December 12 in A.A. History

In 1865, Ella A. Brock and Gardner F. Griffith [left] were married in Dorset, Vermont, by Rev. W. W. Whitney [right: marriage record]. They would have three children: Clarence H. (1867), Emily E. (1870), and Amelia B. (1876). In 1895, Emily would give birth to Bill W.

In 1890, William “Bill” D. [left] was born in Bardwell, Kentucky. He would sober up in June 1935 at Akron Ohio’s City Hospital with the help of Bill W., Dr. Bob S., and possibly Edgar R. His story, “Alcoholic Anonymous Number Three” appears in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous.

In 1937, Bill W. held a “setup meeting” the night before a group of alcoholics—chosen by Bill—was to attend a Monday dinner hosted by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. [right, c. 1937]. The attendees were Lois W.^*, Dr. Bob S., Paul S., Hank & Kathleen^* P., Ned^† P., Bill R., Joe T.^‡, and Fitz M. There is no known record of what transpired.

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^*Nonalcoholic

^†Ned had recently joined the New York Group. Hank had given him a job at Honor Dealers, but he wouldn't remain sober for long and would eventually prove to be a con man, relieving the Parkhursts of “a car, a new suit, and some of Hank’s papers” within a couple of months.

^‡Joe had been associated with the New York Group since 1936 but had fluctuated between drinking and sobriety. He was apparently deemed sober enough at this time to be invited to the dinner.

In 1940, an A.A. meeting was held in St. Louis, Missouri, marking the first such gathering in the city and in the state. 
    After returning from his meeting with Bill W. at the 24th St. Clubhouse in New York City, Father Ed Dowling [left] was contacted by F., who claimed that his son-in-law had a drinking problem. However, it was actually F. himself who had the problem and needed help. With Father Ed’s support and encouragement, F. gathered four other prospective members and organized the first A.A. meeting in St. Louis—and in the state of Missouri—at the Gibson Hotel [right], 5883 Enright Ave.