Elek Csány

He was born into an old noble family as the son of István Csány (1790–1849) and Mária Forintos de Forintosháza (1791–1854). His maternal grandparents were Károly Forintos de Forintosháza (1763–1834), landowner and Anna Farkas de Gulács (1770–1805). He had a sister Mária Csány (1816–84). His uncle was László Csány, a notable liberal politician of the Hungarian Reform Era and Minister of Public Works and Transport during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, who was executed for his revolutionary role in October 1849. Elek Csány was elected chief magistrate with the support of his uncle against his brother-in-law Károly Rumy (1807–77).

Elek Csány married Szidónia Inkey (1820–86) in 1843,^[3] who, as a widow, had a platonic relationship with statesman Ferenc Deák, and later got married again to Géza Báthor. Csány and his wife had three daughters: Paulina, Melánia and Karolina.^[4]

Elek Csány died of pneumonia on 18 June 1847.^[5]