Lemuel Owen

Who was Lemuel Owen?

Lemuel Cambridge Owen was a Prince Edward Island shipbuilder, banker, merchant and politician, the second Premier.

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.

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.