The library is filled with pictures, plaques, pamphlets, records, books, histories, curricula, religious emphasis, chapel data, and. Ebbys role is documented in our big book in the chapter called bills story. He was the son of albany mayor, george thacher, and the uncle of albany mayor, john boyd thacher ii. Other material was taken from sections of conference approved books listed in the reference section below. Jung to ebby thacher and in turn to bill wilsonwho cofounded a. Ebby told of a simple religious idea a vital spiritual experience, and a practical program of action the. Alcoholics anonymous aa 12 step speaker cd ebby thatcher. Even the most consistent and longstanding of aa agnostica fans will be delighted to discover that there are 16 chapters in the book that have never before been published, here or elsewhere. Alcoholics anonymous aa 12 step speaker cd ebby thacher. Alcoholics anonymous and alcoholics anonymous history.
Bill wilson wrote this dedication in an aa book he gave to ebby thacher. He is credited with introducing wilson to the initial principles that aa would soon develop. Eliphalet ball, a congregationalist clergyman and an early settler, was 5,409 at the 2010 census. Bagehot the populist revolution may become a victim of. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Ebby himself reminded me of a couple of we so often have bill w. Alcoholics anonymous history alcoholism and addiction treatment spirituality and religion psychology and philosophy recovery and self help click on squares below. It is both a fascinating history of the formative years of alcoholics anonymous, as well as the bittersweet tale of the troubled man bill w. Silkworth confirmed that he was not crazy but that he had had just the sort of spiritual experience that sometimes cures alcoholics. Although the address of the thacher residence is listed in this book, there continues a. On march 21 st, 1966 ebby thacher died in ballston spa new york.
Much of the above material is synthesized from ebbys biography by mel b. Alcoholics anonymous has a rich history to be preserved and cherished. Certainly that is the way that bill wilson himself referred to ebby on numerous occasions 1957. In 1960, at the long beach, california convention of alcoholics anonymous, bill wilson wrote this dedication in an aa book that he gave to ebby thacher. Ebby thacher project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Narcotics anonymous alcoholics anonymous bill w al anon alcohol is a drug sober life addiction recovery sobriety history. A my musing was interrupted by the 12 steps have evolved from 1938 writings by the founder of alcoholics anonymous into some of the most lifechanging selfhelp tenets in history. Twelve defining moments in the history of alcoholics anonymous. Northfield is the location of norwich university, a prestigious military academy attended by bill w. Ebby was bill wilsons sponsor and the man who first carried the recovery message to a very ill bill w.
William james, bill wilson, and the development of. But before we have a look at key players in aa history, lets back up just a little bit bob first starting writing on aa agnostica a little over three years ago, in december, 2011. A few days after bill wilson entered towns hospital december 11, 1934 he was visited by his sponsortobe, ebby thacher. Ebby thatcher tells his alcoholics anonymous story four good.
Generations of thachers experienced successes in business, politics, society and church. As revealed by original printed and manuscript records, together with an essay on peter martyr o. And these comments very much apply to bobs writing in his wonderful book, key players in aa history. Sep 12, 2012 the vermont boyhood period of bill wilson and ebby thacher, involving bill, ebby, bills friend mark whalon, the burnhams, the congregational churches, the burr and burton seminary, norwich university a military academy, rev. After 15 years of research into the history of alcoholics anonymous, i would. What is known as the big book of alcoholics anonymous was published in 1939 by wilson and smith, or as they were known for years simply bill w. The next day ebby brought bill a copy of william james book the varieties of religious experience. Christian roots of the 1850s to the period just after bill wilson published the first edition of alcoholics anonymous in april 1939. Aa beyond belief provides a space for agnostics, atheists and freethinkers in alcoholics anonymous to freely share their experience, strength and hope with each other and aa as a whole. In 1934, ebby thatcher called an old drinking buddy to tell him about the happiness he was finding in sobriety.
