John Howard Melish, William Howard Melish and Protestant Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity collection
Call Number
Dates
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The Rev. John Howard Melish (1874-1969) was pastor at the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity, Brooklyn, New York (1904-1949), while his son, the Rev. William Howard Melish (1910-1986), was associate rector at the same church from 1938 to 1957. The bulk of this collection covers 1947-1958, a period of time during which the two clergymen, with the support of parish congregants, struggled to remain attached to the Church of the Holy Trinity despite efforts by the church vestry and the Episcopal Bishop of Long Island to remove them. In the midst of the Cold War era, the Melishes' removal was sought because of, at least in part, the son's role as Chairman of the National Council for Soviet-American Friendship. The bulk of the collection consists of clippings maintained by William Howard Melish, but also includes correspondence, notes, and other documents from Melish and his supporters, including congregant Anna May Mason. The collection also includes an audiotape of William Howard Melish's remarks at the 1963 memorial service held for W. E. B. Du Bois in Ghana.
Biographical note
John Howard Melish was born in Milford, Ohio in 1874; attended the University of Cincinnati, Harvard Divinity School, and the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Mass.; became associate rector of Christ Church in Cincinnati in 1900; and came to Brooklyn to serve as the rector for the Church of the Holy Trinity in 1904. In 1915-16, he gained some fame within the church for his efforts to give women the right to vote in the annual parish meetings of the Episcopal Church. He was also a fraternal delegate to the Central Trades Labor Council of Greater New York and Chairman of the Brooklyn Committee for Better Housing.
His son, William Howard Melish, was born in Brooklyn in 1910; attended Harvard, Union Theological Seminary, Jesus College at Cambridge University, and the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Mass.; began his ministry at Christ Church in Cincinnati in 1935, and joined his father as assistant rector at the Church of the Holy Trinity in 1938. At various times he served as the Chairman of the Cincinnati Forum Committee, Vice-President of the Kings County American Labor Party, and Chairman of the National Council for Soviet-American Friendship. It was this last position in particular that led to the famed "Melish Controversy."
The Attorney General of the United States in 1948 labeled the National Council for Soviet-American Friendship a subversive organization. Soon after, the vestry sought to persuade the elder Melish to dismiss his son from the position of associate minister because they considered "that certain outside activities of the Assistant Rector were most detrimental to the interests of Holy Trinity Church." The elder Melish declined, and the vestry attempted to remove them both. The ensuing battle involved the parishioners of Holy Trinity church and Bishop James Pernette DeWolfe, the Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Long Island, and wound up going to the New York Supreme Court twice in the course of the ensuing decade. Increasing conflict between the bishop's new rector and some parishioners brought about the closing of the church in 1957, by order of the Bishop.
After a few years spent in an effort to re-open Holy Trinity, William Howard Melish was called to be the rector of Grace Church, in Corona, Queens. Holy Trinity was eventually re-opened by the congregation of St. Ann's, and was henceforth known as the Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity. John Howard Melish lived in the rectory of Holy Trinity Church until his death in 1969.
A significant portion of the material in the collection came from Anna May Mason, who was a longtime parishioner in the Church of the Holy Trinity and active in its committees. Among these was the Trinity House Committee, of which Mason was Chairman during the 1950s, responsible for overseeing the operation of a co-ed residence sponsored by the Church. Mason was born in 1876 and baptized in Holy Trinity, and when she died in 1969, her funeral was held in the Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity. During the period of the Melish Controversy, she was the most senior member of the parish and a supporter of the Melishes. She was a co-defendant or co-petitioner with the Melishes in at least some of their court cases.
The Church of the Holy Trinity, now known as the Church of Saint Ann's and the Holy Trinity, is located in Brooklyn Heights at 157 Montague Street. It is well known in architectural circles for its Gothic Revival style and stained glass windows by William Jay Bolton, thought to be the earliest stained glass windows in the United States, circa 1822.
Arrangement note
The collection is organized in the following nine series:
Series 1: Church of the Holy Trinity Materials, 1933-1957.
Series 2: Trinity House Records, 1950-1959.
Series 3: Melish Family Materials, circa 1950s-1969.
Series 4: Anna May Mason Materials, 1947-1969.
Series 5: William Howard Melish Clippings, Ephemera, Correspondence, Notes, 1939-1958.
