Edward Bowen (politician)
Encyclopedia
Edward Bowen was an Irish
-born lawyer, judge and political figure in Lower Canada
. He was the 1st Chief Justice
of the Superior Court
for the Province of Quebec, and the 2nd Chancellor of Bishop's University
.
in 1780, he was the son of James Bowen (1740-1796) of Bowen's Court, Co. Cork, a Surgeon in the British Army. His mother, Isabella, was the daughter of Richard Sheffield Cassan of Sheffield, Co. Offaly, and his wife Isabella Hamilton of Newtownhamilton
, Co. Armagh. Educated at Drogheda
Academy, he came to Lower Canada
in 1797 with his great-aunt Anne Hamilton, and her husband, Lt.-Colonel Henry Caldwell
. He studied law and entered the law office of Jonathan Sewell
. He was called to the bar of Lower Canada in 1803. Bowen served as Lieutenant and then Captain in the Quebec militia.
In 1808, he was chosen as attorney general for Lower Canada by Governor Sir James Henry Craig
; he was forced to step down after Norman Fitzgerald Uniacke
was chosen by the authorities in London
. He was named King's Counsel in 1809 and also served as acting attorney general from 1810 to 1812. In 1809, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for William-Henry; he supported the English party. In 1812, he was named judge in the Court of King's Bench at Quebec. He was named to the Legislative Council
in 1824. In 1849, he was named chief justice to the newly appointed Superior Court. Bowen also served as French
translator for the Executive Council and French secretary for the province.
He died at Quebec City
in 1866 and is buried at Mt. Hermon Cemetery in the Sillery area of present-day Quebec City. Bowen had once owned the property on which Mt. Hermon Cemetery is located. For many years a portrait of Edward Bowen hung in the Senate chamber in Ottawa.
His daughter Eliza Cecilia married Edward Hale, who later served in the legislative assembly and legislative council.
A photograph of Bowen's daughter Isabella Cassan is on exhibit at Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation
in Virginia, USA. A portrait of Bowen's granddaughter, Isabella Forsyth Bell, and photograph of his great grandson, Frederick Noel Bell Hyndman, are also exhibited. Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation
is the home of three generations of Bowen descendents: Joan Ellen Gordineer is a great, great, great granddaughter of Bowen, Brian Edward Gordineer is a great, great, great, great grandson of Bowen and Isabella Rae Gordineer is a great, great, great, great, great granddaughter of Bowen. The furnishings of Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation includes pieces of furniture and silver that may descend from the Bowen family in Canada.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
-born lawyer, judge and political figure in Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
. He was the 1st Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Superior Court
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
for the Province of Quebec, and the 2nd Chancellor of Bishop's University
Bishop's University
Bishop's University is a predominantly undergraduate university in Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Bishop's is one of three universities in the province of Quebec that teach primarily in the English language...
.
Life
Born in KinsaleKinsale
Kinsale is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Located some 25 km south of Cork City on the coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon and has a population of 2,257 which increases substantially during the summer months when the tourist season is at its peak and...
in 1780, he was the son of James Bowen (1740-1796) of Bowen's Court, Co. Cork, a Surgeon in the British Army. His mother, Isabella, was the daughter of Richard Sheffield Cassan of Sheffield, Co. Offaly, and his wife Isabella Hamilton of Newtownhamilton
Newtownhamilton
Newtownhamilton is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is within the townland of Tullyvallan and the barony of Upper Fews. It is part of the Newry and Mourne District Council area...
, Co. Armagh. Educated at Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
Academy, he came to Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
in 1797 with his great-aunt Anne Hamilton, and her husband, Lt.-Colonel Henry Caldwell
Henry Caldwell
Lt.-Col. Henry Caldwell, was a Canadian army and militia officer, a successful businessman and a member of the Legislative Council of Lower Canada....
. He studied law and entered the law office of Jonathan Sewell
Jonathan Sewell
Jonathan Sewell was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Lower Canada.-Early life:He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the son of the last British attorney general of Massachusetts...
. He was called to the bar of Lower Canada in 1803. Bowen served as Lieutenant and then Captain in the Quebec militia.
In 1808, he was chosen as attorney general for Lower Canada by Governor Sir James Henry Craig
James Henry Craig
General Sir James Henry Craig KB was a British military officer and colonial administrator.-Early life and military service:...
; he was forced to step down after Norman Fitzgerald Uniacke
Norman Fitzgerald Uniacke
Norman Fitzgerald Uniacke was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Lower Canada and Nova Scotia. He represented William-Henry in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada from 1824 to 1825....
was chosen by the authorities in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was named King's Counsel in 1809 and also served as acting attorney general from 1810 to 1812. In 1809, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
for William-Henry; he supported the English party. In 1812, he was named judge in the Court of King's Bench at Quebec. He was named to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Lower Canada
The Legislative Council of Lower Canada was the upper house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The upper house consisted of appointed councillors who voted on bills passed up by the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. The legislative council was...
in 1824. In 1849, he was named chief justice to the newly appointed Superior Court. Bowen also served as French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
translator for the Executive Council and French secretary for the province.
He died at Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
in 1866 and is buried at Mt. Hermon Cemetery in the Sillery area of present-day Quebec City. Bowen had once owned the property on which Mt. Hermon Cemetery is located. For many years a portrait of Edward Bowen hung in the Senate chamber in Ottawa.
Family
In 1807, he married Eliza, the daughter of James Davidson, doctor for the Royal Canadian Volunteers. They had eight sons and eight daughters; Alicia Catherine Aubigvey, Ann Emily, Charlotte Louise Caldwell, Eliza Cecilia, Isabella Cassan, Louisa Aylmer, Lucy Irwin, Mary Sophia, Charles Marshall, Charles William, Edward Henry, Francis Nathaniel Burton, George Frederick, George Mountain, James, Noel Hill Fox Maule and William Hamilton. The Bowen family lived in a commodious English-style residence on Cathedral Street in Quebec City.His daughter Eliza Cecilia married Edward Hale, who later served in the legislative assembly and legislative council.
A photograph of Bowen's daughter Isabella Cassan is on exhibit at Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation
Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation
Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation is a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Charles City County, Virginia. The scale and character of the collection of domestic architecture at this site recalls the vernacular architectural traditions of the eighteenth, nineteenth and...
in Virginia, USA. A portrait of Bowen's granddaughter, Isabella Forsyth Bell, and photograph of his great grandson, Frederick Noel Bell Hyndman, are also exhibited. Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation
Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation
Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation is a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Charles City County, Virginia. The scale and character of the collection of domestic architecture at this site recalls the vernacular architectural traditions of the eighteenth, nineteenth and...
is the home of three generations of Bowen descendents: Joan Ellen Gordineer is a great, great, great granddaughter of Bowen, Brian Edward Gordineer is a great, great, great, great grandson of Bowen and Isabella Rae Gordineer is a great, great, great, great, great granddaughter of Bowen. The furnishings of Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation includes pieces of furniture and silver that may descend from the Bowen family in Canada.