In 1934, ebby thatcher called an old drinking buddy to tell him about the. While ebby thacher is important for helping bill become sober, his complete story is also important because it elaborates the complete story of alcoholism. Ebby thacher from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia edwin throckmorton thacher 29 april 1896 21 march 1966 commonly known as ebby thacher or ebby t. His friends name was bill wilson, and this book is the story of their. Bill wilson had made such a fuss over the failures of the washingtonian movement that it can be said that his a. Cathy gillen thackers main inspiration for writing romance novels were the romantic entanglements of her family. Rowland hazard iii october 29, 1881 december 20, 1945 was an american businessman and member of a prominent rhode island family involved in the foundation and executive leadership of a number of wellknown companies. This is both a fascinating history of the formative years of alcoholics anonymous, as well as the bittersweet tale of the troubled man bill w. Alcoholics anonymous aa was founded in 1935 by bill wilson known as bill w. Ebby thatcher tells his alcoholics anonymous story four good talks on two cds. It is interesting to see that the man who led bill w to the idea of aa through the oxford group was less successful and remained out of recovery more than he was in it. Robert todd lincoln, president lincolns son, had lived across the street at the turn of the century.
The early pages of the 93page book are similar to earlier one, however, its appendix pages contain short bios of rowland hazard, ebby thacher, bill. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. In this recording, wilson gives a public lecture on the history of aa and his experience in 1934 when he was visited by old drinking companion ebby thacher, who had been sober for several weeks under the guidance of the evangelical christian oxford group. Edwin throckmorton thacher ebby was born on april 29, 1896, into. Michael fitzpatrick has put together an interesting book dr.
Perkins, and the mutual airplane crash involving bill and ebby. The thachers of albany, new york the story of ebby thacher is one of large promise and poor performance. History of the 12 steps of na and aa where did they come from. It sure seems that ebby thatchers life exemplified well in this book with fascinating historical accounts demonstrates too the more that will be revealed. The library is filled with pictures, plaques, pamphlets, records, books, histories, curricula, religious emphasis, chapel data, and more. Some people have viewed ebby as a founder of the alcoholics anonymous program, because of the message of sobriety he brought to bill wilson. And of course, mel bs book, ebby, the man who sponsored bill w. The conversion of bill w more on the creators role in. Ebby thatcher tells his alcoholics anonymous story four good talks on two cds history of recovery on. John boyd thacher is the author of christopher columbus. One of ebbys rather well known drinking episodes took place on a saturday morning in january of 1929. This web site intends to focus readers on accurate, truthful, comprehensive alcoholics anonymous historyparticularly as it extends from the prea. A place to start was a november 1934, kitchen table meeting between ebby thacher and bill wilson p. There is no other historical material of this kind.
Rowland hazard iii was a wealthy rhode island businessman who had become an alcoholic, requiring hospitalization on more than one occasion. Nov 05, 20 this is both a fascinating history of the formative years of alcoholics anonymous, as well as the bittersweet tale of the troubled man bill w. Our friend, bob k, has written an exceptional book. I stand by the door by sam shoemaker from the oxford group i stand by the door. Apr 10, 2014 in 2011, time magazine placed the big book on its 100 most influential books written in english since 1923 not coincidentally the year the magazine was founded. Northfield, vermont location of norwich university. Vermont aa history workshops radio interview of bill.
John boyd thacher september 11, 1847 february 25, 1909 was the mayor of albany, new york and new york state senator as well as an american manufacturer, writer, and book collector. You may notice the exact address of the thacher residence is not listed in this book. Second, the rowland hazardcarl jung account has been related by rowland hazard personally to many on the new york a. Shepard cornell and cebra graves, bill wilson himself, professor philip marshall brown of princeton, and shoemakers associates rev. The economist is making some of its most important coverage of the covid19 pandemic freely available to readers of the economist today, our daily newsletter. Bill wilson and his aa sponsor ebby thatcher of early. As you will see below, there are 32 chapters in the book. Misconceptions about alcoholics anonymous aa abound in spite of or because of the thousands of theses, dissertations, books, professional and popular articles, and internet commentaries that have been written about aa. Sam shoemaker, rector of calvary episcopal church, were bills doorkeepers. This huge, prestigious, and very old united states military academy was attended by bill wilson, ebby thacher. A preaa history book, a study of synchronic events between years 1926 and 1935.
