Dow Herbert Henry

Early years. Finding a profession

Herbert Dow was born in Belleville in the Canadian province of Ontario in 1866 in the family of American mechanical engineer and inventor Joseph Henry Dow ( born Joseph Henry Dow; 1836-1901 ) and Sarah Jane Dow (born Bunnel; born Sarah Jane Bunnell Dow ; 1838-1910) ^[3] , was the eldest child in the family. Parents were originally from Derby , where the family returned a month and a half after the birth of Herbert. In 1873, following the company in which his father worked, the family moved to Ohio , to Cleveland ^{[7] [8]} .

Herbert from childhood participated in the scientific experiments of his father, helped in solving technical problems. Together they created a small steam turbine used for torpedo engines in the US Navy ( Dow turbine ) ^{[7] [9]} . The first independent invention of the twelve-year-old Dow was an incubator for eggs - the creation of a device that automatically maintains a constant temperature was preceded by 39 unsuccessful attempts ^{[8] [10]} .

In 1884-1888 he studied at the Keyes School of Applied Sciences , studied chemistry under the guidance of Edward W. Morley , and taught physics to Albert A. Michelson ^[11] . In his student years, having analyzed the underground brine that came to the surface during drilling in the vicinity of Cleveland , Dow found a high content of bromine used in medicine and photography in the sample. Similar results were obtained by him in Canton and Midland ^{[5] [9] [7] [8]} .

The process of extracting bromine from brine at that time was multi-stage, multi- waste and expensive. Dow began developing his own bromine mining method. After graduating and receiving a bachelor of science degree , he worked for a year as a professor of chemistry at the Huron Street Hospital College , continuing his studies ^{[12] [9] [7]} .

Inventions and Entrepreneurship

In 1889, Dow developed a cost-effective method for the extraction of bromine and received the first patent . Having left teaching, he founded his own company Canton Chemical . It was not possible to establish industrial production, and a year later the company went bankrupt. In 1890, Dow moved to the Midland , rich in salt deposits, where he continued to develop. Dow conducted the experiments in the old barn, using electricity supplied by the generator from the steam engine in the mill he rented ^{[12] [13]} . The inventor worked 18 hours a day, rode an old bike around Midland and earned the nickname "Crazy Dow ”from the locals ^{[9] [14] [6]} .

In 1890, Dow founded the second company - Midland Chemical . In 1891, he developed and patented an electrolytic method for the extraction of bromine from brine, called the “ Dow process ”. The Dow process was distinguished by the use of a relatively small amount of fuel from industrial waste, a more complete use of the resources of the feedstock. Its application was the first commercially successful use of a direct current generator in the American chemical industry ^[5] .

The Dow method also involved the processing and use of by-products of the bromine mining process, but the ideas of the inventor did not meet the understanding of colleagues and investors, and in 1894, Dow was removed from work in the company. Having left for Ohio , in 1895, Dow founded the third company, the Dow Process , where he was engaged in research related to the extraction of chlorine from brine. A year later, the company moved to Midland, after the reorganization in 1897, was called Dow Chemical . In 1898, commercial production of Dow bleach was launched, bringing success. In 1900, Dow absorbed Midland Chemical ^{[5] [7] [14] [4]} .

By the beginning of the 20th century, Dow became one of the leading scientists of the USA ^[7] .

Fighting Monopolies

Having adjusted the production of bromine, Dow began to sell it in the US market at 36 cents per pound . The world market at that time was controlled by the German chemical concern Bromkonventsiya ( German Die Deutsche Bromkonvention ), uniting about 30 supply companies and setting the price 49 cents per pound. In 1904, wanting to increase profits, Dow decided to expand the market, starting with England . Soon, the company’s office in Midland was followed by a visit from a cartel representative who warned Dow that if he did not confine himself to domestic sales, his company would be busted. Ignoring the warning, Dow continued to export bromine from England to Japan ^{[9] [15] [7]} .

To eliminate a competitor, Bromconvention went down artificially , flooding the US market with bromine at 15 cents per pound, which was not only lower than the Dow price, but also the cost of bromine for German producers ^{[9] [15] [7]} .

Instead of the expected retaliatory price reduction, Dow took another maneuver - having suspended his production, he bought up bromide supplied by the Germans at front companies, then repackaged it and sold it at 27 cents on the European market - including Germany . Not understanding the reasons for the increase in demand for bromine in America and the emergence of cheap bromine in Germany, Bromconvention suspected one of the cartel members in trading below the established price , and in anticipation of the ruin of the company, the Dow continued to lower the price in the US market to 12, then 10 , 5 cents. Continued his tactics and Dow ^{[9] [15] [7]} .

