Portrait painter, author, preacher and teacher. Conant is best known for his famous “Smiling Lincoln” portraits. Upon seeing his first painting, Mary Todd Lincoln was quoted as saying “That is excellent. That is the way he looks when he has his friends about him!” That portrait now hangs in Lovejoy Library at Southern Illinois University. Conant was also known for his essays resulting from archeology work in the Mississippi Valley. Conant, who held three degrees, was curator of the University of Missouri for eight years and founder of its school of mines and metallurgy. (bio by: Connie Nisinger)