We can honor this legacy by remembering those who came before us and by knowing our beginnings and the origins of aa. The caller was ebby thacher, a friend from bills childhood years. On march 21st, 1966 ebby thacher died in ballston spa new york. Upon walking through the cathedrals cemetery, he saw to the tombstone of thomas thetcher who bill thought might be an ancestor of his friend ebby thatcher. However, it is available by contacting me directly. Ebby reiterated his neat little formula, which was initially discussed at the kitchen table meeting several weeks previous at 182 clinton street. Cornell rescued ebby thacher from incarceration for alcoholism. Aa history early alcoholics anonymous articles bill w. Mar 24, 2017 just before christmas, jon did a great podcast for this site with bob k about aa history and the issues that atheists have in 12 step fellowships.
In his seventieth year, and on the twentyfirst of march, my friend and sponsor ebby passed beyond our sight and hearing. Edwin throckmorton thacher 29 april 1896 21 march 1966 commonly known as ebby thacher or ebby t. Being a history minded sort of guy, i have spent many years studying the ingredients and suggestions of the aa program. When ebby died in 1966, he was sober but living as a dependent at a recovery center in upstate new york. Just before christmas, jon did a great podcast for this site with bob k about aa history and the issues that atheists have in 12 step fellowships. He believes this is the wave of future information about a. End of journey report on vermont aa history christian. Ebby thatcher tells his alcoholics anonymous story four. Thackers family stories including her own are swoonworthy but they reinforce what is important to her writing. Ebby, an archetypal black sheep, was a slacker, a floater, who never quite embraced adulthood. In affection, bill today march 21st, marks the 54th anniversary of the passing of ebby thacher. Dear ebby, no day passes that i do not remember that you brought me the message that saved me and only god knows how many more. History and christian recovery september 2012 workshops.
Ebbys role is documented in our big book in the chapter called. Alcoholics anonymous history and the temperance movement temperance, abstinence, and the widespread concerns of society. The big book that gave alcoholics hope in 12 steps turns 75. Ebbys role is documented in our big book in the chapter called bills story and in the many history books about aa. We spent time at, and photos were taken in, kreitzberg library. I thought it was really good and decided to read bobs book on the history of aa called key players in aa history. The vermont boyhood period of bill wilson and ebby thacher, involving bill, ebby, bills friend mark whalon, the burnhams, the congregational churches, the burr and burton seminary, norwich university a military academy, rev. Bill was so amazed by the epitaph written there that he remembered it years later while writing his own story for the book alcoholics anonymous. Yet, tragically, ebby thacher, the man who ignited bill wilsons interest in spiritual self help, soon relapsed into drunkenness. Bill wilson, the cofounder of alcoholics anonymous, recalls the fateful meeting that changed his life and planted the seed for the 12 steps in the big book of a. Alcoholics anonymous aa 12 step speaker cd ebby thacher bill ws sponsor.
The stage is now set for the next important preaa history person to appear in this sequence of events. A rare recording of bill wilson by bill wilson audiobook. Edwin throckmorton thacher 29 april 1896 21 march 1966 was an old drinking friend and. On a chill november afternoon in 1934 it was ebby who had brought me the message that saved my life. End of journey report on vermont aa historychristian. Rich in lessons of perseverance, courage and determination. Edwin throckmorton thacher 18961966, more commonly known as ebby is. The story of ebby thacher is one of large privilege and poor performance. By seventeen, ebby thacher was already mired in mediocrity, a problem exacerbated by his being surrounded by a family of achievers. Perkins, and the mutual airplane crash involving bill and ebby at manchester. Ebby spent much of his remaining life in a battle with alcohol, often ill and destitute. Subsequently, the history of alcoholics anonymous aa has been documented in books, movies, and aa literature. Sons of ebby sons of ebby soe pays tribute to ebby thacher 18961966 through thematicallyrelevant clothing products, media and accessories.
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