| | LEVEL OF DESCRIPTION: | Fonds | | No.: | PR0205 | | TITLE: | J.J. Bowlen fonds | | CREATOR: | J. J. Bowlen | | DATE RANGE: | 1950-1959 | | EXTENT: | 0.10 m of textual records | | ADMINISTRATIVE | | HISTORY/BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | John James (J.J.) Bowlen was born July 21, 1876 in Cardigan, Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) to Michael and Mary (nee Casey) Bowlen. J.J. Bowlen was educated at the Public High School in Cardigan, but left school at the age of 16 and moved to Boston, Massachusetts. While in Boston he worked as a stable hand and then as a conductor on the street railway. On July 11, 1900, he married Caroline Suive, daughter of Joseph A. Suive of Boston. Together they had three children, J.J. Jr., Mary (Mooney) and Alice (Sandgathe). Two years after their marriage J.J. and Caroline Bowlen moved to western Canada where Bowlen worked as a farm labourer in Manitoba and eventually became a share farmer. Bowlen then worked for a short time in the lumber camps of the northwestern United States before he and his family returned to Prince Edward Island. After farming for a short time in P.E.I., Bowlen moved to Saskatchewan and homesteaded for a number of years. Bowlen and his family then moved to Alberta and in 1917 Bowlen purchased the Tony Day ranch in the Cypress Hills near Medicine Hat. Bowlen’s political career began in 1914 as a Liberal candidate for the constituency of North Battleford. He was first elected to the Legislature in 1930 as a Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly and held a seat in the Alberta House for 14 years. For the final two years he was the house leader for the Liberal party. Upon his retirement from politics Bowlen was named to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Board of Governors and became the first western governor to serve on the executive. He also served on a number of other organizations including a stint as the President of Gilchrist Ranching Company, the Associate Director of the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, a member of the Kiwanis Club, a member of the Canadian Club and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He received an Honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta and was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta on February 1, 1950. He remained in this office until his death on December 16, 1959. | | SCOPE AND CONTENT: | Fonds consists of records pertaining to J.J. Bowlen’s private and professional life, including letters patent appointing him Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta and a number of diaries. | | CAST: | ing Corporation Board of Governors and became the first western governor to serve on the executive. He also served on a number of other organizations including a stint as the President of Gilchrist Ranching Company, the Associate Director of the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, a member of the Kiwanis Club, a member of the Canadian Club and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He received an Honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta and was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta on February 1, 1950. He remained in this office until his death on December 16, 1959. | | ASSOCIATED MATERIAL: | Other records pertaining to J.J. Bowlen are located at the Glenbow Archives in Calgary, Alberta. | | RELATED RECORDS: | Additional records pertaining to J.J. Bowlen are located in accession PR1967.73 of the Mary Mooney fonds at the Provincial Archives of Alberta. | | GENERAL NOTE: | Information in the Administrative history/Biographical sketch was obtained from the Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1959 and from the Edmonton Journal, December 16, 1959. |
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