Herbert H. Dow papers

Herbert Henry Dow was born in Belleville, Province of Ontario Canada on February 26, 1866. He attended Cleveland Central High School and the Case School of Applied Science. An early interest in the chemical composition of brine led Dow to concentrate on improving processes for bromine extraction from brine. A new and more efficient "blowing-out" process for bromine extraction resulted in Herbert Dow's being issued his first patent in 1889. The following year with the backing of several investors he organized the Midland Chemical Company, but internal disagreements involving research and development costs led Dow to create the Dow Process Chemical Company in Navarre, Ohio. By 1897 he was back in Midland Michigan and the assets of the Dow Process Company had been absorbed by the newly-founded Dow Chemical Company. By 1900 the new firm was profitable enough that Dow was able to merge his Dow Chemical Company operations with the Midland Chemical Company. With the outbreak of World War I and a cut-off of German-manufactured chemicals, Dow expanded into the production of calcium chloride, aniline, salicylic acid, acetic anhydride, monochloracetic acid, monochlorobenzene, phenol and magnesium in addition to bromine. Due to increased demand by manufacturers of automobiles and aircraft, magnesium proved to be an extremely profitable product during the post-war period. Herbert Dow held numerous patents by the time of his death while undergoing treatment at the Mayo Clinic on October 15 1930.