The price war lasted from 1904 to 1908 and brought the Dow significant profits. Having opened the Dow scheme, Bromconvention offered him negotiations, ending with an agreement that Dow would not sell bromine in Germany, the cartel would leave the US market, and the rest of the world would compete ^{[9] [7]} .

Subsequently, Dow applied the same technique with the German monopolies on dyes and magnesium ^{[9] [6]} .

Continuing Research and Business Development

Continuing fundamental and applied research, Dow developed methods for extracting sodium , calcium , magnesium, and other chemicals from brine. In 1906, he turned to the production of agricultural chemicals; in 1908, a separate unit producing insecticides was founded at Dow Chemical . In 1913, Dow stopped the production of bleaches and focused on the raw materials production of chlorine ^{[8] [14] [16]} .

During the First World War , when Germany, one of the largest suppliers of chemicals, lost the ability to export products due to hostilities, Dow Chemical filled a market niche, producing magnesium for incendiary weapons , monochlorobenzene and phenol for explosives , bromine for medicines and tear gas ^[7] . In 1916, Dow released calcium , magnesium , acetylsalicylic acid chlorides ^[14] . Dow was the first American manufacturer of iodine and synthetic indigo dye , introduced the automated production of magnesium sulfate ( Epsom salt ) from brine ^{[5] [11] [6] [17] [4] [10]} .

In 1918, Dow created the company logo used by Dow Chemical. still ^{[10] [14]} .

After the war, he was engaged in research related to the application of magnesium , turned to product development for the automotive industry ( gasoline , engine parts, etc.) ^{[11] [4] [7]} .

Dow received dozens of patents ^{[K 2]} for inventions, under his leadership, Dow Chemical became one of the world's leading manufacturers of chemicals ^{[2] [5]} .

Recent years

Dow worked in the company until the last years of his life. In 1929, in connection with the gradual depletion of salt deposits, he planned to build a plant to extract bromine from sea ​​water , but did not manage to implement the plan ^{[11] [17] [4]} . In 1930, the inventor was awarded the Perkin Medal ^[10] .

Herbert Dow died of cirrhosis ^[7] at the Mayo Brothers Clinic in Rochester in October 1930. Buried in Midland ^{[6] [3]} .

The last Dow project was implemented three years later by his son Willard, who led the company after the death of the inventor ^{[11] [12] [4]} .

• Perkin Medal (1930) ^[10] .
• Member of the Hall of Fame of National Inventors ^[2] .
• Member of the Michigan Hall of Fame (2006) ^[10]

• Wife (since 1892) - Grace A. Dow (nee. Score; Grace Anna Ball Dow ; 1869-1953)
  • Children:
    Helen ( Helen Dow Hale ; 1894-1918), Ruth ( Ruth Alden Dow Doan ; 1895-1950), Willard ( Willard Henry Dow ; 1897-1949), Osborne ( Osborne Curtiss Dow ; 1899-1902), Alden ( Alden B. Dow ; 1904-1983), Dorothy ( Dorothy Dow Arbury ; 1908-1993) ^{[6] [3]}

In 1899, Dow built a home for the family in Midland, West Main Street, and began to lay out the garden . A 3.2-hectare flat area with barren sandy soil has become a field for Dow's chemical experiments and has played a role in the emergence of the agricultural division at Dow Chemical . Gardening began with the planting of 92 fruit trees of various varieties, vines and lilac bushes , over time the number of apple trees reached 5000 . At first, the land was cultivated without the use of technology - a horse was dug up using a horsepower , hills were poured and a relief landscape of the garden was formed, visually expanding the space ^{[6] [20]} .

Dow's garden design was based on his philosophy - “ it’s not necessary to reveal all the beauty of the garden at first sight . ” The son of the inventor, the architect Alden Doe , who later built a house and workshop in the garden environs, considered the gardens a manifestation of “ the most interesting side of the father’s character ” ^{[6] [20]} .

The activities of G. Dow contributed to the growth of the American chemical industry and the transformation of Midland - from a small town with a deficit of jobs, it became a city of scientists, industrialists and billionaires. Dow participated in the development of the city, financing the construction of a number of public buildings. During the First World War , a stream of nonresident workers employed at the Dow Chemical factory flocked to Midland. At the beginning of 1919, the Dow built a recreation center for them - a multifunctional community center with showers, toilets, a large audience, if necessary reformatted into a basketball court , a tennis court that served as an ice rink , bowling alleys , conference rooms, etc. ^{[6] [4] [10]}

Dow also financially participated in the construction of the Carnegie Library in Midland, which was located near the community center, the reconstruction of the city hall, and the construction of a new district court building. According to Dow's idea, the courthouse was designed in the style of the Tudor-Renaissance , and the exterior used building materials made at the Dow Chemical plant ( plaster , glass, mosaic materials, etc.) ^[6] .

