“C” is for Conner, Henry Workman (1797-1861)

“C” is for Conner, Henry Workman (1797-1861). Merchant, banker. A native of North Carolina, Conner arrived in Charleston in 1822 where he opened a factory and commission house. The firm pioneered the use of steamships to carry freight and passengers between Charleston and towns in the interior of South Carolina and Georgia. Conner was among the original directors of the Bank of Charleston when it was organized in 1835 and in 1841, he was elected its president. In 1850 Conner resigned as president of the Bank of Charleston and became president of the South Carolina Railroad. He was a leading investor in the construction of many commercial buildings, including the magnificent Charleston Hotel. At the time of the of his death, few men had contributed more to the antebellum growth and prosperity of Charleston than Henry Workman Conner.