Series 6: Francis H. Touchet Clippings, Ephemera, Notes, 1904-1980.
Series 7: Anna May Mason Clippings, 1947-1969.
Series 8: Publications, 1913-1985.
Series 9: Court Records, 1949-1979.
Scope and Contents
The scope of the collection principally includes material related to the Melish controversy, centering on the period 1948-1958. Most of the material is files of newspaper clippings maintained by William Howard Melish, focusing on Communism, United States-Soviet Union relations, and the Melish controversy and related court cases. The collection also includes clippings and other documents collected by Francis H. Touchet in connection with his research on the Melish matter and materials compiled by Holy Trinity parishioner and Melish supporter Anna May Mason.
In addition to the extensive clippings, the collection also includes significant correspondence, notes by William Howard Melish, press releases, court filings, and other material related to the Melish case. Further, the collection includes sermons, writings, and talks by the Melishes. Among these is a set of reel-to-reel audio tapes of a memorial service held in Ghana in 1963 for W. E. B. Du Bois at which William Howard Melish spoke. With the principal focus of the collection on William Howard Melish during the 1940s and early 1950s, earlier and later years of his career are only lightly represented in the collection. His father, John Howard, is represented in the collection through some printed matter and correspondence, as well in the clippings files.
Other than the Melish controversy, the collection holds committee minutes, financial statements, and other useful material concerning Trinity House, a co-ed residence house sponsored by the Church of the Holy Trinity. The collection includes correspondence between William Howard Melish and author Ralph E. Wager regarding Bouck White, with related photographs, and between Melish and Rev. Joseph F. Fletcher of the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the early 1950s. The collection holds a small amount of material concerning the history, architecture, and other aspects of the Church of the Holy Trinity itself. Periodicals in the collection include Holy Trinity's Parish News (1946-1959) and the journal The Churchman (1948-1963), among others. Other publications in the collection include Father and Son, a pamphlet written by Arthur Miller in support of the Melishes.
Subjects
Organizations
Genres
People
Topics
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); John Howard Melish, William Howard Melish and Protestant Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity collection, ARC.050, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Custodial History note
John V. Mason, the nephew of Anna May Mason (1876-1969) and the executor of her estate, donated to the Brooklyn Historical Society in 1969 a collection of materials that included Church of the Holy Trinity Materials, Trinity House Materials, Anna May Mason Materials, and various newspaper clippings, publications, and legal papers. Anna May Mason was a Holy Trinity congregant and partisan of Melish father and son. She was also a co-defendant or co-petitioner in certain of the Melish court cases. These materials were designated as accession number 1977.326; folders in the collection with material received from Mason's estate are noted as such with this number. These are found primarily in series 1, 2, 4, and 7.
Folders with accession number 1985.010 include materials received from one of three sources: a) William Howard Melish in 1983, b) Francis H. Touchet in 1985, or c) Mary Jane Melish (1913-1999) in 1987. The material from William Howard Melish includes newspaper clippings, notes, etc. contained in Series 5, as well as publications, correspondence, and the obituary of John Howard Melish. Francis H. Touchet donated his doctoral research materials on "the Melish Case," which consisted of the materials in Series 6 and some correspondence and publications. Mary Jane Melish, who was William Howard's wife, was responsible for the reel-to-reel tapes in Series 3, along with a few publications.
About this Guide
Processing Information
This collection was initially organized and described in 1985 and 1987, and consisted of materials received between 1983 and 1987 (accession 1985.010). The materials from the estate of Anna May Mason, accessioned in 1977 and originally titled the Church of the Holy Trinity Records, were released from restriction and incorporated in the spring of 2006 (accession 1977.326). The full collection was processed at that time by Gabriel Farrell, an intern at the Brooklyn Historical Society in the Pratt GATEWAI program. Dr. Pettit edited the text, May, 2006. Minor editing to the finding aid was done in November 2008 by Chela Scott Weber, BHS Archivist. In August 2010, volunteer Jesse Brauner and Project Archivist Larry Weimer input the finding aid content to Archivists' Toolkit, expanding or modifying the original description in part during that process. Also, photos previously separated to BHS's photograph collections were reintegrated into the collection.
