1905: Clinton “Duke” P. was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to George W. and
Frances Thompson P. In 1918, the family would move to Kansas City, Missouri,
where Duke would graduate from the University of Missouri in 1926 and from
the Kansas City School of Law in 1932. That same year, he married Catherine
“Katie” Northern.
In 1940, Duke would be admitted to Akron City Hospital in Akron, Ohio, with “acute gastritis,” and it was there that he sobered up. Dr. Bob S. became his sponsor, and later that year, he led the first A.A. meeting in Toledo, Ohio.
1947: Despite only two A.A. groups existing in the area, the Dallas Central Office opened and held its first Board meeting. Located in the Davis Building
[left, c. 1945]
at 1309 Main Street (near Akard Street), the office was a musty,
slightly cluttered space.
Dick P. served as the director. Although he suffered physical ailments from Jamaica Ginger*
[right]
poisoning during Prohibition, he tirelessly answered phones, coordinated
12th-Step calls, shared with friends and strangers over coffee, and even
sold literature.
Over the next several years, the office would relocate a few times, but always remained in the Downtown Dallas area.
1951: Cliff W. [left]
of Los Angeles, California, sober since 1941, was elected as the first
Southern California Delegate to the General Service Conference.
A year before getting sober, in March 1940, Cliff had invited a stranger, Mort J.
[right], into his home. Mort had just left the residence of Kaye Miller, a
non-alcoholic who was trying to start A.A. meetings in Los Angeles, but was
giving up and moving to Hawai'i. Desperate to talk to someone about his
alcoholism to help him stay sober, Mort had retrieved leads from Kaye’s
wastebasket, including Cliff’s name and address, which had been submitted to
the Alcoholic Foundation by Cliff's wife. Although Cliff had no interest in
quitting drinking at the time, he felt sympathy for Mort and agreed to
listen.
In 1940, Duke would be admitted to Akron City Hospital in Akron, Ohio, with “acute gastritis,” and it was there that he sobered up. Dr. Bob S. became his sponsor, and later that year, he led the first A.A. meeting in Toledo, Ohio.
1947: Despite only two A.A. groups existing in the area, the Dallas Central Office opened and held its first Board meeting. Located in the Davis Building
[left, c. 1945]
at 1309 Main Street (near Akard Street), the office was a musty,
slightly cluttered space.Dick P. served as the director. Although he suffered physical ailments from Jamaica Ginger*
[right]
poisoning during Prohibition, he tirelessly answered phones, coordinated
12th-Step calls, shared with friends and strangers over coffee, and even
sold literature.Over the next several years, the office would relocate a few times, but always remained in the Downtown Dallas area.
*During the Prohibition Era, Jamaica Ginger was typically made at home or
produced illicitly, using whatever ingredients were available, which led to
inconsistent quality and potency. Homemade recipes often consisted of fresh
ginger, sugar, water, and high-proof alcohol such as moonshine. The quality
and safety of this bootlegged Jamaica Ginger were dubious, and consumers
risked contamination or exposure to harmful ingredients. Nevertheless,
ginger liqueurs remained popular during Prohibition, frequently used in
cocktails to disguise the unpleasant taste of inferior alcohol.
1951: Cliff W. [left]
of Los Angeles, California, sober since 1941, was elected as the first
Southern California Delegate to the General Service Conference.A year before getting sober, in March 1940, Cliff had invited a stranger, Mort J.
[right], into his home. Mort had just left the residence of Kaye Miller, a
non-alcoholic who was trying to start A.A. meetings in Los Angeles, but was
giving up and moving to Hawai'i. Desperate to talk to someone about his
alcoholism to help him stay sober, Mort had retrieved leads from Kaye’s
wastebasket, including Cliff’s name and address, which had been submitted to
the Alcoholic Foundation by Cliff's wife. Although Cliff had no interest in
quitting drinking at the time, he felt sympathy for Mort and agreed to
listen.
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