James H. Cummiskey

CUMMISKEY, JAMES H„ merchant, trader, and farmer; b. 4 January 1850 in Fort Augustus, son of Hugh Cummiskey and Ellen Mitchell; m. Catherine Woods, and they had seven children, Margaret, Katherine A., James W., Patrick E., Estella F., Hugh Edwin, and Mary Emma Jane; Roman Catholic; d. 5 February 1925, Massachusetts. Cummiskey, a Liberal, was elected to the House of Assembly in a by-election held in April 1891 for 3"1 Queens. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 1893 general election. He was re-elected in the general elections of 1897, 1900, 1904, and 1908, as well as in by-elections held in 1901 and 1905. He was defeated in the general election of 1890. Cummiskey was appointed to Executive Council and served as Commissioner of Public Works in the Donald Farquharson* Administration in December 1900. He was a member of Executive Council in the Arthur Peters* Administration in 1905 and in the Francis Haszard* Administration in 1908 and 1909. From April 1898 to June 1900, he served as Speaker. Cummiskey's most eventful moments in the Legislature came during the 1900 legislative sessions while serving as Speaker. In 1899 the Liberal government had made efforts to persuade former Liberal Joseph Wise* to resign his seat. He had agreed to do so if a by-election was held before the Legislative Assembly session in the spring of 1900. The by-election was not held and Wise withdrew his resignation. On 8 May 1900, his resignation was announced in the House. This was immediately followed by Wise defiantly taking his seat. In support of the government's desire to maintain a slim majority, Cummiskey did not recognize Wise* when he tried to take his former seat. Amidst pandemonium. Wise's vote with the Conservatives, which would have defeated the government, was not recognized. In the Assembly the following day. Wise again attempted to take his seat, while at the same time Cummiskey entered Wise's resignation into the record. Wise was asked to withdraw, but refused. He was then removed from the Assembly by the Sergeant-at-Arms, with the House Messenger assisting, to be locked in the Speaker's room until the House adjourned. When order was restored, the Liberals held on to power since Henry Pineau*, a sitting Conservative, voted with the government. Cummiskey lived in the Fort Augustus area for much of his life. Late in his political career he resided in Charlottetown, though he continued to represent his home riding. Cummiskey traded and operated a general store on the Fort Augustus Road at Webster's Corner. He also did some farming. James Cummiskey died 5 February 1925. Catherine Cummiskey's birthdate remains in question, as it was reported that she was 24 in the 1881 Census and 39 in the 1891. Her father was born in Ireland and her mother was born in Prince Edward Island.