Two Decades | Page 4

appeal
was submitted and adopted:
APPEAL.
In the name of God and humanity we make our appeal:
Knowing, as we do, that the sale of intoxicating liquors is the parent of
every misery, prolific of all woe in this life and the next, potent alone in
evil, blighting every fair hope, desolating families, the chief incentive
to crime, we, the mothers, wives, and daughters, representing the moral
and religious sentiment of our town, to save the loved members of our
households from the temptation of strong drink, from acquiring an
appetite for it, and to rescue, if possible, those that have already

acquired it, earnestly request that you will pledge yourself to cease the
traffic here in these drinks, forthwith and forever. We will also add the
hope that you will abolish your gaming tables.
The women then retired to the room below, organized for work, and
arranged a line of march. The men meanwhile prayed and planned,
twenty-three of them pledging to pay the percentage of $1,000 placed
opposite their names for carrying on the work.
At half-past twelve o'clock the procession marched out of the basement
of the Baptist Church, over one hundred being in line. These were the
wives of Fredonia's most respected citizens, venerable and revered
matrons, as well as many young women. Headed by Mrs. Judge Barker
and Mrs. Rev. Lester Williams, they quietly walked across the park
straight to the Taylor House saloon. The band of women filed in, nearly
filling the place. Mrs. Barker immediately made known their mission.
Mrs. Williams read to the proprietor the appeal. A hymn was sung to
Pleyel's sweet air, and all joined in the Lord's prayer, after which Mrs.
Tremaine, a venerable and gifted woman, offered a prayer full of
Christian tenderness. Mr. Taylor was then asked if he would not accede
to their appeal. He finally said, "If the rest will close their places, I'll
close mine." His brother and partner did not consent so readily. The
ladies asked him to consider the matter, promising to call the next day
for his decision. The proprietor replied "That he would be pleased to
see them every day," and politely bowed the ladies out. This visit was a
sample of those made until every saloon, hotel, and drug store had been
visited. This work was continued daily, and during the week union
prayer-meetings were held every night. One drug store responded to the
appeal; one hotel closed its bar; the visits became distasteful to one
dealer, and he locked the women out.
The Fredonia Censor, a weekly paper, in its issue of Wednesday,
December 17, 1873, contained the following headlines:
A TEMPERANCE REVIVAL.
* * * * *

Enthusiastic Meeting Sunday Evening--Every Place where Liquor is
Sold in Fredonia Visited by a Band of One Hundred Women on
Monday--They Appeal to the Proprietors to Stop the Traffic--A Season
of Prayer and Hymns in Rum Shops.
On Monday afternoon, December 21, the women met to perfect a
permanent organization, which they did by adopting the following
pledge and name:
PLEDGE.
We, the undersigned women of Fredonia, feeling that God has laid
upon us a work to do for temperance, do hereby pledge ourselves to
united and continuous effort to suppress the traffic in intoxicating
liquors in our village until this work be accomplished; and that we will
stand ready for united effort upon any renewal of the traffic. We will
also do what we can to alleviate the woes of drunkards' families, and to
rescue from drunkenness those who are pursuing its ways.
NAME.
This society shall be known as The Woman's Christian Temperance
Union of Fredonia.
Two hundred and eight members were enrolled, sixty-four of whom
were young women. The first officers were: Mrs. George Barker,
President; Mrs. D. R. Barker, Vice-President; Mrs. L. A. Barmore,
Secretary; Mrs. L. L. Riggs, Treasurer.
Thus was the wonderful movement called "The Crusade" begun, and
the first local Woman's Christian Temperance Union organized.
That the local paper was keeping a keen watch on the movements of the
women is evidenced by the following headlines in the Censor of
December 24, 1873:
TEMPERANCE REVIVAL.

* * * * *
One Less Bar to Practice At--A Permanent Temperance Union
Formed--Over Two Hundred Women Pledged "Until this Work is
Accomplished."
CHAPTER I.
"THE SOBER SECOND THOUGHT OF THE CRUSADE."
It soon became apparent that the methods of the crusade could not be
continued indefinitely; that in order to strengthen and perpetuate the
work already begun organization was necessary. This sentiment
prevailed in the State of New York, and many local societies, bearing
various names, had already been formed.
The initiatory for a state organization was taken by the Woman's
Temperance Union of Syracuse, which, at a meeting held September 10,
1874, decided to call a state convention