Alexander Dowling

Alexander Dowling (December 19, 1839 – December 11, 1917) was a justice of the Indiana Supreme Court from January 2, 1899 to January 2, 1905. Early life and education Born in Hillsboro, Loudoun County, Virginia. Dowling came with his parents to New Albany, Indiana, in 1840. His father, Henry M. Dowling, engaged in the practice of law in New Albany for many years, and at one time was engaged in the pharmacy business. Dowling attended the New Albany schools, and read law in the office of Otto & Davis, one of the prominent law firms of Southern Indiana, at that time, and was admitted to the bar of the Floyd Circuit Court on November 34, 1855. Legal and judicial career Dowling took up the practice of law in New Albany, and served two terms as Prosecuting Attorney and also as City Attorney in New Albany from 1861 to 1865, from 1871 to 1875 and from 1883 to 1885. In politics Dowling was a Republican, and he was active in the affairs of his party for more than half a century. For many years Dowling was active in financial and commercial affairs in New Albany. He was one of the founders of the Mutual Trust and Deposit Company in that city, of which institution he was president at the time of his death. He also was a member of the board of directors of the New Albany National Bank for many years. Governor Alvin Peterson Hovey offered to appoint Dowling to the Indiana Supreme Court in 1891, following the death of Justice John Berkshire, but Dowling declined. Dowling was elected to the Indiana Supreme Court on the Republican ticket in the election of 1898, serving from January 2, 1899 to January 2, 1905. During the time that he was a Judge of the Supreme Court he retained his residence in New Albany. He was not a candidate for re-election, preferring to resume his law practice in New Albany.