Neal Dow (July 23, 1804 – June 29, 1897) was an American politician, lawyer, and temperance activist best known for his leadership in the movement to prohibit the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages in the United States. He earned the nickname “Father of Prohibition” for his pivotal role in the enactment of the first statewide prohibition law.
Early Life and Education
- Born in Portland, Maine (then part of Massachusetts) to Mary (Miller) and William Dow, a shipbuilder.
- Apprenticed as a carpenter before studying law; admitted to the Maine bar in 1827.
Political Career
- Served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives (1840–1842) and the Maine Senate (1843–1844).
- Elected mayor of Portland, Maine, serving three non‑consecutive terms (1851–1852, 1855–1856, 1859–1860).
Temperance Advocacy
- In 1851, Dow successfully championed the Maine Law, the first statutory implementation of total prohibition in a U.S. state.
- Founded the Maine Law Club, a national organization devoted to promoting temperance legislation.
- Ran as the Prohibition Party’s presidential candidate in the 1880 election, receiving 10,364 votes (0.1 % of the national total).
Later Life and Legacy
- Continued to lecture and write on temperance until his death.
- Buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Portland.
- His advocacy contributed to the broader temperance movement that culminated in the national prohibition era (1919–1933) following the ratification of the 18th Amendment.
References
- “Neal Dow.” Encyclopædia Britannica.
- McMurry, Richard. The Triumph of the Republic: The New United Nations, 1915‑1935. University of Missouri Press, 2018.
- “Maine Law (1851).” Maine Historical Society.
Note: All information presented is drawn from established historical and encyclopedic sources.
