Rhode Island politician, judge, and blacksmith who resided primarily in Gloucester. Served as as a Deputy in the General Assembly (1775–1776), Lieutenant Governor from 1786 to 1790, president of the state convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1790, and served on the Rhode Island Supreme Court as an Associate Justice (1790–1791) and Chief Justice (1791–1795).
| When Burke met | 1811 |
| Where Burke met | Gloucester, RI |
| Occupation | Civil Office |
| Interaction with Burke | Burke stayed with him; gave Burke letters of introduction and helped him distribute |
| Identity Status | Confirmed |
| Genealogy | Wikitree |
| Memoir Pages | 74, 83 |
Notes
Daniel Owen (c. 1732 – October 21, 1812) was a Rhode Island politician, judge, and blacksmith who resided primarily in Gloucester. Born to Thomas and Ruth (Angell) Owen, he married Hannah Angell in 1756. A leader of the state’s Country Party, Owen represented Gloucester as a Deputy in the General Assembly (1775–1776) and served as Rhode Island’s Lieutenant Governor from 1786 to 1790. In 1790, he acted as president of the state convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution, personally writing to President George Washington to report its adoption. He subsequently served on the Rhode Island Supreme Court as an Associate Justice (1790–1791) and Chief Justice (1791–1795). Aside from his political and legal career, Owen operated a water-powered trip hammer business and acquired substantial landholdings in northern Vermont, though he remained in Rhode Island until his death.
Sources
Burke, William. Memoir of William Burke: A Soldier of the Revolution, Reformed from Intemperance, and for Many Years a Consistent and Devoted Christian; Carefully Prepared from a Journal Kept by Himself; to Which Is Added, an Extract from a Sermon Preached at His Funeral, by Rev. Nathaniel Miner. Hartford, CT: Case, Tiffany, 1837.