Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1897-10-06
Death Of Gen. Neal Dow.

General Neal Dow, the apostle of probi
ton, died peacefully at his home in Port
land, Me, Saturday afternoon. having
reached the advanced age of 90 years. HIS
death, which was due to the infirmties of
age, had been expected for more than a
week. His general health had been grad
ually falling during the past ear
General Dow, though native of Port
land, was OF unmixed English ancestry, his
father, Josiah Dow, being well-known
business man ofPortland, while his mother.
from whom he derived the richest traits of
his character, was daughter of Isaac and
Abigail Howe Allen and granddaughter
OF Kate Evil Hall Of the old Puritan stock.
In 1880, the general married Maria Cor
nelia Durant Maynard, daughter of Bos-
ton merchant. Ten children were born to
them, three of whom, son and two daugh-
tiers, are now living.
General Dow was twice elected MAYOR of
Portland and in 1o59-6O represented that
city in the legislature. 1t was while sery-
ing his first term as mayor that he secured
the passage of the "Maine Law" and to
the interests Of prohibition the or eater part
of his life was devoted. He advocated and
explained that policy in almost every
northern and western and some southern
states, making extensive speaking tours
which kept him from home months at a
time. Probably no man ever appeared be-
fore the Legislatures of so many states as
Neal Dow. In a majority of the states
which he canvassed prohibitory laws were
enacted. Nor were his efforts in this d.
rection confined to this country: He spoke
extensively in the British provinces and in
Great Britain, where he is almost as well
known as in this country. On his Goth
birthday anniversary he was in receipt of
congratulatory letters, addresses and mes
sages not only from every state in the
Union, but from every quarter of the
globe. Through his name the state Of
Maine and the city of Portland have been
given prominence they would not other
wise have possessed. a.,s.,
AT the outbreak of the war he was in
strumental in inducing the banks of Port
land to be ready to respond promptly to
the presidents call for troops, and himself
raised a regiment of volunteers and bat
terry OF ar'i lery, under commission from
the secretary of war He served as colo
mel of the 18th Maine regiment and was or
dered to the Gulf department under Gen
eral Butter, and by a conspicuous display
of bravery during the wreck, off Frying
Pan shoals, of the steamer which trans
ported his regiment, he turned the ill-con-
cealed dislike of his superior officer to a
feeling Of cordial friendship and admira-
ton.
As brigadier general he was at one time
in command at Fort Philip, Pensacola,
Fla and later at the detences OF New Or
leans. He was twice wound at Port Hud-
son and while convalescing within the ted
eral lines was captured by party of con-
federate cavalry. After nine months in
southern prisons he was exchanged for
Gen. Fitz Hugh Lee He was one of the
first officers to recognize the propriety of
employing colored soldiers.
BY many articles, extensively published
in English journals, tending to show that
the war was precipitated upon the country
to perpetuate and extend slavery and that
the success of the Union armies would re-
suit in the downfall of that relic of barbar-
ism, he was enabled to render such service
to the cause OF the Union in Great Britain,
in creating and energizing public senti-
ment there favorable to the north, that he
was formally thanked therefor by the Union
league of Great Britain and
by the United States minister at the cou'
of St. James.