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Sue
Thompson
Enfield Town Historian
Ellie
Hobbie
Deputy Town Historian
Town Enfield Government
Web Site
(www.townofenfield.org)
E-Mail: sdt1@cornell.edu
Phone: 607-272-6412
Fax: 607-272-6412
Enfield Town Hall
168 Enfield Main Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
History
of the Town
Enfield
Historical Society
Historians
Newsletter
The
Town of Enfield in History Books
Historical
Markers of Enfield (pdf)
The
Barns of Enfield New York
Churches
Cemeteries
Schools
Friends
of the Mill (Robert H. Treman State Park - Upper)
Historical
and Enfield Links
Searches
-
Where are They
Broom
Corn Project
A Time
Line for the
Town of Enfield
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- Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 3:00 p.m., come see "Protecting the Old Mill" in the auditorium at Longview (a senior living community) on the west side of Route 96B south of Ithaca College. Assistant Park Manager Jim Dunn will explain the history and functioning of the mill in his illustrated talk. The event is free and open to all; free freshments will be available. For more information, write or call me, Tony Ingraham, President, Friends of Robert H. Treman State Park, 607-275-0344
owlgorge@earthlink.net (See Friends Section of this web site)
- Enfield Historical Society Meeting
April 16, 2008
7:00 P.M.
Enfield Community Building,
Enfield Main Road
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Women’s Christian Temperance Union
Sue Thompson, Enfield Town Historian
I am working on expanding the section on the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in Chapter 12 of The Town of Enfield New York Christian Hill to Enfield Falls .
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union was organized by women who were concerned about the problems alcohol was causing their families and society. The members chose total abstinence from all alcohol as their life style and protection of the home. The start of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in Tompkins County, was sparked by a speech from a visiting temperance advocate Diocletian Lewis on February 26, 1874. The first saloon in Ithaca to succumb to the influence of the temperance crusade is that of Charles Davenport, in the Clinton Block on Cayuga street. The first reporting of a WCTU representative from Enfield was Mrs. Thurston in 1883. Besides temperance activities, the women busied themselves operating Ithaca’s first kindergarten, caring for the needy, and engaging in regular “jail work.” By 1913, there was a Tompkins county WCTU with local chapters in most of the communities. Enfield Union Organized in 1908 and Kennedy’s Corners Union organized in 1913. The Enfield Unions became involved in the local, Tompkins WCTU, along with the New York State and National WCTU. Meetings of the NYS WCTU met in Ithaca in 1880, 1902 and 1915. Representatives from the Enfield unions where sent to Ithaca and there they met National and State representatives such as Mrs. Ella Boole, who ran for the US Senate in 1920 and was President of WCTU from 1925 to 1933.
One of the projects the local Union was involved with was petitioning the Enfield Town board to not grant Ray Lanning a Dance Hall License. Within the Enfield Town Board Minutes Page 47 ______ lst, 1930 : “Meeting of the Town board called to order by the Supr. Alan Rumsey Rool (roll) call: Present: Alan Rumsey, V.W. Earl, H.A. Rockwell, Thomas Brown, Clerk H.D. Bailey, Clayton Purdy (absent). Ray S. Lanning made application for a Dance Hall License he also presented a petition signed by 97 signers to grant him a license. There was also a petition signed by 93 signers to not grant him such license. M & S that we take a ballot on the application of Ray S. Lanning for a Dance hall License (Carried). It was agreed to vote yes for license and it was agreed to vote no for against license. Vote was taken 5 ballots cast 4 ballots for no against license 1 ballot for yes for license. Supr. Declared that the license rejected.”
Does anyone know about this? Where was Ray Lanning’s Dance Hall?
I would also like to hear from anyone whose family was involved in the WCTU of
Enfield. Some of the people who played a big role in the Unions in Enfield were: Mary Bundy, Alice Sheldon, Elsie Baker, Mary Bennett, Edith Fish, Ella Freese, Elva and Isabell Legge, Jennie Leonard, Nellie Mitchell, Libbie Newman, Pearl Rockwell, and Lillian Sheffield.
If you are interested in helping out give me a call or e-mail (Sue Thompson, Enfield Town Historian – 272-6412 or sdt1@cornell.edu)
Chapters
From
The Town of Enfield New York
Christian Hill to Enfield Falls
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