Cornelius Howatt

HOWATT, CORNELIUS, farmer, constable, justice of the peace, bank director, and teacher; b. 4 February ca. 1810 in Tryon, son of James Howatt, and Ellen Miller; m. 19 March 1840 Jane Bell, and they had nine or ten children, of whom seven are known, including Nelson, Arthur, Theodore, Pope, Montague, Helen, and Cornelius; Presbyterian; d. 7 May 1895 in North St. Eleanors. Howatt, a Conservative, was first elected to the House of Assembly in 1859 for 4lh Prince. He was re-elected in the general elections of 1863, 1867, 1870, 1872, and 1873. He was defeated in the general election of 1876. From 1874 to 1876, Howatt was Speaker of the House. Howatt was best-known as a staunch opponent of Confederation. In April 1873 Howatt moved a resolution that read, in part, "that it is the opinion of the House that the best interests and future prosperity of Prince Edward Island would be secured by refusing terms of admission into Union with the Dominion of Canada." His resolution was seconded by his running mate Augustus Holland'1'. The resolution was defeated by a vote of 24 to 2. Howatt foresaw the role the railway debt would play in changing Islanders' opinion on the benefits of Confederation. His strong principles on issues such as Confederation, the building of the railway, and honest government often caused him to act independently of the Conservative party. He championed the interests of the farmer and the poor, and Howatt felt that government should be fiscally responsible, believing strongly in the Island's tradition of independence. Howatt's historical significance became more profound almost 80 years after his death. Leading up to and during the Prince Edward Island Centennial Celebrations in 1973, the Brothers and Sisters of Cornelius Howatt was formed to provide satirical comment on the self-congratulatory tone of the celebrations. It also sought to publicize the province's past, and especially its tradition of self-reliance embodied in the life of the organization's namesake. As a result of the group's antics and the publicity generated, Howatt was rescued from relative obscurity, and became an Island political legend long after his time. For a good portion of his life, Howatt lived in Tryon on his farm, where he was prosperous, perhaps due to the advanced methods he employed. In the 1860s he moved to North St. Eleanors, to a larger farm on the banks of Malpeque Bay. After leaving politics, at the age of 66, he continued farming for a few years. He then relocated to Summerside, where he resided for 10 years, until 1890. At that time, he suffered a partial paralysis, which forced him to move back to the North St. Eleanors farm until his death. Besides being a farmer, Howatt served as a constable, a Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Affidavits in the Supreme Court, and as a director of the Summerside Bank. In an unusual turn, at the age of 83, he became a teacher for a few months at Springbrook School near French River. Cornelius Howatt died 7 May 1895. Jane Howatt, born ca. 1818, was the daughter of John Bell of Cape Traverse and Elizabeth Little. Helen Howatt, daughter of Cornelius Howatt, married John Howatt Bell*, premier of the province from 1919 to 1923. William Hubert Howatt*, son of Nelson Howatt and grandson of Cornelius Howatt, also served in the Legislative Assembly.