Ogle Robert Gowan
Encyclopedia
Ogle Robert Gowan was a farmer, Orangeman, journalist and political figure in Upper Canada
and Canada West.
He was born in County Wexford
, Ireland
in 1803, the son of Hunter Gowan, an Orangeman and small landowner and godson of George Ogle
, a grand master of the Irish Orange Order. Hunter Gowan led a yeomanry
corps known as the "Black Mob" which was accused of committing atrocities against Catholic civilians before and after the outbreak of the Wexford Rebellion
; he remains a hate-figure in local nationalist tradition. In 1825, when the Irish Orange lodges were dissolved, Ogle Gowan became assistant secretary for Sir Harcourt Lees
' Benevolent and Loyal Orange Institution of Ireland. He arrived in Leeds County
, Upper Canada in 1829 and settled in Brockville. In 1830, he called a meeting which formed the Grand Orange Lodge of British North America; Gowan became its deputy grand master and later became Canadian grand master.
Gowan was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
for Leeds
in 1834 and 1835 but was unseated due to violence at the polls by his Orange supporters. In 1836, he was elected in Leeds; despite his innate distrust of Roman Catholic
s, he had formed an alliance with Catholic voters to help bolster his support at the polls. In the same year, he founded the Brockville Statesman.
During the Lower Canada Rebellion
of 1837, he helped raise a company of volunteers which also fought at the Battle of the Windmill
. After the rebellion, Gowan declared his support for responsible government and the division of the clergy reserve
s among all recognized religious groups in the province. In 1844, he was elected to the 2nd Parliament of the Province of Canada
for Leeds and Grenville
. In the assembly, he supported John A. Macdonald
against the interests of the Family Compact
. In 1846, he was replaced by George Benjamin
as grand master of the Orange Order in Canada. He helped lead the Orange opposition to the Rebellion Losses Bill
in Canada West. In 1849, he stated his support for an elected Legislative Council
. In 1852, he moved to Toronto
where he served on city council in 1853 and 1854 and took over the publishing of the Toronto Patriot, formerly a Family Compact newspaper. In 1853, he regained the position of grand master, but Benjamin's supporters formed a separate Orange organization. In 1856, Gowan stepped down to allow the rift to be healed under a new grand master, George Lyttleton Allen. He was elected in an 1858 by-election to represent North Leeds and, in 1861, he retired from politics.
Between 1859 and 1860, Gowan produced three volumes of Orangeism, its origin and history, a history of the Orange Order.
He died at Toronto in 1876.
Donald Harman Akenson has written a semi-fictionalised biography of Gowan entitled THE ORANGEMAN.
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
and Canada West.
He was born in County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
, Ireland
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...
in 1803, the son of Hunter Gowan, an Orangeman and small landowner and godson of George Ogle
George Ogle
George Ogle was an Irish Tory politician.Ogle was a member of the Privy Council of Ireland from 17 October 1783. He represented Wexford County in the Irish House of Commons from 1769 to 1797, when he refused to stand again...
, a grand master of the Irish Orange Order. Hunter Gowan led a yeomanry
Yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
corps known as the "Black Mob" which was accused of committing atrocities against Catholic civilians before and after the outbreak of the Wexford Rebellion
Wexford Rebellion
The Wexford Rebellion refers to the outbreak in County Wexford, Ireland in May 1798 of a United Irishmen rebellion against the English domination of Ireland. It was the most successful and most destructive of all the uprisings that occurred throughout Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1798,...
; he remains a hate-figure in local nationalist tradition. In 1825, when the Irish Orange lodges were dissolved, Ogle Gowan became assistant secretary for Sir Harcourt Lees
Harcourt Lees
Sir Harcourt Lees was an Irish clergyman and political pamphleteer on behalf of Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. He is best known for his strongly worded pamphlets attacking Roman Catholicism.-Life:...
' Benevolent and Loyal Orange Institution of Ireland. He arrived in Leeds County
Leeds County, Ontario
Leeds County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and merged with Grenville County in 1850 to create Leeds and Grenville County....
, Upper Canada in 1829 and settled in Brockville. In 1830, he called a meeting which formed the Grand Orange Lodge of British North America; Gowan became its deputy grand master and later became Canadian grand master.
Gowan was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
for Leeds
Leeds County, Ontario
Leeds County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and merged with Grenville County in 1850 to create Leeds and Grenville County....
in 1834 and 1835 but was unseated due to violence at the polls by his Orange supporters. In 1836, he was elected in Leeds; despite his innate distrust of Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
s, he had formed an alliance with Catholic voters to help bolster his support at the polls. In the same year, he founded the Brockville Statesman.
During the Lower Canada Rebellion
Lower Canada Rebellion
The Lower Canada Rebellion , commonly referred to as the Patriots' War by Quebeckers, is the name given to the armed conflict between the rebels of Lower Canada and the British colonial power of that province...
of 1837, he helped raise a company of volunteers which also fought at the Battle of the Windmill
Battle of the Windmill
The Battle of the Windmill was a battle fought in November 1838 in the aftermath of the Upper Canada Rebellion. Loyalist forces of the Upper Canadian government defeated an invasion attempt by Hunter Patriot insurgents based in the United States.-Background:...
. After the rebellion, Gowan declared his support for responsible government and the division of the clergy reserve
Clergy reserve
Clergy Reserves were tracts of land in Upper Canada reserved for the support of "Protestant clergy" by the Constitutional Act of 1791 which also established Upper and Lower Canada as distinct regions each with an elected assembly. One-seventh of all Crown lands were set aside...
s among all recognized religious groups in the province. In 1844, he was elected to the 2nd Parliament of the Province of Canada
2nd Parliament of the Province of Canada
The 2nd Parliament of the Province of Canada was in session from November 28, 1844 to December 1847. Elections were held in the Province of Canada in October 1844...
for Leeds and Grenville
Grenville County, Ontario
Grenville County area is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and named in honour of William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, Secretary of State in 1790. The First settlers were Loyalist from the United States...
. In the assembly, he supported John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
against the interests of the Family Compact
Family Compact
Fully developed after the War of 1812, the Compact lasted until Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1841. In Lower Canada, its equivalent was the Château Clique. The influence of the Family Compact on the government administration at different levels lasted to the 1880s...
. In 1846, he was replaced by George Benjamin
George Benjamin (Orangeman)
George Benjamin , born Moses Cohen, was an Orangeman and political figure in Upper Canada.-Background and early career:...
as grand master of the Orange Order in Canada. He helped lead the Orange opposition to the Rebellion Losses Bill
Rebellion Losses Bill
The Rebellion Losses Bill was a controversial law enacted by the legislature of the Province of Canada in 1849...
in Canada West. In 1849, he stated his support for an elected Legislative Council
Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the province of Ontario...
. In 1852, he moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
where he served on city council in 1853 and 1854 and took over the publishing of the Toronto Patriot, formerly a Family Compact newspaper. In 1853, he regained the position of grand master, but Benjamin's supporters formed a separate Orange organization. In 1856, Gowan stepped down to allow the rift to be healed under a new grand master, George Lyttleton Allen. He was elected in an 1858 by-election to represent North Leeds and, in 1861, he retired from politics.
Between 1859 and 1860, Gowan produced three volumes of Orangeism, its origin and history, a history of the Orange Order.
He died at Toronto in 1876.
Donald Harman Akenson has written a semi-fictionalised biography of Gowan entitled THE ORANGEMAN.