A strong temperance man, Noah Prince, as President of the Senate in 1851, helped Neal Dow to ram through the Legislature the famous or, depending on your point of view, infamous "Maine Law."
Born in Buckfield, Maine on April 13, 1797, Noah Prince grew up as a farm boy possessing only what education he could derive from the public schools.
His character and good judgment, however, propelled him to leadership in town affairs early as a Justice of the Peace, Trial Justice and Internal Revenue Collector.
From 1840 to 1843 he represented the town of Buckfield at the Legislature and from 1850 to 1853 he was the State Senator from Oxford County serving as President in 1851 and 1852.
Noah Prince was one of those sturdy Maine yeomen who reflected by his views a watershed in both Maine and national history.
Self-educated, fundamentalist in religion and an agrarian Democrat, he bolted the party of Jackson over the issues of slavery and temperance, leading the revolt in 1853 as Chairman of the Democratic State Committee.
One of the founders and directors of the Buckfield Branch Railroad, he, his wife and seven children lived in Buckfield until his death on February 14, 1872.