Bill Wilson

Diagnoses

Personal

Vocation

Notable

Family

American founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. In May 1935 he met Dr. Bob (Robert Holbrook Smith) and, in 1937, he and the New York alcoholics separated from the Oxford group. The Alcoholic Foundation was legally established in 1938. Wilson's birth was difficult, a forceps delivery was necessary. His parents were divorced when he was 11. Wilson had his first drink in 1917 while in the U.S. Armed Forces and found that all the hesitation and insecurity dissolved. A high achiever, he was driven to success in whatever he tackled but the residue was a layer of insecurity. On 1/24/1918 he was married to Lois Burnham and, after his release from the Army, they settled in Brooklyn, NY. After Wilson finished his military service, he became a successful securities analyst from 1919-1925. However, his career was marred by an increasing drinking problem. Eight years later, in 1933, he entered Towns Hospital for the first time, and he had his last drink on 12/11/1934. (Another account gives 12/18/1934.) Soon he began to think about how he could help other alcoholics. He wrote "Alcoholics Anonymous," 1939 and "The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions," 1953. Wilson died on 1/24/1971. The first meeting of Bill and Dr. Bob might be considered as the chart of Alcoholics Anonymous; May 12, 1935, 5:00 PM EST, Akron, OH. Link to Wikipedia biography