In December 2011, the tapes of the W. E. B. Du Bois memorial service were digitized. The work was done by George Blood, LLC. Digitization was made possible through the generosity of William Coleman, a Brooklyn Historical Society trustee.
Repository
Series 1: Church of the Holy Trinity Materials., 1933-1957, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The series contains a small amount of images, letters, brochures/pamphlets and other materials relating to church affairs. Material in the series concerns the history of the church and famous members/past leaders, financial records and expenditures (including fundraisers)and the semi-religious/secular services offered by the church (e.g., athletic club, schools, women's club). The series also includes documents regarding the bulding itself and the designs of the the windows created by Jay Bolton.
Arrangement
The series is arranged by subject matter.
Architectural Information., 1933-1955, inclusive
Centennial., 1947, inclusive
Finances., 1950-1955, inclusive
Fundraising., 1948-1957, inclusive
Programs., 1950, 1955 undated, inclusive
Series 2: Trinity House Records., 1950-1969, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
Trinity House was a "non-sectarian co-ed residence club" located at 124 Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn. The Trinity House Committee was chaired by Anna May Mason from 1950-1959, and this series includes many materials relating to the club's functioning during that time. The series is especially rich in financial statements and minutes of regular committee meetings, and also includes some correspondence and a small number of Trinity House's monthly newsletters.
Arrangement
The series is arranged by type of record.
Correspondence., 1950-1959, inclusive
Finance., 1950-1959, inclusive
General., 1950-1956, inclusive
Minutes., 1951-1959, inclusive
Series 3: Melish Family Materials., circa 1950s-1985, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The series contains material that gives some background on the Melish family and their interests, including correspondence, photographs, and obituaries. The series includes a 1983 sermon by William Howard Melish and three reel-to-reel audiotapes of a memorial service held in Ghana in 1963 for W.E.B. Du Bois at which Melish presided and spoke at length, surveying Du Bois's life and career (digital files of the tapes are linked below). The series includes correspondence between Melish and Ralph E. Wager regarding Bouck White, with related photographs. The series also includes a few political cartoons relating to the fear of nuclear crisis.
Arrangement
The series is arranged by form and subject matter.
William Howard Melish Correspondence., 1982-1985, inclusive
Francis H. Touchet Correspondence., 1955-1984, inclusive
Correspondence concerning Bouck White., 1965-1966, inclusive
General
Includes photographs of Bouck White
Images (Photographs and Photocopies)., circa 1950s, inclusive
John Howard Melish Obituaries., 1969, inclusive
Recording of Memorial service at Achimota for the late Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois., 1963, inclusive
General
A published print version of Melish's remarks at the service is in Series 8: Publications.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Originally recorded on reel to reel, digitized in 2011 and available through the Internet Arhive.
Externally hosted content
https://archive.org/details/bhs_1985.010_duboisservice_01
Externally hosted content
https://archive.org/details/bhs_1985.010_duboisservice_02
Externally hosted content
https://archive.org/details/bhs_1985.010_duboisservicec_01
Series 4: Anna May Mason Materials., 1947-1969, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The series contains materials from Anna May Mason that give more background on the Melish case, including correspondence with the Melishes and others, a scrapbook containing letters, newspaper clippings and other materials, ephemera, a photograph of the Melishes, and a transcription of the 1949 Diocese hearing concerning the proposed dissolution of Holy Trinity's pastoral relation with John Howard Melish. The series also holds press releases, announcements, petitions, circular letters, and other documents from interested parties in the case, including at least three committees: Committee to Retain Our Rector, the Parishioners Committee for the Holy Trinity, and the Defense Committee.
Arrangement
The series is arranged by form and subject matter.
Ephemera., 1948-1958, inclusive
General
Includes member lists, correspondence
Scrapbook., 1948-1951, inclusive
General
Includes clippings, letters to the congregation, event announcements
Correspondence with John Howard Melish., 1941-1960, inclusive
Correspondence with William Howard Melish., 1951-1963, inclusive
Incoming Correspondence., 1948-1961, inclusive
Outgoing Correspondence., 1947-1959, inclusive
Photograph of John and William Howard Melish; Anna May Mason Obituary., circa 1940, 1969, inclusive
Defense Committee Records., 1949-1960, inclusive
Diocese Hearing Transcription., 1949, inclusive
Series 5: William Howard Melish Clippings, Ephemera, Correspondence, Notes., 1935-1958, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of the clippings files maintained by William Howard Melish. The bulk of the files include clippings from newspapers such as the Brooklyn Eagle, New York Times, and The Churchman, and some of the clippings are in Russian. However, Melish's clippings files also contained correspondence, notes, and other material.
