The following is reprinted from the "Constitution and By-Laws of The Auburn Reform Club," organized February 16, 1875. It is contained in a booklet printed by Kimball Brothers of Auburn in 1875.
Whereas, we, the undersigned, having experienced the evil effects of intoxicating drinks, alike upon ourselves, families and society, therefore
Resolved, That, for mutural benefit we do form ourselves into an Association, to be called the Auburn Reform Club.
Resolved, That having often tried in our own strength to reform, and having often failed, we recognize our dependance upon God and our desire in His strength to be kept.
Resolved, That all meetings of this club be opened and closed with a call for divine assistance.
Resolved, That knowing full well that there is a bond of sympathy between men who have fallen before similar temptations, we agree that to be eligible to membership in this club candidates must be persons who have drank more or less intoxicating liquor, and know its evil effects.
Resolved, That we subscribe to the following
We, the undersigned, for our own good and the good of the world, do hereby promise and engage, with the help of Almighty God, to abstain from buying, selling or using alcoholic or malt beverages, wine and cider included.
Thomas Hodgkin, son of Jonathan and Betty (Meservy) Hodgkin, was born in 1778, the year after his parents moved to Lewiston from Gloucester, Massachusetts. He served as Lewiston town teasurer for twenty years beginning in 1817 and served a term in the Maine Legislature in 1837. He lived at what is now 217 Ferry Road.
Hodgkin maintained a diary from 1803 until shortly before his death in 1855. The following are some interesting selections from early portions:
the 5 Am I was at work for Little finishing Splitting the Stone pm Ezra purinton & myself had our team there & Loaded the Stone and hauld it to Lewiston falls for Little we got there about eight oclock in the even. we Carryed our oxen over to Esq Littles put them up & we staid all night. I had ames garcelons oxen.
the 6 we got the millstone over the river I hauld it up to the mill I was to have 9 dollars for hauling the stone, mr purinton is to have one half--then we Came home about the middle of the day.
the 7 I went up to the falls I talkd some with Esq Little about giting a pair of millstones for him but did not agree sartin
the 22 I was at home. Mr. Breen & his wife Come hear Staid all night & I think I had Some Little Satisfaction in hearing them converse on religion though I would not own it I let my brother [Benjamin] have one Quintle of dry fish for which he agreed to giv me 5 days work
the 23 the Lord sent the messenger Death Suddenly into our neighbourhood and took Mr. Philip M Banks from time to Eternity. this man was formerly an inhabitant of this place but haveing bin a long time absent had now in the Corse of providence returned with his wife to Visit there friends & both Traviled from peter garcelons to Henery Carvills well as usule and after a few words in Conversation with Mr. Carvills family they Sat down near together and within a minit his wife hearing him make a noise turned hir head & he was breathing his last & died without uttering a word. I went in to See him but all Seamd to have no efect on my rebelious heart
the 24 was Sd I was at the funeral of Mr. Banks Elder Roberts preached on the ocasion from 1 Thisalonans IV-15
>the 26 I went up to the falls to mill & home. The Town Clerk Called here (the Same which I met in the Street the 28 of November) & gave me a certificate of my publishments I gave him 25 cents
the 27 I was hauling wood all day it was very pleasant
the 28 I killed 3 hogs my Brother helped me it was very Coald
the 29 was Sd it was a very blustering storm my brother went after was married at 12 oclock in the day to Esther Hodgkin [his niece] She being 18 years & 2 days old myself 33 years & 7 month & 23 days I gave the Esq. two dollars as it was blustering my brother & his wife was present
the 30 we were shoveling through the Drifts in the road
the 31 I was hauling wood for the fire
the 13 I bound & hauld in 593 Sheaves of rye James Ames jr helped me � the day I hauld in 1 jag of hay at 10 o'clock in the Even I was Called upon to hunt for old Mr garcelon who had got into the woods in a Crazy fit unbenone to his folks about 21 of us ranged the woods with lanterns till 2 oclock did not find him in the morning soon as light there was about 70 people hunting he was found on the hill called the Hogsback alive
the 20 After the hunt I bound & hauld in 209 Sheaves of rye which makes 1052 Sheaves from two bushels Sowing
the 21 was rainy I was Spreading rye in the barn to dry
the 26 I was building fence & took a bea hive & honey
the 27 I took 23 Dozen of pigeons & did but little except tending them george williams had 1 dozen James Ames jr 2 dozen
the 28 I hauld in Some peas & beans & took 12 dozen of pigeons wm Brooks had 3 dozen george williams 1 dozen E-na Dyre jr 1 Dozen there is several dozen given away each day that I Make no account of
the 30 was a rainy day I took 10 dozen of pigeons James Ames jr had 1 dozen
the 2 Am I was Clearing off an old fence hauling Stone &c pm I went to Town Meeting the Town voted 500 dollars as a reward to any person that will give evidence against the person or persons that set fire to the mills which was burnt in this town on the night of the 24 ult owned by Josiah Little Esq I Subscribed 10 dollars to the rebuilding of the mills
the 14 was a tight rainstorm I finished off a Screw & beam for Curtis
the 15 was Sd I went down to help Secure Salmon Bridg against the water
the 16 I went to the river to help take care of there things the water was so high that it ran into Jerymiah dingley's house over the window Stools and it was juest to the top of the upper doar Stone at old Mrs. garcelons dore.
