Harris Brown McDowell Jr. (February 10, 1906 – November 24, 1988) was an American farmer and politician from Middletown in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and five terms as U.S. Representative from Delaware.

Early life and family

McDowell was born near Middletown, Delaware. He attended the public schools of Middletown, and graduated from Beacom Business College in Wilmington. He lived in Middletown, was engaged in farming, also in the insurance and real estate business, and was a member of the State Board of Agriculture from 1937 until 1940.

Political career

McDowell served in the State House during the 1941/42 session and then in the State Senate for the 1943/44 and 1945/46 sessions. During those years he was a director of Interstate Milk Producers Cooperative and member of Delaware Farm Bureau from 1941 until 1948. He served as Secretary of State for Delaware during Governor

Elbert N. Carvel Elbert Nostrand "Bert" Carvel (February 9, 1910 – February 6, 2005) was an American businessman and politician from Laurel, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Del ...

's first term, from 1949 until 1953 and was a member of New Castle County Zoning Commission in 1953 and 1954. McDowell was elected to the U.S. Representatives in 1954, defeating Republican Lillian I. Martin. During this term, he served with the Democratic majority in the 84th Congress. He lost his bid for a second term in 1956 to Republican Harry G. Haskell Jr. McDowell then was elected again to the U.S. Representatives in 1958, defeating incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Harry G. Haskell Jr., and won election three more times, also defeating Republicans James T. McKinstry in 1960, Wilmer F. Williams in 1962, and James H. Snowden in 1964. During these terms, he served with the Democratic majority in the 86th, 87th, 88th, and 89th Congress. Finally, he lost his bid for a sixth term in 1966 to William V. Roth Jr., then a Wilmington lawyer. His support of President Lyndon Johnson's war policies may have contributed to his defeat. In all, he served twice, once from January 3, 1955 until January 3, 1957, and again from January 3, 1959 until January 3, 1967, during the administrations of U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson. McDowell did not sign the 1956

Southern Manifesto The Declaration of Constitutional Principles (known informally as the Southern Manifesto) was a document written in February and March 1956, during the 84th United States Congress, in opposition to racial integration of public places. The manife ...

, and voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1960 and

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

, and the

Voting Rights Act of 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movement ...

Death and legacy

McDowell died in Middletown, Delaware on November 24, 1988, Thanksgiving Day, after a stroke a month prior. He is buried in the Forest Presbyterian Cemetery there. His son,

Harris McDowell III Harris Brown McDowell III (born March 15, 1940) is a retired American politician. He was a Democratic member of the Delaware Senate from 1977 to 2021, representing the 1st district. He attended the University of Delaware and Georgetown Univers ...

, was a member of the Delaware Senate from 1977 to 2021.

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. Members of the General Assembly take office the second Tuesday of January. State Senators have a four-year term and State Representatives have a two-year term. U.S. Representatives take office January 3 and have a two-year term.

References

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External links

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
at

The Political Graveyard The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information. The name comes from the website's inclusion of burial locations of ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:McDowell, Harris B. Jr. 1906 births 1988 deaths People from Middletown, Delaware Democratic Party members of the Delaware House of Representatives Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware Democratic Party Delaware state senators Secretaries of State of Delaware Burials in New Castle County, Delaware Goldey–Beacom College alumni 20th-century American politicians