Lewis Orin Barrows (June 7, 1893 – January 30, 1967) was an American politician and the 57th

Governor of Maine The governor of Maine is the head of government of the U.S. state of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive. The current governor of Maine is Ja ...

Early life

Barrows was born in

Newport, Maine Newport is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,133 at the 2020 census. The town's borders surround the shoreline of Sebasticook Lake. History The town was settled about 1808 as East Pond Plantation, then inco ...

on June 7, 1893. He studied in the local schools of Newport, and later attended the

University of Maine The University of Maine (UMaine or UMO) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Orono, Maine. It was established in 1865 as the land-grant college of Maine and is the Flagship universities, flagshi ...

, from which he graduated in 1916 with a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

degree in pharmacy. At the start of his career, Barrows was employed in his family's drug store, and he later became involved in the insurance business.

Politics

Barrow became the treasurer of Newport and held that position for twelve years. In 1926, he became a Republican state committeeman. He became a member of the governor's executive council in 1927. He held that position until 1933. He served as Maine's secretary of state from 1935 to 1936. Barrow was nominated by the Republican Party for the governorship of Maine in

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

, and went on to win the general election. In 1937, Barrows sent the

Maine Army National Guard The Maine Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one-thir ...

Lewiston, Maine Lewiston (; ; officially the City of Lewiston, Maine) is List of cities in Maine, the second largest city in Maine and the most central city in Androscoggin County, Maine, Androscoggin County. The city lies halfway between Augusta, Maine, August ...

and

Auburn, Maine Auburn is a city in south-central Maine within the United States. The city serves as the county seat of Androscoggin County. The population was 24,061 at the 2020 census. Auburn and its sister city Lewiston are known locally as the Twin Cities ...

following a melee between workers and the local police during the Lewiston-Auburn Shoe Strike. He was also successful in his re-election bid in

1938 Events January * January 1 ** The Constitution of Estonia#Third Constitution (de facto 1938–1940, de jure 1938–1992), new constitution of Estonia enters into force, which many consider to be the ending of the Era of Silence and the a ...

, and held the governor's office from January 6, 1937, to January 1, 1941. During his administration, the state deficit of Maine was reduced, the budget was balanced, the state school fund was improved, old-age benefits payments were reinstated, the Maine Development Commissions' duties were increased, and federal funding was secured and those funding were used for the construction of new bridges, highways and public buildings.

Later years

After leaving the governor's office, Barrows worked for the Liberty Mutual Insurance Company in Boston. He died on January 30, 1967, in

Pittsfield, Maine Pittsfield is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,908 at the 2020 census. Pittsfield is home to the Maine Central Institute, a semi-private boarding school, and the annual Central Maine Egg Festival. History ...

References

Sources

Internet

* *

Books

External sources

* Sobel, Robert and John Raimo. ''Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978''. Greenwood Press, 1988. 1893 births 1967 deaths Republican Party governors of Maine People from Newport, Maine University of Maine alumni 20th-century American politicians {{Maine-politician-stub