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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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| Name | Robert Dale Owen |
| Address |
New Harmony, Indiana , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
November 07, 1801
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| Died | June 24, 1877
(75 years)
|
| Contributor | Thomas Walker |
| Last Modifed | Ben
Jun 08, 2005 11:14am |
| Tags |
Scottish - Welsh -
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| Info | OWEN, Robert Dale, a Representative from Indiana; born in Glasgow, Scotland, November 7, 1801; studied under private teachers and attended the Emanuel von Fellenberg School at Hofwyl, near Berne, Switzerland, 1820-1823; immigrated to the United States in 1825 with his parents, who settled in Posey County, Ind.; aided his father in the establishment of the social community of New Harmony, Ind., and on the failure of that project he returned to Europe for further study; returned to the United States in 1827 and became a citizen; was the founder and editor of the Free Enquirer, published in New York, 1828-1832; returned to New Harmony in 1832; member of the State house of representatives 1835-1838; unsuccessful candidate for election in 1838 to the Twenty-sixth Congress and in 1840 to the Twenty-seventh Congress; elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-eighth and Twenty-ninth Congresses (March 4, 1843-March 3, 1847); chairman, Committee on Roads and Canals (Twenty-eighth Congress); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1846 to the Thirtieth Congress; member of the State constitutional convention in 1850; member of the State house of representatives in 1851; appointed by President Franklin Pierce as Chargé d’Affaires to the Two Sicilies May 24, 1853, and Minister Resident June 29, 1854, serving until September 20, 1858; devoted the remainder of his life to writing on social problems; died at his summer home “Cosy Cove,” at Crosbyside, on Lake George, N.Y., June 24, 1877; interment in the Village Cemetery at Lake George, Warren County, N.Y.
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Robert Dale Owen, the son of Robert Owen, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 9th November, 1801. His father, a successful industrialist in Britain, decided in 1825 to establish a new community in America based on the socialist ideas that he had developed over the years. Owen purchased an area of Indiana for £30,000 and called the community New Harmony.
Robert Owen left his son in charge while he carried on his business in Britain. Owen taught at the school and published the journal, New Harmony Gazette and worked closely with the feminist, Fanny Wright.
The couple also worked together on the Free Enquirer. In the journal Owen and Wright advocated socialism, the abolition of slavery, universal suffrage, free secular education, birth control, changes in the marriage and divorce laws. Wright and Owen also became involved in the radical Workingmen's Party.
Owen moved to Indiana in 1832 and was elected to the Indiana Legislature (1836-38) and the House of Representatives (1845-47). In Congress he advocated the allocation of government funds for public schools.
In 1853 Owen was appointed as charge d'affaires at Naples and two years later became the minister to Italy. On his return to the United States in 1858 he became an outspoken opponent of slavery. During the American Civil War Owen urged Abraham Lincoln to force the South to emancipate the slaves. He wrote two books on the subject, The Policy of Emancipation (1863) and The Wrong of Slavery (1864).
Robert Dale Owen, who also wrote a novel, Beyond the Breakers (1870) and an autobiography, Threading My Way (1874), died at Lake George, New York, on 24th June, 1877.
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