Frederick Rowe was born in Lewisporte, Newfoundland in 1912 and was educated at Mount Allison University and the University of Toronto. After graduation he taught school in Little Burnt Bay, Bishop’s Falls, and Grand Bank. He became the principal of Curtis Academy in St. John’s in 1943 and was later appointed as the United Church’s supervising inspector of schools.

Following Newfoundland’s entry into Confederation with Canada he became the first deputy minister of the Department of Public Welfare. He was elected to the Newfoundland House of Assembly as a Liberal member for Labrador in 1951. From 1956 - 1966 he represented the riding of White Bay South and then represented the riding of Grand Falls from 1966 - 1971.

He was a close friend of Joey Smallwood and held the following cabinet posts: Minister of Mines and Resources, Education, Highways, Community and Social Development, and Finance. When Smallwood retired from the leadership of the Liberal Party in 1969, Rowe became a candidate, but when Smallwood then entered the race to block John Crosbie he dropped out to support Smallwood.

Rowe was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 1970 and while there he authored a number of books on Newfoundland history. His published works include, ‘History of Education in Newfoundland’, ‘Extinction’, ‘A History of Newfoundland and Labrador’, and in 1988 he published his memoirs: ‘Into the Breach’. In 1987 he was named an honorary member of the Newfoundland Teacher’s Association and in 1988 he was given an honorary doctorate by Memorial University.