justice of the peace, in Enterprise for over 30 years, passed away at St. Vincent hospital in Portland Monday after a month’s illness. He was taken to Portland about ten days ago when it became apparent that he was losing ground rapidly. Although there seemed to be only slight hope that anything further could be done for him in his weakened condition, it was hoped that something might be found which would be able to check the malady with which he was suffering.
Barry, as he was affectionately known to everybody in Enterprise and Wallowa County, was born Jan. 28, 1881, near LeRoy, Illinois and later moved with his family to Clearfield, Iowa. He attended Drake University where he was an outstanding star in football, baseball and track. For several years he held many school and conference championships in various fields of athletic competition. He weighed around 240 lbs and was a particular strong contender in all contests in which strength was an important element, such as the hammer throw.
After graduating from the law school at Drake, Barry returned to Clearfield. In a short time he received word from the dean of the law school to drop in and see him, which he did at once. The dean showed him a letter which he had received from Judge O.M. Corkins of Enterprise in which the judge asked the dean to recommend some young attorney who would be interested in coming out to Oregon to share his office and business with him. The dean asked Barry whether he was interested in the proposition, and being assured that he was, he soon had Barry on his way west.
Barry arrived in Enterprise January 30, 1909, and immediately went into partnership with Judge Corkins. Being a friendly fellow by nature, he was taken in to the life of the community at once. The summer after his arrival he was playing on the town baseball and football teams, and with Barry on the teams, Enterprise became a strong contender against some of its bitter rivals of those days.
He had been here only a short time when he was elected justice of the peace, a position which he held honorably and with the full confidence and support of the community until his death.
He was married to Edna browning on May 7, 1910. Mrs. Conaway passed away on October 17, 1938 after a lingering illness from which she had suffered for fifteen years. Two children were born and survive, J.B. of La Grande, and Norman who is completing a flying course in the army air corp in Texas, and a sister living in Des Moines, Iowa.
