William Dow was born on March 27, 1800, and died on December 7, 1868. He was a British-born brewer and business leader in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He was born in Muthill, Perthshire, Scotland. His father was Dr. William Dow, a brewer, and his mother was Anne Mason. Brewing in Perthshire was part of his family's tradition since 1652. William learned about brewing from his father. In about 1818, he moved from the United Kingdom to Montreal, Lower Canada. He worked as a supervisor at Thomas Dunn's brewery in Montreal and soon became a partner. His younger brother, Andrew, who also trained as a brewer, joined him. After Thomas Dunn died, the company was called William Dow and Company, later known as Dow Breweries. Dow Breweries became a major competitor to Molson's, the largest brewery in Montreal. William Dow was also a business leader. In 1860, he built his home, Strathearn House, in Montreal's Golden Square Mile.