Joseph Howe

Defender of Freedom of the Press. Champion of Responsible Government in Nova Scotia.

Born: December 13, 1804 at Halifax
Son of John and Mary (Edes) Howe, Loyalists
Married: Catherine Susan Ann McNab on February 2, 1828
Died: June 1, 1873 at Halifax

Non-political career

  • Editor of the Novascotian, 1828-1841
  • Joint editor with William Annand of Morning Chronicle, 1844-1846

Political career

Member for
  • Halifax County (1836-1851)
  • Cumberland County (1851 - 1855) - His seat was declared vacant on February 24, 1852. An undue election was declared and he was re-elected in the March 22 by-election.
  • Windsor Township (1856 - 1859)
  • Hants County, South Division (1860 - 1863)
  • Member of Parliament for Hants (1867 - May, 1873 - resigned)
Political Positions Held
  • Speaker of the House of Assembly (February 3, 1841 - January 26, 1843 - resigned)
  • Executive Council without portfolio (October 6, 1840 - December 21, 1843)
  • Provincial Secretary and Clerk of Council (February 2, 1848 - April 4, 1854)
  • Chairman of the Railway Commission (April 4, 1854 - April 9, 1857)
  • Provincial Secretary (February 10, 1860 - June 5, 1863)
  • Premier (August 3, 1860 - June 5, 1863)
  • Imperial Fisheries Commissioner (1863 - 1866)
  • President of the Privy Council (January 19, 1869 - November 19, 1869)
  • Secretary of State for the Provinces (November 16, 1869 - May, 1873)
  • Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia (May 10, 1873 - death)
Major Accomplishments
  • Defense of Freedom of the Press stemming from publishing a letter in the Novascotian on January 1, 1835
  • Major role in winning Responsible Government for Nova Scotia in 1848
Political Affiliation
  • Reformer and Anti-Confederate (1836 - 1869)
  • Confederate and Liberal Conservative (1869 - 1873) - He accepted office in Sir John A. Macdonald's cabinet on offer of "better terms" in 1869.

Biography

For a more detailed biography, please review the article on Joseph Howe in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography online.