Martin Sennet Conner

Martin Conner was born in Forrest County, MS in August 1891. In 1900 his family moved to rural Seminary in Covington County in southern Mississippi, where Conner likely obtained his high school education at the Seminary Attendance Center (now Seminary High School). Conner began his education at the University of Mississippi in Oxford at the age of 14 yr, likely the youngest person to attend the university along with Enoch Starnes.[1]

He continued his education at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, after which he began a legal career in Seminary and served as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1916 to 1924, including a stint as Speaker. His term as a governor corresponded with the Great Depression, but he maintained a state treasury surplus during his tenure. He was noted for going to the state penitentiary to preside over "mercy courts" that resulted in executive clemency for prisoners.[2] One of Conner's methods by which he orchestrated a positive $16 million swing in the state's finances (in only 4 years) was the introduction of a state sales tax.[3]

Conner was allied with Huey Pierce Long, Jr., the governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932 and the U.S. senator from 1932 to 1935. Long struck up an alliance with Conner to support "good roads" connecting the neighboring states. From the sidelines, Long helped Conner win the Mississippi governorship though Conner had twice lost previous bid for the office. Conner's runoff election opponent and gubernatorial successor, Hugh L. White, tried to make an issue of Long's involvement in an out-of-state race.[4]

Following his term as governor, Conner was the first commissioner of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) from August 21, 1940 through the fall of 1946.[5]

Conner died in the capital city of Jackson and is interred there at Lakewood Memorial Park.

• Martin Sennet Conner's grave at Find-A-Grave
• Profile at National Governors Association website