SHOWELL, Owen Johnson (1836-1912), of Owen Sound, Ontario was among the very first professional architects to open an office in Grey County in 1871 (Owen Sound Times, 11 Aug. 1871, 1, advert., and news item p. 2). He was born in Birmingham, England on 7 September 1836 and gained considerable experience as an architect by working in Liverpool, Manchester and Darlington, England. He arrived in Canada before 1870 and maintained an office in Owen Sound and Sydenham until after 1882, and he may have opened a branch office in Orillia after this date (see the Barrie Examiner, 28 Dec. 1882, 1, advert.) . He later died in Owen Sound on 28 September 1912 (obituary Owen Sound Sun, 1 Oct. 1912, 5).
DERBY TOWNSHIP, a new public school for S.S. No. 8, on the Blue Water Highway, 1873 (Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times, 16 July 1938, 10, illus. & descrip. in historical article)
SYDENHAM, ONT., Knox Presbyterian Church, 1882 (Owen Sound Advertiser, 23 Feb. 1882, 2, t.c.)