Broadly stated, the series concerns two overarching subjects: the relationship of the United States with the Soviet Union and related fears about the threats of Communism, and the controversy and legal troubles faced by the Melishes because of their active involvement in these issues. The clippings concern many subjects within these categories, including the domestic and foreign events triggering the Melishes' activities, support received from various people and factions, the church and legal debates over the possibility of removing the Melishes from their positions, and church leadership succession.
The correspondence includes exchanges between the Melishes; between William Howard Melish and Rev. Joseph F. Fletcher of the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the early 1950s; and with others outside the congregation on various secular matters. Folders from the late 1950s include William Howard Melish's typewritten notes on the developments of the case. Church bulletin pamphlets, political cartoons, and articles/letters containing the opinions of several rabbis are also included in this series.
Arrangement
The series follows original order, which was chronological. Correspondence and documents other than clippings are as originally found with the clippings.
Much, though not all, of the original material was photocopied by Melish and/or Brooklyn Historical Society. These copies are foldered separately, immediately following the originals, and are labeled accordingly.
Clippings (3 folders)., 1935-1946, inclusive
Clippings, Jan-Jun (3 folders)., 1947, inclusive
Clippings, Oct-Dec (3 folders)., 1947, inclusive
Clippings, Jan-May (Originals)., 1948, inclusive
Clippings, Jun-Dec (Originals)., 1948, inclusive
Clippings, Correspondence, Jan-Mar (2 folders)., 1949, inclusive
General
Includes Pastoral Letter from Pernette DeWolf
Clippings, Mar-Apr (2 folders)., 1949, inclusive
Clippings, May-Dec (Originals)., 1949, inclusive
Clippings, May-Dec (BHS copies)., 1949, inclusive
Clippings, Jan-Mar (3 folders)., 1950, inclusive
Clippings, Apr-May (3 folders)., 1950, inclusive
Clippings, Jun-Dec (3 folders)., 1950, inclusive
Clippings, Sep-Dec (2 folders)., 1951, inclusive
Clippings and Ephemera., 1952, inclusive
Clippings, Ephemera, Correspondence., 1953, inclusive
Clippings, Ephemera, Correspondence, Notes., 1954, inclusive
Clippings, Ephemera, Correspondence, Notes., 1956, inclusive
Clippings, Ephemera, Correspondence, Notes., 1956, inclusive
Clippings, Ephemera, Correspondence, Notes., 1957, inclusive
Clippings, Ephemera, Correspondence, Notes., 1957, inclusive
Clippings, Ephemera, Correspondence, Notes (Originals)., 1958, inclusive
Clippings, Ephemera, Correspondence, Notes (Copies)., 1958, inclusive
Clippings, Ephemera, Correspondence, Notes (Copies)., 1958, inclusive
Series 6: Francis H. Touchet Clippings, Ephemera, Notes., 1904-1980, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series includes material from the research of Francis H. Touchet. The bulk of the series consists of newspaper clippings, and there is considerable overlap in content with that of the William Howard Melish clippings series. Nevertheless, Touchet's files include more material from earlier in the twentieth century, especially in relation to John Howard Melish and his writings. Touchet's files also emphasize the Melishes and their involvement in various matters, whereas the Melish clipping series often included articles concerning domestic and foreign matters that were of interest to Melish. Again, the Melishes' stance on United States-Soviet Union relations, Communism, and the ensuing controversy at Holy Trinity is the subject focus of the series.
The folder that covers the year 1955, which contains only a small number of clippings, includes a few programs from Holy Trinity, an issue of Parish News, and the minutes from a meeting of the vestry. The last folder of the series contains clippings, programs, and charts laid out for inclusion in the appendix of The Social Gospel and the Cold War: A History of the Melish Case, Touchet's doctoral thesis, as well as some handwritten notes. It also includes twentieth-century copies of records from the opening of the Church of the Holy Trinity in 1847, brochures from Brooklyn youth programs, architectural information, and other miscellaneous material concerning Holy Trinity.
