A bell that has been recast twice and contains the remains of an original Revere bell decorates the garden next to the first Congregational Parish, Unitarian Church in Petersham. It has a story to tell.
The story began when it was hung in the town’s Second Church and Meetinghouse built in 1783. The bell with the inscription, “The Living to the Church I call and to the grave I summon all,” was a gift of Eleazer Bradshaw esq. of Brookfield. The bell was recast in 1798. In 1842, the Unitarians built their own church on the west side of the common, where the bell was then relocated to. This church is today known as the First Congregational Parish, Unitarian Church.
In 1908, Petersham endured a long dry summer. As a result, a fire broke out at the Simms Farm estate located next to the church. The fire quickly spread to the horse sheds at the church and from there to the church building itself, according to Larry Buell, Petersham historian. Several items were rescued from this fire including several pews, bibles, membership books and settler’s benches, which are still housed in the church today, he continued. The building itself was lost.
Despite the loss, with the help of the residents of Petersham as well as Petersham’s wealthy summer residents, the church was quickly rebuilt. The bell, which had been recast by Meneeley Bell Co. in Troy N.Y. containing metal from the old bell, was placed in the belfry. The recast bell was donated by Ruth Wetherell (Mudge) Rogers, the daughter of Capt. John G. Mudge of Petersham, who led over 100 Petersham soldiers into the Civil War. The new church was dedicated on June 2, 1910 with the Rev. Fenn serving as the keynote speaker.
In the 1960s, according to Buell, the bell developed a crack. It was decided to take the bell out of the belfry and display it at its current location. Buell stated he remembered that they used a huge crane to take down the bell and put the new one up. In 1976, a garden next to the bell was dedicated to three women: Beatrice Cook Kieffer, Helen Coolidge, and Ruth Beals Buell, Larry Buell’s mother. “These were strong and contributing members of the Unitarian Universalist Church and particularly of the Ladies Alliance of the church,” Buell said. The bell and the garden can still be seen today on the West Street side of the church in the center of Petersham.
Carla Charter is a freelance writer from Phillipston. Her writing focuses on history with a particular interest in the history of the North Quabbin area. Contact her at cjfreelancewriter@earthlink.net.