the 17 I went to the river & five of us went to the bend in a battau I bought Some things for my mother as she was unwell while we was gone young wm dingley fell in the river and was drowned we hunted after him but could not find him
the 18 Am there was upwards of 20 men hunting for the boy & could not find him then we came home pm I went again with 4 or 5 others & found him & brought him home to his parents
the 19 Am was making a coffin for the disceased pm I attended the funeral Elder Roberts preached I let wm Carvill have 1� bushels of corn
the 20 my oldest child was taken very sick I went after doctor Chandler he came & laid a blistering plaster on her arm & left Several Sorts of medicine he asked me 2 dol & 25 cents I paid him the Cash Capt Fuller had my four oxen ploughing
the 21 was rainy I went down to Mark garcelons paid a peck of lime to him & borrowed a beaming knife & I unhaired some hides
the 13 I Sat out with two Sleighs for portland with buter & Cheas & oats I had wm dingleys mare & Sleigh jonathan [Hodgkin, his nephew] went with me
Sold oats at Freeport at 3s then went on to Stevenses Tavern Staid all night at 11 o'clock at night an express arrived in portland bringing the joyfull news of a Treaty of peace being Signed between the minesters of the United States & great britan the bells were ringing & guns fireing all the remainder of the night the 14 & all day so that there was but little chance to do business in Town I sold butter at 20 cents Cheas at 10 cents--then we came home
the 20 A M I was at work in my Shop, pm I went to town meeting to vote for a division of the State there was 40 in favor & 62 opposed . . .
the 2 I was at work in my Shop am pm I went to town Meeting to give a vote on the question of Seperation--there was 73 in favour & 83 opposed . . .
Harry W. Rowe assumed the presidency in 1958, with Ruth Estes as recording secretary. They, with March and Thibault, served again in 1959-1960, with the addition of Harold Redding as vice president, a new office. All were re-elected in 1960-1961, when another new office was added, that of attorney and general counsel, filled by Willis A. Trafton Jr. He continues to hold that post. This was also the year that Gordon Windle and Leslie Wight, current directors, were named to the board. Windle served as president 1981-1985.
An explanation of how two new offices came into being when the by-laws did not call for them may lie in the minutes of a May 15, 1958, board meeting. The minutes state that John Libby presented a new constitution and by-laws to replace "the missing documents," with no mention of when or how they disappeared. Later that month, at the annual meeting, the membership voted to strike out all old by-laws and to adopt the new set. We assume the office of vice president and that of attorney were included, as subsequent by-laws list them.
If any past officers and directors can add to our information on the by-laws, please let us know. Since official records, of necessity, tend to be brief and skeletal, we trust that anyone with fuller knowledge of the activities we record in this series will help us fill in the gaps for a more accurate history.
The Androscoggin Historical Society has contributed from our holdings a new extensive name and place index to the reprint of William D. Williamson's The History of the State of Maine from Its First Discovery, A.D. 1602, to the Separation, A.D. 1820, Inclusive. The original had a detailed table of contents, but no index. This work is the classic history of Maine covering in great detail the long period prior to its separation from Massachusetts in 1820. There is an opening chapter on the geography, flora, fauna, and minerals of the State, but the bulk of the work is carefully documented historical information on the evolution and development of Maine. (1832) reprint, 2 vols. each in two parts, c1400 pp., paper, $60.00. Published by Heritage Books, Bowie, Maryland.
"Obtaining a permanent museum is now the main thought of the Androscoggin Historical and Antiquarian Society, and to provide the funds necessary for such an undertaking, membership fees have been put on a new basis. Life memberships will be $50 hereafter, $5 will provide a contributing membership, and $1 will be the annual membership fee.
"The plan was studied and approved by a large membership attendance held in the society rooms in the county building last night. . . ." Lewiston Evening Journal, January 28, 1942, p. 2.
We still occupy the same rooms in the county building. The only change in fees is our annual membership fee of $3.
Our first profile of a researcher using our collection is of Mona Ervin of Auburn, a teacher at Lewiston High School, who is enrolled at the New England Studies Program at University of Southern Maine. She has chosen to do her thesis on the diary of Anne Susan Jumper from May 1844 to May 1846. Miss Jumper (1824-1881) was born in Minot in 1824, the daughter of Dr. Nicholas and Huldah (Chandler) Jumper. She married Oliver H. Brown in 1852 and had seven children.
Mrs. Ervin has transcribed the diary and now is writing an introduction to the diary along with annotations. When completed, we shall receive a copy of the work.
Androscoggin Historical Society
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