Dow's last public project was the construction of a Midland Country Club with a golf course . The architectural design of the building was done by son Dow Alden in the Art Deco style . The construction was completed after the death of Dow ^{[6] [K 3]} .

Herbert Dow’s charitable work was continued by his widow , who in 1936 founded the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation in his memory, supporting scientific and cultural endeavors ^[22] .

The rue school in Midland is named after Dow.

In 1976, Herbert Dow's midland home was enlisted in the US National Historic Site ^[23] .

At the end of the 20th century, a mill was recreated in Midland where Herbert Dow worked on electrolysis of bromine . In memory of this, a memorial plaque was installed at the mill with the text:

On January 4, 1891, in such a structure, about a mile east of this place, Herbert G. Dow's experiment on the extraction of bromine from the rich salt deposits of Midland by the electrolytic method was successful. In subsequent years, this and other processes developed by Dow and the company he founded led to an increase in the production of chemicals from underground brines. The commercial success of these efforts has contributed to the growth of the American chemical industry ^[24] .

Original text

In the original of this building about one mile east of this site, on January 4, 1891, Herbert H. Dow succeeded in producing bromine electrolytically from Midland's rich brine resources. In the years that followed, this and other processes developed by Dow and the company he founded led to an increasing stream of chemicals from brines. The commercial success of these endeavors helped to promote the growth of the American chemical industry ^[24] .

In the mill building there is a museum dedicated to the inventor ( English Herbert H. Dow historical museum ) ^{[24] [4] [8]} .

The Dow Gardens continued to develop subsequent generations of the family, which later transferred them to Midland. The territory housed scientific and cultural centers - designed by Alden Dow The Grace A. Dow Memorial Library , where materials related to the study and preservation of local plants, the Midland Arts Center , etc. are located. When building these buildings, fruit trees planted by Herbert Dow trees have undergone significant felling. The Dow Gardens, owned by the Herbert Foundation and Grace Dow, were opened to the public in 2004. Since 2014, they have been undergoing reconstruction, the opening is scheduled for 2019 ^{[6] [20] [25]} .

The Herbert Dow Gardens and Museum are part of the Heritage Park , which is run by the Midland County Historical Society ^{[8] [26]} .

A number of studies ^[27] are devoted to the life and work of Herbert Dow ^[27] :

• Brandt EN, Brennan BS The Papers of Herbert H. Dow. - Midland, Mich .: Northwood university press, 1990.
• Campbell M., Hatton H. Herbert H. Dow: Pioneer in creative chemistry. - Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1951.
• Karpiuk RS Dow research pioneers, 1888-1949. - Midland, Mich .: Pendell publishing, 1981.
• DonWhitehead. The Dow story. - N. Y .: McGraw-Hill, 1968.
• A history of the Dow Chemical Physics Lab / ed. RH Boundy, JL Amos. - N. Y .: Marcel Dekker, 1990.
• Brandt EN Growth Company: Dow Chemical's first century. - East Lansing: Michigan State University press, 1997.

• Herbert H. Dow (neopr.) . Encyclopædia Britannica . Date of appeal September 12, 2017.
• First commercial production of bromine in the United States / National Historic сhemical landmarks; American chemical society. - Midland, Mich., 1997.
• Florey V. The legacy of Herbert Henry Dow (English) // Midland Daily News . - 2015. - Iss. October 7th .

• Electrolytic production of Bromine by Herbert H. Dow . American chemical society; National historic chemical landmarks. Date of appeal September 16, 2017.
• Folsom BW, Jr. Herbert Dow, the monopoly breaker . Mackinac Center Legal Foundation (1 May 1997). Date of appeal September 15, 2017.
• Folsom BW, Jr. Herbert Dow and predatory pricing . FEE (Foundation for economic education) (1 May 1998). Date of appeal September 16, 2017.
• Herbert H. Dow . Ohio History Central. Date of appeal September 15, 2017.
• Herbert Henry Dow Chemical heritage foundation (22 September 2015). Date of appeal September 15, 2017.
• Gussman N., Chang J. Herbert Dow, founder of Dow Chemical, took on competitors and the German bromine cartel . Chemical Heritage Foundation & ICIS (12 May 2008). - ICIS Chemical Business. Date of appeal September 16, 2017.
• The making of a successful entrepreneur . The Dow Chemical Company. Date of appeal September 15, 2017.