Beniah Bowman
Encyclopedia
Beniah Bowman was an Ontario
farmer and political figure. He represented Manitoulin in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from October 24, 1918 to October 18, 1926 and Algoma East
in the Canadian House of Commons
from 1926 to 1930 as a United Farmers
member.
He was born in Waterloo County, Ontario
. He was elected in an 1918 by-election held after the death of Robert Roswell Gamey
, becoming the first member of his party to sit in the provincial assembly. He was re-elected in the 1919 provincial election
in which the UFO staged an upset victory to form a coalition government with Independent Labour MLAs. Bowman was Minister of Lands and Forests in the provincial cabinet from 1920 to 1923. He broke with the majority of UFO MLAs in Ontario following the 1923 provincial election
when what had become known as the Progressive Party chose non-farmer William Edgar Raney as its leader. Instead, he and two other UFO MLAs sat as their own rump caucus, apart from the Progressives. Bowman left provincial politics in 1926 to enter federal politics and was elected as a UFO MP for Algoma East
to the Canadian House of Commons
. In the 1930 federal election
, he ran unsuccessfully for re-election as a Liberal
in 1930.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
farmer and political figure. He represented Manitoulin in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from October 24, 1918 to October 18, 1926 and Algoma East
Algoma East
Algoma East was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1968. It was created in 1903 from parts of Algoma riding....
in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
from 1926 to 1930 as a United Farmers
United Farmers of Ontario
The United Farmers of Ontario was a political party in Ontario, Canada. It was the Ontario provincial branch of the United Farmers movement of the early part of the 20th century.- Foundation and rise :...
member.
He was born in Waterloo County, Ontario
Waterloo County, Ontario
Waterloo County, created in 1853 and dissolved in 1973, was the forerunner of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. It consisted of five townships: Woolwich, Wellesley, Wilmot, Waterloo, and North Dumfries...
. He was elected in an 1918 by-election held after the death of Robert Roswell Gamey
Robert Roswell Gamey
Robert Roswell Gamey was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Manitoulin in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1902 to 1917 as a Conservative member....
, becoming the first member of his party to sit in the provincial assembly. He was re-elected in the 1919 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1919
The Ontario general election, 1919 was the 15th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on October 20, 1919, to elect the 111 Members of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
in which the UFO staged an upset victory to form a coalition government with Independent Labour MLAs. Bowman was Minister of Lands and Forests in the provincial cabinet from 1920 to 1923. He broke with the majority of UFO MLAs in Ontario following the 1923 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1923
The Ontario general election, 1923 was the 16th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on June 25, 1923, to elect the 111 Members of the 16th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
when what had become known as the Progressive Party chose non-farmer William Edgar Raney as its leader. Instead, he and two other UFO MLAs sat as their own rump caucus, apart from the Progressives. Bowman left provincial politics in 1926 to enter federal politics and was elected as a UFO MP for Algoma East
Algoma East
Algoma East was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1968. It was created in 1903 from parts of Algoma riding....
to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
. In the 1930 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1930
The Canadian federal election of 1930 was held on July 28, 1930 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 17th Parliament of Canada...
, he ran unsuccessfully for re-election as a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in 1930.