Politician, Journalist. He was elected the Premier of Nova Scotia, serving from 1860 to 1863, a member of Parliament from 1836 to 1873, and the 3rd Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia in May of 1873 but died three weeks later. In 1854 Howe was appointed chief commissioner of railways for Nova Scotia and later held a post in the fishery service. He was a proponent of Responsible Government or home rule and freedom of the press and speech. Howe spent February through July of 1868 in England, leading a delegation advocating for the repeal of Confederation. Born the son of a post master and printer, he learned that trade. His education was mainly self-taught. In 1827 Howe started a weekly nonpolitical journal, the "Acadian" with a partner. He published original Nova Scotian literature including his poetry. Following the publishing in another newspaper of his 1835 letter siting government corruption, he was sued, yet was eventually found not guilty after he made a six-hour address to the jury siting examples of the corruption. Eventually, this led to the resignation of the lieutenant-governor. This court case was a landmark case in the struggle for a free press in Canada. The next year, he was elected as a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, serving as the Speaker of the Assembly from 1840 to 1843. He married and the couple had ten children, yet only five lived to adulthood.
Politician, Journalist. He was elected the Premier of Nova Scotia, serving from 1860 to 1863, a member of Parliament from 1836 to 1873, and the 3rd Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia in May of 1873 but died three weeks later. In 1854 Howe was appointed chief commissioner of railways for Nova Scotia and later held a post in the fishery service. He was a proponent of Responsible Government or home rule and freedom of the press and speech. Howe spent February through July of 1868 in England, leading a delegation advocating for the repeal of Confederation. Born the son of a post master and printer, he learned that trade. His education was mainly self-taught. In 1827 Howe started a weekly nonpolitical journal, the "Acadian" with a partner. He published original Nova Scotian literature including his poetry. Following the publishing in another newspaper of his 1835 letter siting government corruption, he was sued, yet was eventually found not guilty after he made a six-hour address to the jury siting examples of the corruption. Eventually, this led to the resignation of the lieutenant-governor. This court case was a landmark case in the struggle for a free press in Canada. The next year, he was elected as a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, serving as the Speaker of the Assembly from 1840 to 1843. He married and the couple had ten children, yet only five lived to adulthood.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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