Lemuel Owen

Lemuel Cambridge Owen (November 1, 1822 – November 26, 1912) was a Prince Edward Island shipbuilder, banker, merchant and politician, the second premier of Prince Edward Island.

Lemuel Owen
2nd Premier of Prince Edward Island
In office
September 1, 1873 – August 15, 1876
MonarchVictoria
Lieutenant GovernorWilliam Robinson
Robert Hodgson
Preceded byJames Colledge Pope
Succeeded byLouis Henry Davies
Leader of the Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island
In office
September 1, 1873 – 1877
Preceded byJames Colledge Pope
Succeeded byWilliam Wilfred Sullivan
Member of the General Assembly of Prince Edward Island for 3rd Kings
In office
April 24, 1873 – August 10, 1876
Preceded byNone
Succeeded byJohn Scrimgeour
Personal details
Born(1822-11-01)November 1, 1822
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Colony
DiedNovember 26, 1912(1912-11-26) (aged 90)
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Dominion of Canada
NationalityCanadian
Political partyConservative
Spouse
Lois Welsh
​
(m. 1861)​
ChildrenWilliam Edgar Wallace, Lemuel Cambridge, and Marion Adele
Alma materPrince of Wales College
OccupationBusiness person and shipping magnate
ProfessionPolitician

He was born in Charlottetown to Thomas Owen, who was Postmaster General for Prince Edward Island for eighteen years, serving until his death in 1860. Owen was educated in private schools and at the Central Academy in Charlottetown (later Prince of Wales College).

One of the island's most successful businessmen, Owen succeeded his father as Postmaster General of the island in 1860 before entering politics in 1866 winning election as a Conservative. Owen became Premier of the province in 1873 after James Colledge Pope entered federal politics. Owen was the second premier since PEI joined Canadian confederation on July 1, 1873. His government set up a Land Commission that was responsible for using funds provided by the federal government to implement land reform and end the island's system of proprietary land ownership and tenant farming.

His government was unable to resolve the contentious schools question that divided both the Conservative and Liberal parties along sectarian lines and his government was replaced in 1876 by a Protestant coalition formed to implement a secular school system on the island. Owen retired from politics and returned to his business interests.

Owen had married Lois Welsh in 1861. He retired from business in 1892 and died at the home of one of his sons in Charlottetown in 1912.

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