Arrangement
The series retains Touchet's original order, which was chronological. Some of the clippings have been photocopied; these are foldered separately from the originals.
Clippings (3 folders)., 1904-1938, inclusive
Clippings., 1939-1945, inclusive
Clippings., 1946, inclusive
Clippings, Jan-Jun., 1947, inclusive
Clippings, Jul-Dec., 1947, inclusive
Clippings., 1948, inclusive
Clippings, Jan-Feb., 1949, inclusive
Clippings, Mar., 1949, inclusive
Clippings, Apr., 1949, inclusive
Clippings, Apr-Nov., 1949, inclusive
Clippings, Jan-Jun., 1950, inclusive
Clippings, Jul-Dec., 1950, inclusive
Clippings, Jan-May (2 folders)., 1951, inclusive
Clippings (Duplicates)., 1951, inclusive
Clippings, Jan-Oct., 1952, inclusive
Clippings, Jan-Nov., 1953, inclusive
Clippings, Jan-Oct., 1954, inclusive
Clippings and Ephemera., 1955, inclusive
General
Includes program, church meeting minutes
Clippings, Jan., 1956, inclusive
Clippings, Feb-Mar., 1956, inclusive
Clippings, Apr-Dec., 1956, inclusive
Clippings, Jan-Jun., 1957, inclusive
Clippings, Jul., 1957, inclusive
Clippings, Jul., 1957, inclusive
Clippings, Aug., 1957, inclusive
Clippings, Sep-Dec., 1957, inclusive
Clippings., 1960-1965, inclusive
Dissertation Research (Clippings, pamphlets, programs, charts, notes)., 1906-1980, inclusive
General
Includes copies of records of church from 1847.
Series 7: Anna May Mason Clippings., 1947-1969, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series consists primarily of photocopies of newspaper articles that discuss the ousting of Rev. Melish and other legal matters surrounding the Church of the Holy Trinity, such as the closing of the church and the debates and court battles involved.
Arrangement
The series is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
These materials were donated by Anna May Mason.
Clippings., 1947-1949, inclusive
Clippings., 1950-1955, inclusive
Clippings., 1956-1960, inclusive
Clippings., 1961-1962, 1969, inclusive
Series 8: Publications., 1913-1985, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The series contains various publications. The first folder in the series contains a few pamphlets authored by John Howard Melish. The next few folders contain pamphlets and sermons authored by William Howard Melish. These include Melish's recollections in 1960 of civil rights activism in the South; notes from Melish relating to the materials in the series, including one referencing how part of Arthur Miller's work The Crucible was written in the Melish home; and Melish's recollections of W. E. B. Du Bois. Some miscellaneous publications follow, which include Father and Son, a pamphlet written by Arthur Miller in support of the Melishes. Next in the series is a folder of press releases from the years of the Melish Case. Next is a run of Parish News from 1946-1959, and The Churchman from 1948-1963. Finally, a few copies of The Witness are included.
Arrangement
The series is arranged with Melish writings followed by other printed matter.
John Howard Melish Publications., 1913, 1941-1954, inclusive
William Howard Melish Sermons and Speeches., 1947-1963, 1980-1985, inclusive
Melish Case: Challenge to the Church., circa 1949, inclusive
The Story of a Congregation., circa 1950, inclusive
Miscellaneous Publications., 1949-1959, inclusive
Press Releases., 1947-1961, inclusive
The Parish News., 1946-1956, inclusive
The Parish News., 1957, inclusive
The Parish News., 1958-1959, inclusive
The Churchman., 1948-1957, inclusive
The Churchman., 1958-1963, inclusive
The Witness., 1950, 1955, inclusive
Series 9: Court Records., 1949-1979, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The series primarily includes the printed court records from the Supreme Court of Kings County concerning the Melish case. Two of the main types of documents included here are briefs and memorandums from the various court cases, and several copies of some of these can be found in different folders. Two copies of Records on Appeal from a 1949 case are in the series, as are lists of thousands of American clergymen who put their names forward to oppose or support a particular case. Some records from Touchet's research are in this series, including a letter to a judge who was involved in the case, some handwritten notes from an interview, and a chronology of newspaper stories from 1949-1956.
Arrangement
The series is arranged by type of record.
